Selection practices and differentiation shape adolescents' identities, but evidence on tracking's role in identity development remains inconclusive¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2019 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Adolescents allocated to high status groups understand themselves as having something to contribute to their class and appear more engaged, whereas adolescents denied access to high status groups do not. → Verhoeven 2019 q2 i? Evidence on the role of tracking in adolescents' process of identity development remains inconclusive, with studies finding both less exploration in prevocational tracks and earlier identity development in shorter-lasting tracks. → Verhoeven 2019 (2)

Evidence¶

Verhoeven 2019¶

Verhoeven, M., Poorthuis, A. M. G., & Volman, M. (2019). The Role of School in Adolescents' Identity Development. A Literature Review. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-018-9457-3

q2 · i? · review · r2

Synthesis of ethnographic studies of ability grouping in mathematics, ESL, wind band, and cheerleading contexts, based on classroom observations and interviews. Adolescents in high status groups seemed rather engaged in class, whereas the opposite applied to adolescents denied access.

"Together, the studies indicate that adolescents who are allocated to a high status group— and hence to whom certain positively evaluated identity positions were available— understand themselves as having something to contribute to their class, whereas this is not the case for other adolescents."

Verhoeven 2019 (2)¶

Verhoeven, M., Poorthuis, A. M. G., & Volman, M. (2019). The Role of School in Adolescents' Identity Development. A Literature Review. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-018-9457-3

q2 · i? · review · r2

The review reports that two survey studies found prevocational-track adolescents less likely to explore vocational goals than pre-academic-track adolescents, while another survey suggested adolescents in shorter-lasting tracks are further in identity development because they leave school earlier.

"Hence, evidence on the role of tracking in adolescents ' process of identity development remains inconclusive."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Identity — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Peer norms can deny access to identity positions and stigmatize positions adolescents would otherwise take up — related
• Schools and teachers unintentionally communicate identity messages to adolescents through the hidden curriculum — related
• Adolescents' self-understandings are informed by their perceptions of teacher expectations, which may differ across student groups — related