Understanding Academic Expectation Construction in Two Secondary Classrooms: A Conceptual and Methodological Approach

• In Event: Rethinking Community Engagement Across Youth Development

Abstract

The proposed paper describes a methodological approach to understanding the co-construction of academic expectations in a learning environment. While extensive knowledge exists about effects of such expectations, a dearth of studies examine the processes by which these expectations form. Since negative expectation effects are more common and more pronounced for stigmatized populations, understanding construction processes is critical in developing strategies for positive expectation construction in targeted communities. I demonstrate an investigation method that accommodates the dialectical and complex nature of the phenomenon, while also accounting for its deeply contextualized aspects. The analytic approach described pairs discourse analysis with a complex systems model to understand how participants’ language within collective identity formation—a key constituent in expectation construction—shapes situated academic expectations.

Author

• Jessica Hadid, Temple University