@article{WestphalBeckerVocketal.2016, author = {Westphal, Andrea and Becker, Michael and Vock, Miriam and Maaz, Kai and Neumann, Marko and McElvany, Nele}, title = {The link between teacher-assigned grades and classroom socioeconomic composition: The role of classroom behavior, motivation, and teacher characteristics}, series = {Contemporary educational psychology}, volume = {46}, journal = {Contemporary educational psychology}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {San Diego}, issn = {0361-476X}, doi = {10.1016/j.cedpsych.2016.06.004}, pages = {218 -- 227}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Teacher judgments in terms of grades, proficiency assessments, and recommending placement in ability groups can have important consequences for a child's future educational path. Whether or not students' sociodemographic background characteristics are systematically related to teacher judgments has been a controversial topic of discussion. Using data from the TIMSS-Transition Study (N = 3285 fourth graders) administered across 13 German federal states in the 2006-2007 school year and survey data from parents and teachers, we investigated whether or not the average classroom socioeconomic status is reflected in teacher judgments and also examined possible underlying processes. We also probed the role of teachers' own socioeconomic backgrounds (at the age of 16) in their later susceptibility to differentially judge students from different socioeconomic backgrounds and in differentially composed classrooms. Multilevel regression analyses revealed that, after controlling for differences in achievement (as indicated by standardized tests), teachers' judgments were associated with the classrooms' socioeconomic composition, and this finding could not be attributed to the average levels of motivation or behavior in the classroom. Teachers were similarly likely to exhibit such differential judgments regardless of their own socioeconomic background. These findings are discussed in the context of their implications for educational policy.}, language = {en} } @article{WestphalKretschmannGronostajetal.2018, author = {Westphal, Andrea and Kretschmann, Julia and Gronostaj, Anna and Vock, Miriam}, title = {More enjoyment, less anxiety and boredom}, series = {Learning and individual differences : a multidisciplinary journal in education}, volume = {62}, journal = {Learning and individual differences : a multidisciplinary journal in education}, publisher = {Elsevier B.V.}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {1041-6080}, doi = {10.1016/j.lindif.2018.01.016}, pages = {108 -- 117}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Students' achievement emotions are critical in their academic development. Therefore, teachers need to create an emotionally positive learning environment. In the light of this, the present study investigated the connection between students' enjoyment, anxiety, boredom and, in the first case, students' academic self-concept and, in the second, teachers' diagnostic skills. The third part of our study examined whether this link would be moderated by students' academic self-concept. Our sample comprised N = 1803 eighth-grade students who reported their achievement emotions and evaluated the diagnostic skills of both their German and mathematics teachers. Hierarchical models indicated that students experience more enjoyment and less anxiety and boredom if teachers exhibit better diagnostic skills. The role of teachers' diagnostic skills in relation to students' emotions was in part moderated by the students' self-concept. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for effective teaching.}, language = {en} }