LA's Wandering Musings: April 2016

Title: Teacher Expectations and Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

Citation:

Jussim, L. & Harber, K.D. (2005). Teacher expectations and self-fulfilling prophecies: Known and unknowns, resolved and unresolved controversies. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 9(2), 131-155.

Google Scholar Link:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kent_Harber2/publication/7869791_Teacher_Expectations_and_Self-Fulfilling_Prophecies_Knowns_and_Unknowns_Resolved_and_Unresolved_Controversies/links/09e4151394c0e6dc13000000.pdf

SUMMARY

Purpose of the research

In reviewing over 35 years of research, the authors posit that the impact of self-fulfilling prophecies are small and may dissipate, they have a more powerful effect on marginalized groups, and teacher expectation may predict student outcomes more. This was a comprehensive meta analysis that had not been done over 20 years or synthesized at this broaden level.

Research questions

Essentially reviewing the impact of social perception and how it creates social reality and if teacher expectations help or hinder social issues.

(1) What did the early teacher expectation research show?

(2) Do teacher expectations influence student intelligence?

(3) How powerful is the typical self-fulfilling prophecy in the classroom?

(4) How accurate is the typical teacher expectation?

(5) Do negative teacher expectations harm students more than positive teacher expectations help students?

(6) Do teacher expectations effects accumulate across different teachers and over time?

Methods

The authors recognize the disconnect that sometimes occur between expert thought, empirical data, and narrative reviews. Paying attention to this gap, they focus on effect sizes and empirical evidence more than on the authors’ conclusions and analysis interpretations by others in their meta-analysis.

Subjects

The authors reviewed and highlighted major works that were inclusive of several meta-analyses to explore each of the questions posited. This highlights some of the major topics discussed, although they never offered an exact number of how many articles reviewed.

In an attempt to refute his critics, Rosenthal became a pioneer in the meta-analysis process and with Rubin (1978) analyzed 345 experiments dividing them into 8 categories to demonstrate the existence of self-fulfilling prophecy. Rosenthal later updated his meta-analysis in 1994.

Raudenbush (1984) authored a meta-analysis of 18 studies which found a small mean effect size (d=.11) with IQ expectations studies. Raudenbush (1994) did a reanalysis and found 14 studies still showed no overall effects.

Results

While Rosenthal and Raudenbush concluded that teacher expectation influences IQ, Wineburg (1987) and Snow (1995) provide critiques of the research data. Some highlights of the authors’ analysis were:

Self-fulfilling prophecies are real and the effects are typically small.
The reason teacher expectations impacts exist are because of accuracy.
There is not enough data to indicate whether positive or negative expectancies have the most effect.
There is a pattern of dissipation in regards to the accumulation extent of expectancy power with the notable exception of social stigmatized groups.

DISCUSSION

Implications

The authors point out the flaws in the narrative built around self-fulfilling prophecy versus what the empirical data says. First, they point out the effect sizes have not been as dramatic as posited. Of significance to discuss in class is the accurate analysis of the often-mentioned Pygmalion in the Classroom study (1968) by Rosenthal and Jacobson, including what the results said (smaller effect size (.30) and correlation (r=.15) and how people interpreted pointed out. A secondary point is that 40 years of programs intending to increase IQ results in disadvantaged populations have failed to produce the IQ effect results people are inferring teacher expectations do with self-fulfilling prophesies.

The analysis points to varying results based on timing of the year for study intervention, age and level of school, newness of situations, the students’ perceptions of teachers differential treatment, tracking by ability level, and students identity with a stigmatized social group linked to social inequalities.

The authors spent time exploring the disconnect phenomena between social psychology (embracing) and educational psychology (skepticism) conclusions on self-fulfilling prophecy. This is also impacted by the absence of accuracy emphasis (is the teacher assessment in line with the student's performance level) within social psychology versus educational psychology and their differing methodologies.

Brophy’s (1983) narrative review stated that self-fulfilling prophecy had an effect on only 5-10% of students. Finally, with the accumulation effect, a broad review of four studies showed dissipating effects although their scope is limited by four studies.

Overall, this leads me to understand that there might be other factors at play with how teacher expectations impact students and their performance. Namely, if you are in a stigmatized group you feel this differently and if the information is introduced early on it has more impact in that it can influence other data the teacher is gathering (class performance, school records, test results, etc.). The studies pointed out that further exploration is needed on how teachers’ expectations are perceived as accurate based on what they are seeing as performance evidence (is it objective or subjective, is it accurate or not accurate, and does it stay stagnant or modify as more information is introduced). The newness of situations seems to have an impact so that initial tone is extremely vital. Furthermore, the other article I previously reviewed explored more deeply the impact of teacher universal expectations on a class versus individual student that might explain the differences of how students perform.

CONTRIBUTION AND FUTURE RESEARCH

Future research focus

The authors offer that research in “how teacher, school, and community…characteristics moderate self-fulfilling prophecies is needed” (p. 153). While there is evidence of the fleeting and minimal impact of self-fulfilling prophecies, there needs to be further research into the “evidence that, in certain contexts and among certain groups, they are indeed consistently powerful ad pervasive” (p.153).

Implications for the technology enhanced learning (TEL) environment

When we consider technology-enhanced learning, this can provide a vehicle of neutrality with teacher expectations and student performance. In addition, such tools like Canvas and measuring the learning analytics behind it can shed light onto student behaviors and curriculum design. We can use this to more accurately and objectively assess how students are performing and the impact of teacher expectations.

I attended (along with Ben) a fantastic MTI lunch yesterday. Dr. Ulbrich is doing great things with her work in revising Chemistry classes to support student learning more about their own learning. Attached are some snapshots of her presentation with examples of what she is structuring assignments to help students grow. Also included are pdfs of chapters she referred to that are available on the web.

Document on Learning to Learn
Creating Self-Regulated Learners book chapter 1

MASTER TEACHING INITIATIVE LUNCH AND LECTURE

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016, 11:30-1 p.m. in LORY STUDENT CENTER, ROOM 386

TOPIC:

“SUPPORTING SELF-REGULATED LEARNING IN BEGINNING COLLEGE STUDENTS”

PRESENTER: Dr. Ingrid Laughman Ulbrich, Department of Chemistry

Brief Description: General chemistry 1 (CHEM 111) is a large undergraduate course, intended for science majors across the college. It is a challenging course with significant freshman enrollment. Dr. Ulbrich will share with us her success at integrating activities designed to help students explicitly pay attention to their own learning process, and strategize on how to improve it. This approach inspired a revision in how exams were written, and exam averages were higher than in past semesters. Additionally, this approach noticeably transformed the tenor of the course as students came to appreciate that they have the power and resources to create their own success.