Investigating the role of self-discipline in the absence of face-to-face learning during COVID-19

Abstract

This study examines potential sources of the widening learning gap among students in the absence of face-to-face learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examine whether students who lack self-discipline will suffer more than those with self-discipline from the lack of concentration on distance learning materials. We exploit a unique experimental setting in South Korea where a massive religious gathering ignited the first significant COVID-19 outbreak outside of China. Because of severe social distancing measures that the government laid down, the outbreak was geographically contained within the city and did not spread to the neighboring regions. Because the regions affected by the pandemic were not shown to be particularly different in educational outcomes, the assignments of treatment and control groups were very close to being randomized. Using tap-stream data of various learning activities, we demonstrate that self-disciplined students are less harmed by the forced transition to distance learning as compared to those lacking self-discipline. Moreover, we examine the effect of externally imposed discipline by teachers on students’ academic performance and found it quite significant.