Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2018
Keywords
Fear appeals, Timing reminders, Accountability, Teacher self-efficacy, Importance of tested outcome, Threat appraisal, High-stakes testing
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-018-9448-8
Abstract
Teachers often communicate to students the consequences of success and failure (fear appeals) and the timing (timing reminders) of forthcoming examinations. Prior research has examined how fear appeals and teaching reminders are evaluated by students and how they relate to educational outcomes such as engagement. Few studies have addressed the use of these behaviours from a teacher’s perspective. We examined teacher use of consequence and timing reminders, used prior to examinations, and its relation to perceived accountability pressure, teacher self-efficacy, perceived importance of tested outcomes, and the belief that students would interpret such messages as threatening. Data were collected from 854 English primary and secondary school teachers. Results showed that fear appeals and timing reminders were used more frequently when teachers believed that tested outcomes were important, when they had lower self-efficacy to engage students, and when they believed that students would interpret messages as threatening. Timing reminders, but not fear appeals, were used more frequently when perceived accountability pressure was greater. These findings help to understand why teachers are using such behaviours. In this study it was pressures from above, below, and within.
Rights Information
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Social Psychology of Education, v. 21, p. 1001-1019
Scholar Commons Citation
Putwain, David W. and von der Embse, Nathaniel P., "Teachers Use of Fear Appeals and Timing Reminders Prior to High-Stakes Examinations: Pressure from Above, Below, and Within" (2018). Educational and Psychological Studies Faculty Publications. 212.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/esf_facpub/212
