Bias in action

Your responses must be clear, well-written and reflect an in-depth understanding of the issues related to
teaching and learning. Full credit will only be given for responses that are thoroughly explained. Be sure to
paraphrase all information.
Read the two scenarios below. Identify whether this is an example of implicit or explicit bias. Explain why. How
can this form of bias be eliminated.? Explain why you feel this action you suggest will change the form of bias
described. (10 points)
A. In a study from the University of Texas at Austin, high school teachers rated the math ability of white girls
lower than white boys, even when grades and test scores were the same for both genders. One of the study’s
authors, Dr. Catherine Riegle-Crumb, said, “The bias teachers revealed against white female students may
very well be something they are not consciously aware of, and it’s usually subtle, but it’s definitely present, per
our research findings.”
B. Another classroom group gets the benefit of the doubt more often than we realize: teacher’s pets. A recent
study in England found that in one in ten cases, a teacher’s feelings about a student had a direct influence on
their toughness in grading. Considerations like length and neatness of writing also led to better teacher
perception.