Who is to Blame? Students, Teachers and Parents Views on Who is Responsible for Student Achievement

Highly valued by our society, school success has many lifelong benefits such as higher socio-economic status, health and well-being (Oreopoulos, 2007). The importance of educational success is often implicit in the complaints, excuses and laments of students, teachers and parents when faced with poor academic performance (Dweck, 2007; Epstein and Becker, 1982; Harari and Covington, 1981; Jansen, 2006; Peterson and Irving, 2008). The degree to which the three main stakeholders in student learning and achievement (students, teachers and parents) believe they are responsible for learning outcomes is an important consideration and component in student success. It is likely to affect young people’s behaviour and motivation, and ultimately their development of academic skills, expertise and competence. A lack of clarity and or unity around who these stakeholders perceive is responsible may indeed be a conflicting and complicating factor in students’ academic learning and success.