2024 Theses Doctoral

Essays on Innovation and Technological Progress in Education

Gupta, Saloni

Chapter 1 examines the effectiveness of an education program in teaching and measuring innovation skills among 8th-grade students in rural India. Using a randomized evaluation, the program’s impact on students’ innovative ability is assessed through a novel scale and experimental economics game. Results indicate significant improvements in innovative ability, unrelated to academic achievement or IQ, but potentially affecting math performance and interest.

Chapter 2 evaluates a STEM training initiative for women engineers in India, designedto overcome barriers to women’s success in STEM fields. By fostering a women-only environment and emphasizing self-directed learning, the program aims to enhance participants’ technical and higher-order skills, ultimately influencing their labor market outcomes.

Chapter 3 focuses on technology-driven assessment methods in education, particularlyin developing countries like India. Through phone-based assessments, governments can efficiently monitor learning outcomes, identify areas needing support, and bypass administrative layers prone to conflicts of interest. These assessments offer a cost-effective means to monitor educational programs and ensure grade-appropriate learning levels, contributing to ambitious educational goals and the teaching of foundational and higher-order skills at scale.