DT 22-25 Gender Performance in Online University Education

This paper examines the impact of the exogenous shock of COVID-19, which led to a transition from in-person to online education, on the academic performance of university students, with a particular focus on gender differences. We exploit a unique and comprehensive dataset that includes all evaluation activities and their outcomes, for students enrolled in 2018 and 2019 at the main university in Uruguay. Using difference-indifferences techniques, we find that female students outperformed their male counterparts by passing more courses and improving their grade point average. This effect is observed among women from medium and higher socioeconomic backgrounds and those who enter university immediately after finishing secondary school. Exploring the mechanisms behind these outcomes, we find that women report having greater participation compared to inperson classes, perceive more advantages in staying at home, and recognize more benefits in not commuting to the educational institution.

Keywords: Gender, higher education, performance, online learning, university