The Simultaneous Effect of Class Attendance on Grade Expectations in an Online Learning Setting

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between class attendance and the student's expected grade. Based on various theoretical frameworks such as expectancy, attribution, and achievement goal theories, in this study, we test the simultaneous effect of attendance on students’ overall academic performance using the expected average exam grade as the outcome. We employed data from an online survey of bachelor and master students attending several programs in 26 Faculties of 12 Albanian Universities during the lockdown period following the Covid-19 pandemic when teaching was switched almost immediately from face-to-face to synchronous online modality. 2SLS regression results show a robust positive relationship between attendance and grade expectations and validate the proposed reverse causality. The study’s theoretical and practical implications are discussed, emphasizing the role of expected grades as an essential predictor of class attendance, and suggesting instructors’ actions to manage student expectations and increase attendance.