THE MESSENGER MATTERS: THE ROLE OF INSTRUCTOR IDENTITY IN CONCEPTUAL CHANGE

Abstract

This study examined whether instructor-student racial congruence influences conceptual change and whether students’ perceptions of their instructor mediate this relationship. Conceptual change refers to the process by which learners revise misconceptions, and prior research suggests that social factors may shape how learners engage with messages. Using an experimental design, participants viewed instruction delivered by either a racially congruent or incongruent instructor. Pretest and posttest measures were used to assess changes in conceptual understanding, and students also rated instructors on competence, goodwill, and trustworthiness. Results indicated that racial congruence was not a significant predictor of conceptual change, and perceived instructor competence was positively associated with posttest performance. Grounded in the Cognitive Reconstruction of Knowledge Model, this research introduces messenger effects as a factor influencing message processing in conceptual change learning.