Empathy in Education: A Critical Review

This paper offers a systematic review of the literature on the nature of empathy in educational research. This synthesis of the literature will reveal four salient themes that SoTL authors have used to understand the concept of empathy. The value of empathy, according to SoTL researchers, will als...

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Main Author: Ziqian Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Georgia Southern University 2022-11-01
Series:International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Subjects:
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author Ziqian Zhou
author_facet Ziqian Zhou
author_sort Ziqian Zhou
collection DOAJ
description This paper offers a systematic review of the literature on the nature of empathy in educational research. This synthesis of the literature will reveal four salient themes that SoTL authors have used to understand the concept of empathy. The value of empathy, according to SoTL researchers, will also receive a summarized treatment in this paper. Findings from this first part of the paper promote more accurate interpretations and comparisons of publications about empathy. Relatedly, a less ambiguous definition of empathy allows researchers and practitioners to design more precise studies that attempt to measure empathy in tutors or students, and to implement more precise educational policies involving empathy. The second goal of this paper is to raise a sceptical challenge to advocates of empathy in teaching—this will be done by drawing from the disciplines of psychology and social neuroscience. This paper concludes with a sketch of some pedagogical implications for tertiary educators in light of the worry that was raised against empathy in teaching.
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spelling doaj.art-3597dd4d3f924fd9beded3f537a840e82022-12-22T03:52:22ZengGeorgia Southern UniversityInternational Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning1931-47442022-11-0116310.20429/ijsotl.2022.160302Empathy in Education: A Critical Review Ziqian ZhouThis paper offers a systematic review of the literature on the nature of empathy in educational research. This synthesis of the literature will reveal four salient themes that SoTL authors have used to understand the concept of empathy. The value of empathy, according to SoTL researchers, will also receive a summarized treatment in this paper. Findings from this first part of the paper promote more accurate interpretations and comparisons of publications about empathy. Relatedly, a less ambiguous definition of empathy allows researchers and practitioners to design more precise studies that attempt to measure empathy in tutors or students, and to implement more precise educational policies involving empathy. The second goal of this paper is to raise a sceptical challenge to advocates of empathy in teaching—this will be done by drawing from the disciplines of psychology and social neuroscience. This paper concludes with a sketch of some pedagogical implications for tertiary educators in light of the worry that was raised against empathy in teaching. empathyhigher educationpsychological biasstudent learning
spellingShingle Ziqian Zhou
Empathy in Education: A Critical Review
International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
empathy
higher education
psychological bias
student learning
title Empathy in Education: A Critical Review
title_full Empathy in Education: A Critical Review
title_fullStr Empathy in Education: A Critical Review
title_full_unstemmed Empathy in Education: A Critical Review
title_short Empathy in Education: A Critical Review
title_sort empathy in education a critical review
topic empathy
higher education
psychological bias
student learning
work_keys_str_mv AT ziqianzhou empathyineducationacriticalreview