What is the Importance of Teaching Non-Cognitive Skills?
The University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research produced a literature review, entitled, “Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners: The Role of Noncognitive Factors in Shaping School Performance.” While the study does not focus on gifted students, the findings could shed light on why some really bright kids don’t perform as well as expected based on their assessed abilities or why their intellectual talents go unnoticed altogether. This fascinating read suggests non-cognitive factors such as study skills, motivation, time management, mindsets, and a host of other variables might be more indicative of future academic and career success than intelligence and ability alone. Even more, differences based on race, ethnicity and gender might be greatly reduced by focusing on these non-cognitive factors. This review emerges at a time when test scores and academic rigor are gaining more and more attention, suggesting that if we can just provide students with challenging coursework and assess them to ensure that they’ve retained this content and knowledge, then students will be more prepared for college and the workforce.
However, success and achievement in school and the professional world rely on much more than just being “smart.” Successful students and professionals have to be persistent or “gritty”, organized, confident, problem-solvers, able to advocate for themselves and much more. Unfortunately, most of these behaviors are not taught in traditional classrooms. Perhaps the larger question is, can these behaviors be developed and if so, how? The University of Chicago Review provides an in-depth analysis of five categories of non-cognitive factors and investigates precisely these sorts of questions.
The Review explores whether these factors are malleable, how they are affected by the context of the classroom and if/how these factors can be taught in the classroom. Even more intriguing is how these non-cognitive factors play out when explored through the lens of race, ethnicity, gender and other forms of identity. The Review highlights the complicated and interdependent nature that all of these behaviors have with one another. For example, an African-American student’s confidence, motivation and persistence can be diminished if he/she doesn’t feel a sense of belonging in the classroom or doesn’t feel capable of succeeding; which can be substantially influenced by teacher expectations, family environment and the school/community environment.
Continued research is needed on the topic of non-cognitive behaviors and traits, but the potential outcomes are encouraging. If researchers and educators are able to identify how to measure and cultivate these important skill sets, students benefit and become more prepared for 21st century jobs and opportunities. To download the University of Chicago Literature Review, visit this link: https://consortium.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/2018-10/Noncognitive%20Report_0.pdf.
Kourtney Cockrell has spent her professional career working in diversity affairs in the nonprofit sector and in higher education. She is currently Director of Student Enrichment Services at Northwestern.