Of Mice and Pens: A Discrete Choice Experiment on Assignment Systems in Economics

35 Pages Posted: 25 Oct 2012

See all articles by Darragh Flannery

Darragh Flannery

University of Limerick - Department of Economics

Brendan Kennelly

National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI) - Department of Economics

Edel Doherty

University of Galway - J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics

Stephen Hynes

University of Galway

John Considine

University College Cork - Economics; University College Cork

Date Written: June 28, 2012

Abstract

Technological advances have led to a rise in the variety of ways of delivering assignments, most notably, the use of online assignment systems. The main contribution of this paper is to use a Discrete Choice Experiment to elicit students’ preferences for various possible attributes of assignment systems. Our results indicate that students have the strongest preference for assignment systems containing questions that have a high relevance for exam preparation. They also have a strong preference for assignment systems that provide a high level of feedback. Our results indicate that there is a high degree of heterogeneity within the student cohort in their preferences towards various attributes of assignment systems with some students willing to pay over €180 for assignment systems that have a high level of exam relevance while others are only willing to pay €30.

Keywords: discrete choice experiment, willingness to pay, latent class model, assignment systems, student preferences

JEL Classification: A20, A22

Suggested Citation

Flannery, Darragh and Kennelly, Brendan and Doherty, Edel and Hynes, Stephen and Considine, John, Of Mice and Pens: A Discrete Choice Experiment on Assignment Systems in Economics (June 28, 2012). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2166267 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2166267

Darragh Flannery (Contact Author)

University of Limerick - Department of Economics ( email )

Castletroy, Co
Limerick
Ireland

Brendan Kennelly

National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI) - Department of Economics ( email )

Newcastle Road
Galway
Ireland

Edel Doherty

University of Galway - J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics ( email )

Galway
Ireland

Stephen Hynes

University of Galway

University Road
Galway, Co. Kildare
Ireland

John Considine

University College Cork - Economics ( email )

Cork
Ireland
353 21 4902850 (Phone)
353 21 4273920 (Fax)

University College Cork ( email )

5 Bloomfield Terrace Western Road
Cork
Ireland

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