Page 145 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 145
Evaluating (Learning) Performance 145
When analysing the importance of knowledge and competencies for effective
teaching and learning one must not overlook the possibility of a link between
expectations of knowledge (part of subjective conceptions) and knowledge
evaluation (also connected with the specific competence of assessing, grad-
ing and evaluating knowledge). If an individual is expected to attain a certain
level of performance at the end of term, this also involves how the individual’s
achieved knowledge is evaluated, as numerous researchers have confirmed
that one’s expectations can influence one’s own and others’ future results. This
has been named a self-fulfilling prophecy (cf. Gomboc, 2011).
Two key approaches exist that are based on the occurrence of the self-ful-
filling prophecy and which explain the impact of teachers’expectations on the
behaviour of students: The Rosenthal effect and the theory of labelling (Pečjak
and Košir, 2002). The Rosenthal effect deals with amplifying positive behaviour,
while the labelling theory deals with a typology of unwanted behaviour. Both
approaches allow the following conclusions on the impact of teachers’ expec-
tations about students’ behaviour and outcomes, which represent the dynam-
ics of a self-fulfilling prophecy (ibid.):
- Teachers develop different expectations towards students, based on
their learning outcomes, behaviour or other information that they
acquire about them (e.g. students’ SES, their physical attractiveness,
information about students received from other teachers etc.).
- Teachers’ positions and their expectations towards the students influ-
ence their verbal and non-verbal behaviour towards students.
- Students can perceive that a teacher behaves differently towards indi-
vidual students.
- Based on a teacher’s different attitude towards them, the students
become aware that the teacher has a different attitude towards, and
expectations from, them. Students adjust their behaviour to the tea-
cher’s expectations and in time their learning outcomes (or behavio-
ur) fall in line with the teacher’s expectations.
The prominence of this effect is certainly linked to attaining profession-
al knowledge about these occurrences and the development of teaching and
knowledge assessment competencies. Parallel to the increase of professional
knowledge and competencies in this area, the subjective views on the quality
of knowledge that the students are supposed to achieve can also change. This
means that the generic competence of learning how to learn is also touched
upon.
One of the key points in fostering flexibility, curiosity, resilience, motiva-
tion, social competencies and in-depth understanding of knowledge in stu-
contextualising teaching (in)effectiveness and student (under)achievement
When analysing the importance of knowledge and competencies for effective
teaching and learning one must not overlook the possibility of a link between
expectations of knowledge (part of subjective conceptions) and knowledge
evaluation (also connected with the specific competence of assessing, grad-
ing and evaluating knowledge). If an individual is expected to attain a certain
level of performance at the end of term, this also involves how the individual’s
achieved knowledge is evaluated, as numerous researchers have confirmed
that one’s expectations can influence one’s own and others’ future results. This
has been named a self-fulfilling prophecy (cf. Gomboc, 2011).
Two key approaches exist that are based on the occurrence of the self-ful-
filling prophecy and which explain the impact of teachers’expectations on the
behaviour of students: The Rosenthal effect and the theory of labelling (Pečjak
and Košir, 2002). The Rosenthal effect deals with amplifying positive behaviour,
while the labelling theory deals with a typology of unwanted behaviour. Both
approaches allow the following conclusions on the impact of teachers’ expec-
tations about students’ behaviour and outcomes, which represent the dynam-
ics of a self-fulfilling prophecy (ibid.):
- Teachers develop different expectations towards students, based on
their learning outcomes, behaviour or other information that they
acquire about them (e.g. students’ SES, their physical attractiveness,
information about students received from other teachers etc.).
- Teachers’ positions and their expectations towards the students influ-
ence their verbal and non-verbal behaviour towards students.
- Students can perceive that a teacher behaves differently towards indi-
vidual students.
- Based on a teacher’s different attitude towards them, the students
become aware that the teacher has a different attitude towards, and
expectations from, them. Students adjust their behaviour to the tea-
cher’s expectations and in time their learning outcomes (or behavio-
ur) fall in line with the teacher’s expectations.
The prominence of this effect is certainly linked to attaining profession-
al knowledge about these occurrences and the development of teaching and
knowledge assessment competencies. Parallel to the increase of professional
knowledge and competencies in this area, the subjective views on the quality
of knowledge that the students are supposed to achieve can also change. This
means that the generic competence of learning how to learn is also touched
upon.
One of the key points in fostering flexibility, curiosity, resilience, motiva-
tion, social competencies and in-depth understanding of knowledge in stu-
contextualising teaching (in)effectiveness and student (under)achievement
