I have seen stereotype threat mentioned in educational contexts - justifying the idea that, for example, it’s important not to make (deliberately or inadvertently) things like coding or engineering seem stereotypically masculine. Usually the recommendations are to ensure that if pictures of participants in classes or extracurricular programs are shown in advertising, diverse groups of people are pictured - or that if connections to popular culture are made in educational materials they’re diverse - for example, don’t make all your example coding projects about Star Wars or football.
Anecdotally, I’ve seen with my own eyes, for example, girls getting really into coding only after seeing it demonstrated by enthusiastic women that they can see as role models in ways they would not see men.
I guess this is a far broader thing than stereotype threat - but I’m sure this larger thing is real. I fear that people who themselves have stereotypes in mind about who ‘should’ be into certain topics will use the demise or deemphasis of stereotype threat to justify not making attempts to attract or be friendly to kids who really could flourish in non-stereotypical fields - to their and society’s detriment.
Yep, I agree that this kind of descriptive representation, role model thing is very real and can have significant effects. It's the best kind of evidence that someone of the same demographic likely can/can't achieve similar things.
I also fear that people will use this as an excuse to disregard the fundamental effect of expectation on performance. Speaking anecdotally, my own academic performance was marked by clear lines of correlation (if not causation) with the presence or lack of a welcoming, supportive environment.
Precalculus: Nurturing black woman teacher, other black males in course: high marks.
Calculus: Caustic white male teacher, only black male in course: low marks.
Calculus (college): Black male teacher, class was largely black: high marks.
AP Lang: Supportive, young white woman teacher, only black male in course: mediocre marks, 5 on exam.
AP Lit: Biased, older white woman teacher, only black male in course: mediocre marks, 4 on exam.
If not stereotype threat, something analogous is clearly at work. But I imagine that whatever that might be, the cadre of "unsurprised" commenters here will continue to have issue with it.
(Apologies for the terseness of this reply, my original was lost.)
Comments
I have seen stereotype threat mentioned in educational contexts - justifying the idea that, for example, it’s important not to make (deliberately or inadvertently) things like coding or engineering seem stereotypically masculine. Usually the recommendations are to ensure that if pictures of participants in classes or extracurricular programs are shown in advertising, diverse groups of people are pictured - or that if connections to popular culture are made in educational materials they’re diverse - for example, don’t make all your example coding projects about Star Wars or football.
Anecdotally, I’ve seen with my own eyes, for example, girls getting really into coding only after seeing it demonstrated by enthusiastic women that they can see as role models in ways they would not see men.
I guess this is a far broader thing than stereotype threat - but I’m sure this larger thing is real. I fear that people who themselves have stereotypes in mind about who ‘should’ be into certain topics will use the demise or deemphasis of stereotype threat to justify not making attempts to attract or be friendly to kids who really could flourish in non-stereotypical fields - to their and society’s detriment.
Yep, I agree that this kind of descriptive representation, role model thing is very real and can have significant effects. It's the best kind of evidence that someone of the same demographic likely can/can't achieve similar things.
I also fear that people will use this as an excuse to disregard the fundamental effect of expectation on performance. Speaking anecdotally, my own academic performance was marked by clear lines of correlation (if not causation) with the presence or lack of a welcoming, supportive environment.
Precalculus: Nurturing black woman teacher, other black males in course: high marks.
Calculus: Caustic white male teacher, only black male in course: low marks.
Calculus (college): Black male teacher, class was largely black: high marks.
AP Lang: Supportive, young white woman teacher, only black male in course: mediocre marks, 5 on exam.
AP Lit: Biased, older white woman teacher, only black male in course: mediocre marks, 4 on exam.
If not stereotype threat, something analogous is clearly at work. But I imagine that whatever that might be, the cadre of "unsurprised" commenters here will continue to have issue with it.
(Apologies for the terseness of this reply, my original was lost.)