Routledge International Handbook of Social Psychology of the Classroom

Book excerpt: The Routledge International Handbook of Social Psychology of the Classroom presents the first comprehensive and integrated compilation of theory and research on topics related to the social cohesion of the classroom. Many of these topics have been studied independently; for example, motivation, self-concept, class management, class climate, and teacher expectations are generally studied separately by different groups of researchers. This handbook brings the evidence from different fields in social psychological classroom research together in one place for the first time to explore how these topics relate and how each factor influences students and their learning. With chapters by established international leaders in their fields, as well as emerging new talent, this handbook offers cutting edge research and surveys the state of the art in the social psychology of the classroom. Major areas covered include: Motivation Belief, self-concept, and personality Emotional engagement Teacher–student relationships Teacher expectation Classroom management Culture and identity The Routledge International Handbook of Social Psychology of the Classroom provides a review of current theories related to the social psychology of the classroom, including how these theories apply to classrooms and learners. Current evidence clearly shows that areas explored by social psychology – and brought together for the first time in this volume – can have a very significant impact on classroom learning and student achievement (J. Hattie, Visible Learning: A Synthesis of over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement, Routledge 2009). This handbook is a must for all academics whose research relates to the social psychology of the classroom. It is also an invaluable resource for teachers and teacher education students who want to understand why they are effective instructors and yet still encounter students in their classes who are not responding as expected.