Naslov
The role of personality and professional development in Croatian elementary school teachers' experience and competencies in the work with gifted children

Autori
Tatalović Vorkapić, Sanja ; Skočić Mihić, Sanja ; Čepić, Renata

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u zbornicima skupova, cjeloviti rad (in extenso), znanstveni

Izvornik
EduLearn2018 Proceedings - 10th Annual International Conference of Education and New Learning Technologies / Gómez Chova, L. ; López Martínez, A. ; Candel Torres, I. - Palma de Mallorca : International Academy of Technology, Education and Development (IATED), 2018, 1111-1118

ISBN
978-84-09-02709-5

Skup
10th Annual International Conference of Education and New Learning Technologies (EDULEARN18)

Mjesto i datum
Palma de Mallorca, Španjolska, 02.07.2018. - 04.07.2018

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Competencies ; Gifted children ; Personality traits ; Elementary school teachers ; Professional development
(ompetencies ; Gifted children ; Personality traits ; Elementary school teachers ; Professional development)

Sažetak
Many empirical studies have clearly demonstrated that the teacher’s personality plays an important role in the process of learning and teaching. High levels of extraversion, emotional stability, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience have shown to be significant in inclusive and successful teachers. Similarly, as in the work with all children, teacher’s personality has proven to be very important in the work with gifted children. In addition to the role of personality traits, elementary school teachers’ professional development has shown to be a significant factor in their competencies to efficiently work with gifted children. Contemporary teachers’ professional development requires directing their professional skill set towards the individual characteristics of each student, with particular emphasis on their specific academic, social, and emotional needs. As a heterogeneous group with great individual differences, gifted children need to be identified. It is assumed that teachers have the necessary competencies to identify gifted students so that they could ensure the development of their abilities. However, prior studies in Croatia have clearly demonstrated that systematic identification and work with gifted children within the educational system is not provided efficiently. Additionally, elementary school teachers reported their need for additional and continuing development of competencies for the identification of and educational work with gifted children. Therefore, the aim of this research was to explore elementary school teachers’ experiences and self- reported competencies in their educational work with gifted children, their personality traits, and types of professional development. The relationship between these variables was also the focus of this study. Research was conducted on a national representative sample of 1, 195 Croatian elementary school teachers, as part of a university research project. Three scales were used: Scale of Perceived Gifted Education Competencies, Types of Professional Development Scale, and the Ten-Factor Personality Inventory. Results showed that more than 52% of teachers reported not having any teaching experience with gifted students. Teachers self-evaluated that the lowest level of Gifted Education competencies was acquired through university programs for professional teacher preparation, a moderate level through programs of continuing professional development, while the highest level was acquired through self-learning. Regarding the correlation analyses, it was determined that personality traits are not significantly correlated with the teachers’ experience for working with gifted children, as it had been expected. On the other hand, all personality traits are significantly positively correlated with the self-learning method within professional development, while agreeableness and openness to experience are significantly positively correlated with teachers’ engagement in professional development programs. Therefore, different types of professional development and personality traits have been determined as significant variables in exploring teachers’ competencies for working with gifted children, which provide important guidelines for creating highly necessary university programs that ensure quality education for working with gifted children.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Obrazovne znanosti (psihologija odgoja i obrazovanja, sociologija obrazovanja, politologija obrazovanja, ekonomika obrazovanja, antropologija obrazovanja, neuroznanost i rano učenje, pedagoške discipline)

POVEZANOST RADA