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South Korean pre-service primary school teachers’ attitudes towards gifted students and gifted education
Abstract
This study explores South Korean pre-service primary teachers’ attitudes towards gifted
students and gifted education. Qualitative focus group interviews were conducted with 13
South Korean undergraduates who were in their final year of a primary education.
Analysis of the interviews revealed that culture was a major factor that had affected the
pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards gifted education. Even though the participants
agreed with the necessity of gifted education to meet gifted students’ distinctive intellectual
and emotional needs, they tended to have negative attitudes towards the gifted
education in South Korea because of the highly competitive educational atmosphere. The
South Korean pre-service teachers admitted that taking a gifted education course could
be somewhat helpful but not enough. They suggested that there should be more elective
gifted education course offerings and that the current compulsory special education
courses should devote more time and space to gifted education.
... As a part of the first author's PhD thesis, the individual interviews of this study were conducted with lecturers who taught gifted education, along with focus groups with 13 South Korean preservice teachers who were in their fourth year in primary education (Woo, 2020;Woo et al., 2023). To increase the reliability and validity, and to reduce the bias of the data from the qualitative component of the research process, researchers often seek to collect data from multiple sources (Fusch et al., 2018). ...
... The themes were extracted from the interview questions and the categories were derived from the results of the quantitative survey portion of this study or relevant research results. Even before conducting interviews and coding, some of the subcategories were expected according to the results of the previous quantitative survey, as there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of South Korean preservice teachers' sense of efficacy and their supportive attitudes toward gifted students between those who had and had not taken a gifted course in gifted education (Woo, 2020). Hence, the first author asked the lecturers many questions related to the gifted education course they taught and two of the questions asked the lecturers' opinions about the effect of the course on preservice teachers' confidence and their attitudes toward gifted students. ...
... This article reports the qualitative component of a mixed-methods study conducted as part of the first author's PhD studies. In the survey conducted before the individual interviews of this study, the mean score of South Korean preservice teachers' sense of efficacy and their supportive attitudes toward gifted students of those who had taken a gifted education course was higher than those who had not taken a course; however, the effect size was small (Woo, 2020). In the follow-up focus group interviews with 13 South Korean preservice teachers, they wished there had been more gifted education course offerings and additional practicum placements that focused on teaching gifted students (Woo, 2020). ...
Despite the importance of initial teacher training, no primary education courses in South Korean universities provide a compulsory course in gifted education and elec-tive courses are limited. Individual in-depth interviews with seven lecturers of gifted education courses were conducted to elicit their opinions about initial teacher education in gifted education. The lecturer interviewees suggested that there should be more of an emphasis on gifted education in initial teacher education programs. They also emphasized the importance of practical teaching experience with gifted students. The expansion of initial teacher education in gifted education in South Korea has the potential to improve preservice teachers' understanding gifted students, ultimately improving the outcomes of this population.
... In another study, it was found that although participants agreed that gifted education is necessary to meet the distinctive intellectual and emotional needs of gifted students, they tended to have negative attitudes towards gifted education in South Korea due to the highly competitive educational atmosphere. On the other hand, South Korean pre-service teachers acknowledged that taking a gifted education course can help in some way but not enough (Woo & Cumming, 2022). ...
Some of the problems in the education of gifted students are based on the qualifications of the teachers. Teachers' attitudes and perceptions towards gifted students have a significant impact on the education to be provided to gifted students. It is thought that it is important to determine the general attitudes and perceptions of teachers and to provide required information to teachers in order to achieve the purpose of gifted education. In this study, it is aimed to determine the attitudes and self-efficacy of mathematics teachers towards gifted education within the scope of basic education and/or gifted education. In the study, the survey method was used to determine the relationships between two or more variables. The sample of the study consists of mathematics teachers working in Niğde province. In this study, the attitudes and self-efficacy of elementary and high school mathematics teachers towards giftedness and gifted education were tried to be relationally revealed. The data collection tools of the study were ASGE-the attitude scale for gifted education-(Tortop, 2014a) and GESST-the gifted education self-efficacy scale for teachers (Tortop, 2014b). As a result of the research, it was revealed that there was no expected relationship between attitude and self-efficacy, but the expected relationship was seen in the sub-dimensions of both scales. It was concluded that teachers with high attitudes towards gifted education showed a high tendency to create gifted classes. It was concluded that teachers with high academic qualification had similar levels of mentoring qualification, personal traits and instructional planning qualification. It was concluded that teachers' attitudes and self-efficacy towards creating special ability classes according to the needs of gifted students had a moderate relationship. It was concluded that teachers mostly agree on supporting the needs of gifted students with special services where as they generally do not support the idea of creating special ability classes according to the needs of gifted students. Moreover, teachers' attitudes do not change according to their personal traits and their attitudes towards the needs and support of gifted students are less related to their creativity. Analysis reveals that there is no significant difference was found according to age of the participants; however, regression analysis revealed that the 46-50 age group was a predictor of creating gifted classrooms.
Upon reviewing the literature, one discovers that teachers’ perceptions, attitudes, and educational needs regarding gifted children have an impact on their academic, talent, and social-emotional development throughout their schooling. With this research we aimed to evaluate primary school teachers’ attitudes towards gifted children and their education. We used the attitude scale towards gifted children and their education, which was tested for validity and reliability. Of the approximately 800 teachers working in primary schools in the Adapazar district of the Sakarya province in Türkiye, 365 teachers were surveyed using the data collection tool. The data obtained from the survey were analysed, tabulated, and interpreted using appropriate statistical data analysis. The statistical analysis revealed that teachers’ attitudes towards gifted children were positive. In this article we discuss the results of the statistical analysis.
This study investigated differences between the inquiring attitudes of student teachers who followed an academic programme and student teachers who followed a professional programme in teacher education. Differences between students were assessed through a survey among 260 students and interviews with nine students. Differences between the curricula of both programmes were explored through a curriculum analysis. In particular, academic students appeared to have a more inquiring attitude than professional students. They had a more critical attitude towards classroom situations and a higher motivation to use and perform research. Teacher research was integrated in the curricula of both academic and professional programmes. However, the academic programme addressed a larger variety of forms of research and the focus on research was more consistent throughout the programme than in the professional programme.
Background: A positive attitude towards inclusion has been considered as one of the most influential success factors for inclusive education in school. Thus, improving attitudes to inclusion in preservice teachers has gained interest in research and teacher education practice.
Purpose: In this study, we systematically reviewed intervention studies that aimed to improve preservice teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion within the university context. We aimed to investigate whether, in the reviewed studies, preservice teacher-training interventions led to a more positive attitude towards inclusion and also determine what kinds of preservice teacher-training interventions might lead to a more positive attitude change towards inclusion.
Design and methods: The review of literature sought to identify and describe intervention studies that focused on changing attitudes towards inclusion in preservice teachers. The search focused on studies that assessed preservice teachers’ attitudes quantitatively, at least twice, with a planned and structured intervention in between. Original research published in English in international peer-review journals was included.
Results: In total, 23 studies were identified. Within these, it was evident from the findings that studies of different type indicated positive change: both information-based cognitive interventions (n = 10) as well as interventions with a combination of information and practical field experience (n = 11) were reported to lead to more positive attitudes towards inclusion.
Conclusions: The research draws attention to the importance of understanding, in greater depth, the attitudes that are conducive to the implementation of inclusive education. For theoretical and methodological reasons, results must be interpreted with caution and cannot be taken to imply a causal relationship between various approaches and attitudes towards inclusion. Implications for future research are given in terms of theoretical as well as methodological considerations.
This study investigated the relationship between teachers’ beliefs about gifted students’ characteristics compared to students with average-ability and the teachers’ motivation (i.e., enthusiasm, self-efficacy). We investigated pre-service teachers’ beliefs and motivational orientations as substantial components of their professional competencies and aimed to make an empirical contribution to the discussion on the professionalization of teachers in gifted education. We expected that beliefs about the gifted would be in line with the disharmony hypothesis assuming they were intellectually strong, but deficient in non-cognitive domains. German (n = 375) and Australian (n = 315) pre-service teachers participated in a between-subjects experimental design that used student vignettes varying in ability and gender. Repeated-measures ANOVAs showed that besides a high intellect, pre-service teachers from both countries associated maladjustment with giftedness and showed lower self-efficacy for teaching the gifted. Results from structural equation modeling indicated that high intelligence ratings when paired with high maladjustment ratings were associated with lower teacher motivation. This result is of high practical relevance as perceived self-efficacy relates to actual teaching behavior in a classroom. Implications for teacher education in gifted education are discussed.
Sixty pre-service teachers were surveyed about their confidence, concerns, and efficacy for inclusive classroom teaching before and after a course on inclusive education. Some students experienced a practicum in an inclusive setting alongside the coursework, and some students did not. Both groups made significant gains in all dependent variables and their subscales from pre-to post-treatment. However, the students who experienced a practicum in an inclusive setting developed greater teacher efficacy in classroom management than those students with no practicum. Given the importance of successful classroom management to teacher retention and student success, the findings support the importance of high-quality inclusive practica as an essential feature of effective inclusive teacher preparation programs.
This article offers practical information for primary teachers to become more knowledgable, skilled and effective in their work. Aspects of positive teaching and learning are explored. Innovative methods for transforming common classroom management struggles into opportunities for positive change and for changing negative behaviors into positive interactions are explained.Classroom climate, expectations, motivation, and methods for constructive reflection on mistakes are investigated to support teachers in developing a positive learning environment.
Despite recognising the importance of educators in meeting the needs of gifted and talented students, research indicates that teachers often lack the essential knowledge, skills and confidence to identify and meet the needs of gifted and talented students. Evidence suggests this lack of preparation may be related to teachers' professional development. This quantitative study of 96 primary school teachers aimed to provide an initial insight into the knowledge and uptake of the 2005 DEST/GERRIC Gifted and Talented Education Professional Development Package for Teachers. It further aimed to give some insight into teachers' opinions and behaviours as it pertains to this mode of professional development. Results suggest a lack of knowledge and uptake of this professional development package, despite an overwhelming willingness to undertake this mode of professional learning in gifted and talented education. Implications and recommendations conclude the paper.
Despite federal mandates to educate students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment, teachers continue to have mixed feelings about their own preparedness to educate students with disabilities in the general education setting. However, research has demonstrated that teachers with more positive attitudes toward inclusion are more apt to adjust their instruction and curriculum to meet individual needs of students and have a more positive approach to inclusion. The purpose of this study was to examine the change in preservice teachers’ beliefs and attitudes about inclusive practices following an introductory special education course, paired with a 24-hr practicum. Results suggest that a special education course paired with a field experience working with students with disabilities can significantly influence preservice teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion.
To describe the methodological procedures of a multi-centre focus group research for obtaining content categories also suitable for categorical statistical analyses.
Inductive content analyses were performed on a subsample of 27 focus groups conducted in three different countries, the Netherlands (Utrecht), the UK (Liverpool) and Italy (Verona). The analyses of the subsample of focus group discussions were performed in five steps: (1) independent development of content categories in each of the participating centres, (2) obtaining consensus categories, (3) creation of a manual with coding rules and defining criteria for categories and subcategories, (4) assessment of inter-rater reliability to identify unreliable categories to be revised, and (5) repetition of inter-rater reliability assessment.
The resulting coding system considers five areas: non verbal communication, process oriented expression, task oriented or problem focused expressions, affective or emotional expressions, and physician's personal characteristics. It contains 12 categories of acceptable inter-rater reliability and 41 subcategories.
The coding procedures show how focus group data, obtained in an international multi-centre study can be analysed in a systematic way combining scientific rigour with the richness of data obtainable from qualitative methodologies.
The applied procedures may be helpful for multi-centre focus group research on other topics.
Gifted students differ from their peers in many areas, and require additional effort and skills from their teachers in regular schools. Teachers in regular education play a critical role in the identification of gifted students and education. Therefore, considering their attitudes toward these students and gifted education in general will provide a deeper understanding of teachers' needs regarding the quality of gifted education. The present study aims to examine teachers' perceptions about gifted students through the use of metaphors and attitudes toward gifted education. Qualitative data were collected from 136 teachers utilizing two open-ended questions. Teachers used metaphors based on three categories: gifted education, the social value and various characteristics related to giftedness. The results were discussed in terms of practical implications, teachers' training needs, educational strategies for gifted students and challenges endemic to the identification process in Turkey.
This study examined Finnish elementary school teachers’ (N = 212) attitudes toward the gifted and their education. On a general level, teachers’ attitudes toward gifted education were slightly positive. Teachers saw that gifted students have social value and that they need special services. The results of teachers’ attitudes toward specific gifted education options were in line with earlier Finnish research, because teachers supported differentiated teaching but were more negative toward acceleration or separating the gifted into their own groups. However, despite the strong support for differentiated teaching for the gifted, teachers’ positions toward practice were more skeptical.
Research has focused predominantly on how teachers affect students’ achievement on standardized tests despite evidence that a broad range of attitudes and behaviors are equally important to their long-term success. We find that upper-elementary teachers have large effects on self-reported measures of students’ self-efficacy in math, and happiness and behavior in class. Students’ attitudes and behaviors are predicted by teaching practices most proximal to these measures, including teachers’ emotional support and classroom organization. However, teachers who are effective at improving test scores often are not equally effective at improving students’ attitudes and behaviors. These findings lend empirical evidence to well-established theory on the multidimensional nature of teaching and the need to identify strategies for improving the full range of teachers’ skills.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of completion of an adapted physical education (APE) course with an associated on-campus practicum on preservice physical educators' self-efficacy beliefs toward the inclusion of individuals with specific disabilities (autism, intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, and visual impairments). Preservice students in physical education teacher education (N = 98) at a large U.S. Midwestern university enrolled in 1 of 2 separate 15-wk APE courses with an associated 9-wk practicum experience were surveyed at the beginning, middle, and conclusion of each course. Results of 4 separate 2-factor fixed-effect split-plot ANOVAs revealed significant improvements in self-efficacy beliefs from Wk 1 to Wk 8 and from Wk 1 to Wk 15 across all disability categories. Significant differences between courses were found only for autism in Time 1.
This paper examined undergraduate pre-service teachers’ perceptions of their expectations, fulfilment of these expectations and the relevance of their coursework for classroom practices during three different practicum attachments. These aspects were assessed using questionnaires implemented at the end of each attachment. One-way ANOVA with repeated measures was used to compare 76 pre-service teachers’ responses. The results showed significant differences in their perceptions across the three attachments. Pairwise t-test comparisons also found some significant differences between attachments. The findings of the study are discussed in the light of implications for continued programme development and enhancements to the practicum component that can help to bridge the theory–practice nexus in pre-service teacher education, and contribute to the development of teachers’ professional competencies.
In this comparative study, the impact of two stand-alone university courses on pre-service teachers' attitudes, concerns and teaching efficacy to teach in inclusive classrooms is examined. Twenty-eight pre-service teachers (PSTs) from Australia and 60 PSTs from Canada completed a survey at pre- and post-stages of the course. It was found that after completion of the course, Australian participants' attitudes improved, their concerns declined, and they became more confident in their ability to teach in inclusive classrooms. Similarly, Canadian participants' concerns declined and their teaching efficacy improved, but they became more apprehensive about teaching in inclusive classrooms. Relationships among the three variables (attitudes, concerns and teaching efficacy) were examined at pre- and post-test stages for both cohorts to understand how they interacted within each of the two countries. Implications of the findings for teacher education are discussed.
With the prevalence of gifted students in general education classrooms, all teachers will be responsible for providing appropriate programming for them, resulting in a need for training in the education of the gifted to be introduced at the preservice level. In this study, the researchers investigated the effectiveness of a combined intervention strategy for preservice teachers, consisting of a course in the education of the gifted and an accompanying 9-week practicum, in increasing participants’ understanding of the characteristics and needs of gifted students. Through semistructured interviews, participants’ perceptions of the effects the interventions had on their understanding of gifted students’ characteristics and needs were examined. The findings from the interviews were triangulated with classroom observations, lesson plans, and participant responses to the Survey of Practices with Students of Varying Needs. Participants perceived an increase in their understanding of the needs and characteristics of gifted students through participation in the interventions as well as increased confidence in their general teaching abilities. Implications of the study for teacher education and future research are discussed.
This paper reports the findings collected from a four year longitudinal study aiming to investigate the professional learning of student-teachers in Bachelor of Education programmes. Four case studies which suggest a typology of ways of practicalising theoretical knowledge with one extreme as the testing out of teaching approaches mainly to find out their practicality in the school context to the other extreme whereby the student-teacher sought to work out a schema or personal theory were identified. Influences from the campus-based and the field-based components of the teacher education programme are drawn. The paper ends with implications for initial teacher education.
Incl. bibliographical references, notes on the contributors
Given that teachers have one of the most
significant influences on the educational
development of gifted students, reports of
negative attitudes and beliefs in popular myths
about giftedness are cause for concern. It is
important to understand teachers’ attitudes and
beliefs to implement effective training and
educational practices to improve education for
gifted students. This study explored the
attitudes of Australian primary school teachers
(N = 126) towards intellectually gifted children
and their education at eight schools. These
schools could be categorised into four different
classifications in regards to their involvement in
gifted education. Key findings include significant
associations between teachers’ attitudes and
their school classifications (p < .001), and their
participation in gifted and talented education inservice
training (p < .001). Findings from this
study suggest that further teacher training and
school-wide involvement in gifted education may
assist in improving attitudes towards
intellectually gifted children and their
education.
Critical reflection on teacher training programs in Korean gifted and talented education
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Gifted education in asia: Problems and prospects
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Effects of primary grade literacy field experiences on pre-service teachers' selfefficacy: A causal-comparative study
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The application of content analysis in nursing science research
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