Effect of private tutoring on students’ non-cognitive mathematics learning outcomes in China

This study examines the effectiveness of private tutoring (PT) on students’ non-cognitive achievement by assessing student-report questionnaires and school reports of mathematics achievement from approximately 1500 secondary school students in China to track retrospective longitudinal variations of PT over a year. The results of propensity score matching analysis indicated that a whole year of PT participation did not positively affect students’ interest, habits, and attitudes towards mathematics. This result raises questions concerning the role and effectiveness of PT. Thus, the study provides an evidence-based assessment of the effectiveness of PT and highlights the implications for educational practice and future research.