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Teaching as Social Influence: Empowering Teachers to Become Agents of Social Change
Author(s) -
Butera Fabrizio,
Batruch Anatolia,
Autin Frédérique,
Mugny Gabriel,
Quiamzade Alain,
Pulfrey Caroline
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
social issues and policy review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.798
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1751-2409
pISSN - 1751-2395
DOI - 10.1111/sipr.12072
Subject(s) - psychology , selection (genetic algorithm) , mathematics education , social justice , social change , pedagogy , computer science , political science , criminology , artificial intelligence , law
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.