Stereotype Threats

Achievement Gaps in Economics Classrooms

It is midterm time in the United States. As the leaves change colors and the temperature drops, it is a great reminder to stop and evaluate our progress this semester. October is an excellent time for students to reflect on their grades and for their professors to reflect on their grade distributions. You still have time to change and influence how the rest of the semester goes. This week, I collected my midsemester evaluations and will be reflecting on what I learned and what I need to change to be a better instructor and meet the needs of my current students.

In today's newsletter, I want to share a fascinating study highlighting an important issue in economics education: achievement gaps based on race and gender. Bottan, McKee, Orlov, and McDougall’s research, “Racial and gender achievement gaps in an economics classroom,” published in the International Review of Economics Education, offers valuable insights into the challenges faced by underrepresented minority (URM) students in economics classrooms and suggests potential strategies to address these disparities. Here is my summary of the paper.

Key Findings

1. Achievement Gaps Exist: The study found significant achievement gaps for URM students on high-stakes exams (like final exams) in an intermediate-level economics course.

2. Gender Differences: Interestingly, the nature of these gaps differed between male and female students:

   1. For male URM students, the achievement gap could be explained mainly by differences in prior preparation.

   2. For female URM students, prior preparation only partially explained the gap, suggesting other factors at play.

3. Low-Stakes vs. High-Stakes Assessments: The achievement gap for female URM students was much smaller on low-stakes assessments compared to high-stakes exams.

4. Study Habits: The researchers found no significant differences in study habits between URM and non-URM students that could explain the achievement gaps.

What's Behind These Gaps?

The researchers propose two main explanations for the observed achievement gaps:

1. Differences in Prior Preparation: This is the primary factor for male URM students. These students may benefit from additional support in prerequisite skills and knowledge.

2. Stereotype Threat: This psychological phenomenon, where awareness of negative stereotypes can impact performance, may explain the persistent gap for female URM students, especially on high-stakes exams.

Implications for Education

These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions in classrooms:

1. Early Identification and Support: Early assessment of students' prior preparation and provision of additional support where needed could help close achievement gaps, especially for male URM students.

2. Addressing Stereotype Threat: Strategies to mitigate stereotype threat could be particularly beneficial for female URM students. These might include:

   1. Emphasizing a growth mindset

   2. Educating students about stereotype threat

   3. Encouraging students to view themselves as unique individuals

   4. Creating an identity-safe classroom environment

3. Mix-up Teaching and Assessment: While not a complete solution, incorporating active learning strategies may help reduce achievement gaps.

4. Representation Matters: Ensuring diverse representation in course materials and examples could help create a more inclusive learning environment.

The Takeaway

As we reflect on these findings, we must consider how we can create more equitable and inclusive economics classrooms. Here are some questions to consider:

1. How can we better prepare all students for success in economics courses?

2. What role can mentorship play in supporting URM students in economics?

3. How can we make economics more appealing and accessible to a diverse range of students?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this important topic. Feel free to reply to this newsletter with your ideas or experiences about diversity and inclusion in economics education.

Until next time,

Dr. A

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New Articles From The Journal Of Economics Teaching are Available!

The Journal of Economics Teaching, Volume 9, Issue 3 is now available online. This new issue contains the following articles:

1. Teaching Marginal Revenue Product of Labor and Capital Using Elite Athlete Salaries and Pollution Control Examples
   Nikhil Dharawat and Jeffrey Wagner
   Pages: 135–147

2. Conceptualizing Economic Principles, Social Entrepreneurship, and DEI in the Classroom With the Movie CODA
   Samuel R. Staley
   Pages: 148–169

3. Using Macroeconomic Indicators to Explore the Continent of Africa
   Brian O’Roark and Janet E. Scott
   Pages: 170–193

4. Learning Outside the Classroom: Driving Student Involvement and Engagement in an Economics Club
   Daniel Kuester
   Pages: 194–201

New Articles From Journal Of Economics Teaching Available!