ERIC Number: EJ1356531
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Nov
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1751-2271
EISSN: EISSN-1751-228X
Available Date: N/A
Teaching the Teachers the Genetics of Learning: An Application of the Mixed Blessings Model
Larsen, Sally A.; Little, Callie W.; Byrne, Brian
Mind, Brain, and Education, v16 n4 p328-337 Nov 2022
Decades of educational genetics research have highlighted that differences in academic achievement are partly explained by genetic variation between individuals. Consequently, there is ongoing discussion about whether genetic influences on educationally related traits should be more widely acknowledged in schools and communicated specifically to teachers. Nonetheless, there is little research on how teachers might interpret such information, and how it might alter their perceptions of the students they teach or their teaching practice. In this review, we draw on the mixed blessings model proposed by Haslam and Kvaale, "Current Directions in Psychological Science," 2015, 24, 399-404, as a framework for defining both positive and negative repercussions of disseminating the findings of educational genetic research to teachers. We discuss research examining teacher perceptions of student ability and behavior and findings outlining perceptions of psychological disorders when genetic explanations are invoked. We conclude by proposing new directions for research designed to better understand interpretations of genetic information in school contexts.
Descriptors: Teaching Methods, Genetics, Guidelines, Academic Achievement, Teacher Attitudes, Educational Research, Cognitive Ability, Academic Ability, Mental Disorders, Learning Processes, Faculty Development, Attitude Change
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A