5 ms·

It's a little unclear from the phrasing, but cookies are provided only in the session of the course where the evaluation is performed (note the phrasing "course

by polm23 6y ago

It's a little unclear from the phrasing, but cookies are provided only in the session of the course where the evaluation is performed (note the phrasing "course session", not "course"). Also, more importantly, even "teaching materials" are rated higher despite being exactly the same in the cookie and non-cookie courses. The full article also seems to indicate cookies had no effect on test scores; see this Twitter thread, which is where I found this link. https://twitter.com/emollick/status/1318737313497812996 https://twitter.com/emollick/status/1318737313497812996

throwaway2245 6y ago
> "teaching materials" are rated higher despite being exactly the same in the cookie and non-cookie courses. Your experience of the same teaching materials could be substantially different in a class with cookies - in a more informal atmosphere, students are more likely to discuss the purpose of the materials and therefore have a better insight into their value. (The atmosphere this creates is also likely to persist over multiple sessions). > cookies are provided only in the session of the course where the evaluation is performed (note the phrasing "course session", not "course"). I agree that would be relevant, but the Methods as it is written contradicts this. It says cookies are provided during a "course session" and the evaluation happens "after the course" (the implication is that this is not during a course session)
- polm23 6y ago
  Please read the full report. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29956364/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29956364/ > The cookie groups were provided with 500 g of cookies at the beginning of the session; this corresponded to an over‐supply of cookies to avoid limiting students to taking one cookie only. The teachers were instructed to comment on the availability of the cookies only by saying: ‘I've brought some chocolate biscuits.’ Teachers were allowed to eat one chocolate cookie themselves to break any reservations about taking the first cookie. The control groups received no chocolate cookies. > If students brought cookies or other sweets for their group, the teachers were instructed to report this to the study group. > At the end of the session, all students were asked to fill in the anonymous end‐of‐session evaluation form. While the students answered the questions, the teachers were instructed to leave the room. The forms were collected in a ballot box. After all students had left the room, cookie consumption was determined by subtracting the weight of the remaining cookies from 500 g.
  - throwaway2245 6y ago
    They should have had a cookie when writing and proof-reading the Abstract, in that case.

by polm23 6y ago

throwaway2245 6y ago

> "teaching materials" are rated higher despite being exactly the same in the cookie and non-cookie courses. Your experience of the same teaching materials could be substantially different in a class with cookies - in a more informal atmosphere, students are more likely to discuss the purpose of the materials and therefore have a better insight into their value. (The atmosphere this creates is also likely to persist over multiple sessions). > cookies are provided only in the session of the course where the evaluation is performed (note the phrasing "course session", not "course"). I agree that would be relevant, but the Methods as it is written contradicts this. It says cookies are provided during a "course session" and the evaluation happens "after the course" (the implication is that this is not during a course session)

polm23 6y ago
Please read the full report. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29956364/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29956364/ > The cookie groups were provided with 500 g of cookies at the beginning of the session; this corresponded to an over‐supply of cookies to avoid limiting students to taking one cookie only. The teachers were instructed to comment on the availability of the cookies only by saying: ‘I've brought some chocolate biscuits.’ Teachers were allowed to eat one chocolate cookie themselves to break any reservations about taking the first cookie. The control groups received no chocolate cookies. > If students brought cookies or other sweets for their group, the teachers were instructed to report this to the study group. > At the end of the session, all students were asked to fill in the anonymous end‐of‐session evaluation form. While the students answered the questions, the teachers were instructed to leave the room. The forms were collected in a ballot box. After all students had left the room, cookie consumption was determined by subtracting the weight of the remaining cookies from 500 g.
- throwaway2245 6y ago
  They should have had a cookie when writing and proof-reading the Abstract, in that case.