Streaks to success: The effects of highlighting streaks on student effort and learning

We examine whether highlighting streaks—instances of repeated and consecutive behavior when completing learning tasks—encourages 4th to 6th grade students in Peru to increase their use of an online math platform and improve learning. 60,000 students were randomly assigned to receive messages that (i) highlighted streaks, (ii) provided personalized reminders with positive reinforcement, (iii) provided generic reminders, or (iv) to a control group. Highlighting streaks and providing personalized reminders significantly increased platform use compared to generic reminders and the control group, with streaks more effective on the intensive margin and personalized reminders more effective on the extensive margin. Highlighting streaks also significantly improved math achievement compared to the control group among the 1,500 students who took an endline test, although differences with other treatment arms were not significant.