Teaching as Social Influence: Empowering Teachers to Become Agents of Social Change. Issue 1 (18th November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Butera, Fabrizio; Batruch, Anatolia; Autin, Frédérique; Mugny, Gabriel; Quiamzade, Alain; Pulfrey, Caroline
• Is Part Of: Social issues and policy review. Volume 15:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 323
• Page End: 355
• Publication Date: 2020-11-18
• Subjects: Social problems -- Periodicals; Social psychology -- Periodicals; Social policy -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Sociology -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 361.6105
• DOI: 10.1111/sipr.12072
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-2395

Abstract

Abstract: Teachers carry out a number of roles in the educational system. Their primary role is to help all students develop knowledge and skills, but, most of the time, they take on the role of gatekeepers: They evaluate students and exercise selection on the basis of performance. We analyze the roles of teachers through the lens of the literature on social influence and put forward the proposal that teaching is a form of social influence. We review existing research on the mechanisms that explain the differential effects teachers may have on students' learning, students' prospects, and, therefore, educational justice. We conclude that if teachers endorse the role of mentors—instead of that of gatekeepers—focusing on the development of their students' knowledge, they can promote deep study, long‐term learning, and equality of treatment. Such an approach could help design teacher training and school reform so as to maximize the learning potential of all students and empower teachers to become active agents of profound individual and social change.