Choosing the optimum mix of duration and effort in education
In this paper a simple economic model is employed to analyse the determinants of expected study duration and weekly effort. Although some of the outcomes do not fit into our theoretical framework, a substantial number of the results support the hypothesis that the duration/effort ratio is determined by the relative prices of these inputs of the learning process. We find that a higher socio-economic status increases the duration/effort ratio. Children from higher income families and/or with more highly education parents expect longer durations and/or invest less weekly effort. For experienced students, the prediction that higher ability levels will decrease both effort and duration is confirmed by the findings. We consider this to be a result firmly in favour of our model.