Empathic climate and learning outcomes: a study of teaching empathy in relation to mathematics learning outcomes

Abstract

This study examined the influence of Empathie Teaching Climate on Mathematics Learnmg'andMathematics and General School Self-Concepts, in sateen schools in Dublin, Ireland. The study required the design development and validation of the Student-Teacher Interaction Questionnaire (STIQ), which measures specific behavioural indices of classroom Teaching Empathy. The research monitored the effects of Teaching Empathy on students (N=387) in their first year of secondary schooling, as they completed the prescribed mathematics module on Sets and Venn Diagrams. Overall findings indicate positive effects of Teaching Empathy on student cognitive and affective learning outcomes in mathematics Results indicated that Teaching Empathy is composed of two seperate factors. The first of these, the Personal Focus of Teacher factor, is shown to positively influence Mathematics Learning outcomes The second factor, Supportive Teaching Style, recorded a significant positive effect on Mathematics Self-Concept outcomes. The processes by which these influences take place are suggested Some interesting gender differences are also reported which appear to imply a differential theory of the perceived importance of Teaching Empathy, based on a student's sex