Identifying the Racial Implicit Biases of Pre-service Teachers and Analyzing Their Impact on Students

Author

Lauren Lagan, University of Arkansas, FayettevilleFollow

Date of Graduation

5-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Education

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

Advisor/Mentor

Imbeau, Marcia B.

Committee Member/Reader

Bell, Karmen

Abstract

Implicit biases reflect the unconscious beliefs and viewpoints held against populations of people that influence our interactions with others. The adverse impact of educators’ implicit biases on students influences disciplinary actions, setting expectations, and perpetuates the opportunity gap. Due to the implicitness of these biases, people are often unaware they exist, but the impact is apparent in disproportionate disciplinary and graduation rates of diverse populations of students. Pre-service teachers are entering the profession with limited understanding of how implicit biases form, how they are present in schools, and the negative effects of implicit biases on the lives of students. The study seeks to address these gaps in knowledge and misconceptions related to the themes of implicit bias by providing explicit instruction through concise presentations centering around aspects of implicit biases in K-12 public schools. With an awareness of implicit biases, educators and schools are provided with a greater ability to reevaluate harmful policies and actions that actively work against diverse populations of students.

Keywords

Implicit bias; unconscious bias; teachers; students; impact; perspective

Citation

Lagan, L. (2022). Identifying the Racial Implicit Biases of Pre-service Teachers and Analyzing Their Impact on Students. Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/cieduht/29