Do Teachers Consider Advice? An International Experimental Investigation of the Acceptance of Expert Models Within the Educational Field

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 70
  In Roundtable Session: Cognition and Assessment SIG Roundtable 2

Abstract

Judgment and decision-making are basic teaching skills and represent a common part of teacher education programs. The literature suggests that expert models (e.g., simple mathematical models) could improve the teachers’ judgments. Our online experiment to tested teachers’ receptiveness of advice and compared two sources of advice (expert model/school counsellor) and two type of advice (conflicting and confirming). The sample consisted of 195 middle / high school teachers (US: 88, CH: 107). Our study shows country specific differences in the acceptance of advice sources and the source of advice. Swiss teachers were more responsive to advice than US teachers. Moreover, Swiss teachers rated a school counsellor as a better advice source than an expert model, compared to their US colleagues.

Authors

• Esther Kaufmann, University of Zurich

• David Budescu, Fordham University