Multidisciplinary Journal of School Education

Editorial

Joanna Łukasiewicz-Wieleba, Aneta Kamińska — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Narrative Interviewing in Research on the Education of Talented Learners Based on the Own Previous Research

Olena Bocharova, Aneta Kamińska — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The main goal of this article is to demonstrate the significant value of using narrative interviews in research on the education of talented learners. The authors decided to highlight the value of such research in the case of a specific group of learners. However, it might prove valuable to mention the special features of that method and some challenges that can appear in such research.

The authors investigate the importance of applying narrative inquiry, especially narrative interviewing, in research on talented individuals. As for the research approach, it is embedded in qualitative methods. The authors present a retrospective secondary analysis based on their previous research into talented people’s experience of education, from an approach of both writer and reviewer.

The introduction contains an outline of the subject of the text. Then, a description of narrative interviews and of talented learners is presented. The research method is also characterized. The previous results regarding talented learners’ experience of education are presented. Finally, the research results and recommendations for research practice are provided.

The narrative interview technique proved to be a suitable method for the social sciences. It is appropriate for research on talented learners and their experiences within the educational process. Thanks to narrative interviews, researchers can reveal many important matters, such as learners’ intellectual talents and accomplishments, their relationships with themselves and other people, and some important common patterns of their functioning, such as perfectionism or non-conformism. Moreover, the research material can very rich and researchers can interpret it in very interesting ways so that the readers (educators and parents) can understand this particular group of learners and provide them with a convenient, conducive educational environment.

The final section consists of some possibilities for researchers who want to use narrative interviewing as a method of research. The authors suggest obtaining some psychological and interpretative skills and building good relationships with the narrators.

How Do You Picture a Genius? Children’s Images of Outstanding People

Joanna Łukasiewicz-Wieleba, Alicja Baum — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The aim of the research is to investigate children’s ideas about outstanding people (geniuses). Three research questions were posed to 38 children aged 8–9 years: How do children imagine a genius? What gender do they identify with a genius? and What are the emotions of the genius they imagine? The research used the projection method, in which the children were asked to draw a genius and to add a description to the drawing. Qualitative analysis was conducted on the results; the codes and categories appearing in the drawings and descriptions were identified.

The research showed that children envision geniuses as both men and women (women although less frequently); in one case, it was said that a genius is everyone. Most often they were seen as scientists, but athletes, historical figures, characters from fairy tale or advertisements, or ordinary real people were described as well. The characters drawn by the children were mostly positive: attractive, elegant, and active. Only a few features testified to negative emotions accompanying the idea of a genius: being ridiculed, helpless, or disliked. The children’s conceptions of geniuses indicated that they are people (not traits) who stand out from others with their actions, appearance, and achievements and are more likely to be a man. These findings require further investigation, particularly in the context of creating labels and stereotypes about above-average people and the outstanding capabilities of women and men.

Women in Chess. Education-Related Problems During Talent Development Process

Alicja Baum — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The aim of the paper is to identify the educational problems faced by Polish female chess grandmasters during the talent development process, i.e. the time required to win the highest women’s title. A free-form, in-depth, qualitative interview method was used; the research tool was a guide prepared based on Françoys Gagné’s Comprehensive Model of Talent Development (CMTD). The data was subjected to qualitative analysis: codes and categories relating to educational problems were applied to the interviews with 14 female chess grandmasters.

For female athletes, it is especially important to find a balance between school/academic life and sports practice. Women have much fewer opportunities to make a living from sports than men and are thus forced to prepare for other professions, which is tantamount to combining a sports career with getting an education. This situation can also be observed among female chess players. Additionally, women’s performance in chess is significantly lower than men’s. Thus, in the series of papers titled “Women in Chess. Problems…”, an attempt was made to present female chess grandmasters in the context of hardships that significantly affected the development of their talent. This paper presents hardships related to education.

The study showed that most of the future female grandmasters experienced education-related hardship during secondary school, mainly due to absenteeism from school, poor attitudes of teachers, a lack of interest from the school in their successes, and a non-conformist attitude towards the rules of the school system. As a result of the analysis, it is suggested to disseminate knowledge throughout the school environment concerning the specific nature of chess as a sport discipline and to implement support programs for female and male students who practice it.

Social Activity of Outstanding Youths: SAPERE AUSO Scholarship Recipients

Joanna Łukasiewicz-Wieleba, Marcin Gierczyk, Edyta Jaromin — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

In this article, the authors analyze the pro-societal activities of students who were awarded the SAPERE AUSO scholarship, which is given to students in Warsaw, Poland. The aim of this study was to investigate the scope of social activities undertaken by scholarship beneficiaries of the SAPERE AUSO Warsaw scholarship program. The analysis revealed that these students were socially active at school, in their local community and across the country. The research also showed that the students were willing to share their talents, trying to find a use for them in society. Another group of students was those with social skills: increased empathy, an aptitude for organizing work and events, and leadership skills. Such young people are socially active regardless of their educational achievements. This is particularly important for educators and local governments, as it guides thinking about the education of gifted students, not only in the context of academic achievement, but also social achievement.

Opportunities, Possibilities and Limitations of the Development of a Gifted Student During a Pandemic in the Opinion of Parents

Maria Trzcińska-Król, Miłosz Wawrzyniec Romaniuk — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The introduction of remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic has changed the way of working with gifted students. The article presents the results of a survey conducted among parents of gifted students aged 10–15 years. The parents filled out an electronic questionnaire containing both open- and closed-ended questions. Data were collected on 1,477 gifted children. The aim of the research is to diagnose the opportunities, possibilities, and limitations of the development of gifted students aged 10–15 (grades 4–8, secondary education) under the distance learning during the pandemic. The subject of the study is an analysis of selected elements of educating gifted students during the pandemic. The results indicate that 36.8% of students had comfortable conditions for remote learning (their own computer and room and a good Internet connection). The students’ involvement in learning and independence were differentiated by their ability. The girls were significantly more involved than the boys and were statistically significantly more independent. The students’ involvement correlated positively with their independence. The main themes of the parents’ statements regarding the possibilities and advantages of remote education were saving time, developing and strengthening academic competences, developing existing or acquiring new skills, maintaining children’s safety and using IT tools during online learning. The students mainly developed their interests and abilities on their own, often with the support of the family, using the media or referring to online resources. No systemic support for gifted students was indicated.

The Nature of Support Provided to Gifted Primary School Students Is Based on the Teacher’s Concept of Giftedness

Tomasz Knopik, Urszula Oszwa — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The aim of the research was to identify the type of support that teachers provide to gifted students in grades 4–6 of primary schools in Poland in relation to their concepts of giftedness. Teachers’ understanding of the category of gifted students was analyzed: What do they find crucial in identifying gifted students? What areas of gifted students’ development are most important to them? Are there differences in the strategies for supporting gifted students between teachers who have different concepts of giftedness and who teach different subjects? The research was conducted on a group of 188 teachers using the standardized 20-item Balanced Development of Gifted Students Questionnaire. It helped identify the scope of the teachers’ activities in the cognitive, emotional/social, motivational, and creative spheres. It was shown that the dominant concept of giftedness among the surveyed teachers was cognitive and that their activities supporting gifted students were mainly aimed at mental development and knowledge acquisition. Support of the emotional/social sphere of gifted students was least frequently indicated by the respondents. There was consistency between the type of support provided and the teacher’s preferred concept of giftedness. There were significant differences in the definition of giftedness and the related type of support between teachers of different subjects. The subject which they taught also significantly differentiated the number of students identified as gifted: The most gifted students were identified by the art teachers, while the least were identified by the math teachers. The results may serve as guidelines for developing teachers’ competencies in working with gifted students by popularizing the concept of balanced development and making them aware of the links between beliefs about giftedness and the type of support provided.

Theoretical Assumptions and Validation of a Scale for International Comparative Research on Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Educating Talented Students

Teresa Giza — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The aim of the research was to construct a scale of teachers’ attitudes toward the education of gifted students that could identify the types and predictors of attitudes. The research was prompted by the current lack of tools with good psychometric parameters. A questionnaire was prepared for the needs of an international comparative study on teachers (N = 630) from six Central and Eastern European countries: Belarus, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine. The theoretical models of giftedness and empirical data both indicated the important role teachers play in the development of students’ giftedness. The teachers’ characteristics were somewhat ambiguous. The article describes the assumptions, construction stages, and validation results of the questionnaire, which contained 64 statements (items) selected from a wide range of opinions after thorough substantive and linguistic consultations. The fundamental descriptive statistics for each item were analyzed. The final selection of items occurred as a result of confirmatory factor analysis, which did not demonstrate sufficient fit between the questionnaire’s theoretical structure and the data. Exploratory factor analysis, on the other hand, allowed for the version of the questionnaire with a three-factor structure to be adopted. Three types of attitudes were identified regarding gifted students’ education: one expressing a negative attitude and two positive ones. As a result of the validation, a scale of attitudes was created with appropriate psychometric characteristics, consisting of 33 items. Further studies are being conducted to interpret the three dimensions of the scale and the variables that differentiate them.

Teachers’ Experiences in Working With Cognitively Gifted Students

Renata Michalak — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The article presents the results of research into the knowledge and experience of Polish primary school teachers. The main aim of the research was to identify the experiences of primary school teachers in educational work with cognitively gifted students. Within this framework, the following research tasks were selected: (1) investigate teachers’ preferred ways of supporting cognitively gifted students in the learning process and (2) investigate the difficulties experienced by teachers in working with cognitively gifted students. The research sought answers to the following questions: How do teachers recognize the individual needs of cognitively gifted students? How do they monitor their development? How do they evaluate their progress? What methods and forms of working with gifted students do they prefer? What difficulties do they experience in working with cognitively gifted students and what are the sources? How do they deal with these difficulties? The relationship between selected aspects of teachers working with gifted students in grades 1–3 versus grades 4–8 and the level of education were examined. The empirical data show that in Polish schools, cognitively gifted students are neglected and do not receive adequate educational support from their teachers. The preferred forms and methods of organizing the education of cognitively gifted students are mainly characterized by a teacher-centered attitude. The respondents indicated that difficulties working with cognitively gifted students result mainly from a lack of time, the need to evaluate the student against the background of the class, a lack from support from experts and parents, and their own insufficient competency. The research is important because it shows the desirable changes to teacher education programs and the process of supporting teachers in their professional practice.

Types of Relationships Between the Family of a Gifted Child and the School and Other Environments That Support the Child’s Development

Małgorzata Stańczak — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The purpose of this article is to describe and clarify the relationships that are found between families of talented children and schools, institutions, and other organizations engaged in the development of children’s potential. The developmental concepts of talents prevalent in the current discourse emphasize their dynamic and interactive nature, meaning that the development of children’s abilities is processual and proceeds in the course of intricate, time-dependent interactions between internal and external factors. A significant role is played by the influence from close social circles. From this viewpoint, positive relationships between the family and school or other social environments may help children’s capabilities to flourish.

The article draws on data originating from individual, in-depth interviews conducted with 18 families raising children with special academic, artistic, or athletic talents. The analysis identified three types of relationships between families and schools, institutions, and other organizations supporting the development of gifted children: cooperation, conflict, and natural development of a child’s talent. However, there were evident differences depending on the type of talent shown by the child, the stage in the education system they were in, and the specific profile of the school, educational institution, or organization conducting a given type of education.

Armed with knowledge on the relationships between family and school and other social environments, it is possible to both understand and mold them in accordance with the expectations of all parties and the needs of the gifted child.

Childhood and Youth of Adrienne von Speyr (1902–1967): A Case Study of Giftedness

Paweł Kaźmierczak — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The aim of this paper is to explore the unique giftedness of the Swiss physician and mystic Adrienne von Speyr (1902–1967) during her childhood and youth. The following research issues are addressed: 1) the research method and biographical sources on von Speyr, 2) a holistic portrait of her, 3) her early years, 4) the three-ring conception of giftedness as a fitting theoretical framework, and 5) an exploration of Adrienne’s case using Renzulli’s three-ring concept. Case study based on a content analysis of biographical sources was the adopted research method. The context of the research is interest in Adrienne von Speyr as a woman endowed with unique qualities and a unique mission in the Church. This general interest inspired the research into her childhood and youth, when some of these qualities were already present. The argumentation process involved analyzing sources and citing content relevant to the theoretical framework. The research confirms von Speyr’s giftedness in her childhood and youth and delineates its characteristics. We can conclude that her early talents and gifts are in themselves worthy of interest and that they may inspire further research on her life and work in general.

A Literature Review on Teaching Ethical Creativity in Primary Education

Frans Hagerman, Shu-Nu Chang Rundgren — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

As the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to struggle with armed conflicts, creative and ethical solutions to the controversial issues of recent years are needed globally. While creativity is necessary, it must also be ethically sound. Today, discussing creativity in relation to its ethical dimensions has also been emphasized in the perspective of sustainable development, but research on the teaching and learning of ethical creativity remains limited. Therefore, the aim of this paper is twofold: 1) to describe how primary schools engage students on ethical creativity and 2) to suggest a didactic model for ethical creativity based on the teaching strategies found in a literature review. Internationally, creativity and ethics have been addressed in curricula and studied within the field of education. However, research on the ethical dimensions of creativity (ethical creativity) is limited. Based on a literature review, five teaching strategies for engaging primary school students on ethical creativity have been identified. The common features among the five teaching strategies relate to the use of 1) digital tools/media, 2) art and literature, 3) real problems and dilemmas, and 4) enquiry-based learning. A three-step teaching model is suggested for teaching ethical creativity. The implications of the paper relate to enhancing ethical creativity among our children, who are both future citizens and leaders in various professions in the global society.

Learning Experiences of Teachers Attending Online Webinars

Sodais Tarusan, Genesis Naparan, Gilbert Celesio — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The shift from actual seminars to the internet-mediated webinar format has changed how teachers access opportunities for continuous learning. Attending webinars has also become necessary as teachers look for alternative ways to further develop their knowledge. The purpose of this study was to explore the learning experiences of the teachers who attend webinars. This study used Meriam’s case study research method; intensive, holistic description; and analysis of a bounded phenomenon, such as a program, institution, person, process, or social unit. The study was conducted in the elementary schools of Sultan Naga Dimaporo West District, Division of Lanao del Norte, Philippines for the 2020–2021 school year. It was found that most teachers participated in webinars about teaching strategies, content knowledge, the teaching profession, and general knowledge related to the pandemic. It was also revealed that these teachers are expected to gain relevant knowledge and skills applicable to “the new normal.” The teachers shared their experiences in acquiring knowledge, skills, and emotional content in their actual participation in the webinars during the pandemic. The teacher’s purpose of attending webinars is to gain understanding of the topic to improve the quality of teaching. Thus, the webinar presents an opportunity to expand teacher training programs amid the pandemic.

Assessment of the Polish Diaspora’s Access to Education in the Toronto Metropolitan Area and Their Evaluation of the Level of Education in the Context of Quality of Life

Kamila Ziółkowska-Weiss — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The main objective of the article is to depict access to education, both in terms of objective factors (quality of life) and subjective factors (standard of living), in the assessment of the Polish community living in the greater Toronto metropolitan area (GTA). The results of the research are presented on the basis of a questionnaire conducted among 583 Polish people living in the GTA. The results confirm that the Canadian Polish community evaluates highly the schools and other educational institutions operating within the study area. Another goal of the research was to investigate the possible influence of gender, income, or household size on the evaluation of access to education, which translates into a higher assessment of quality of life. In the study, the women and the respondents with higher income rated access to education more highly, while people in households with two to four people evaluated it the highest.

New Challenges Faced by the Polish Institutions of Preschool and Early-School Education (ECEC) in the Context of the War in Ukraine

Jolanta Karbowniczek, Urszula Ordon, Mirosław Łapot — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The subject-matter of the research presented in this article is the preparation of Polish preschool and early-school education for work with refugee children that have fallen victim to the war in Ukraine. The research is a review one, and the analysis of Polish and foreign literature relevant to the matters referred to in the title of the article is included in it. As the result of the conducted archive and library searches, it was ascertained that, hitherto, rather little research into this problem has been conducted in Poland (the reason for which fact is the absence of previous experiences with a minor being a war refugee), and also rich relevant experiences in the countries of the West, confirmed by the extensive literature of the subject. This article indicates the principal directions of research and activities – the problem of war trauma as experienced by a child, supporting the families of refugee children, and providing an ECEC teacher with competences required for the purpose of work with a child refugee afflicted by war. This article constitutes a sui generis prolegomena of research the objective of which is to prepare Polish ECEC teachers for facing the challenges connected with war in Ukraine and the presence of an Ukrainian child refugee in the Polish institutions of education.

Values in Ethics Teaching in Grades 3 to 6 of Finnish Basic Education

Arleta Suwalska — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The article begins with a review and analysis of the literature on educational reform in Finland, with particular reference to values education and secular ethics. The analysis of the curriculum began with a review of the literature on secular ethics in Finnish basic education. The next stage was to analyse the curriculum along with the curricular guidelines and support for primary schools in grades 3–6, especially with regard to what is applicable to all schools in Finland; this involved a review of the literature on educational reform in Finland, values in teaching and secular ethics. The article addresses a key issue in curriculum policy: ethics education in grades 3–6. The article explores what is embodied in this policy, especially the objectives of the subject of ethics.

The problem method and critical discourse analysis were applied to the study of documents concerning educational reform and the study of discourses in political rhetoric. The problem method is based on an educational phenomenon related to time and society, so it was necessary to contrast the different views presented in contemporary Finnish education and to examine various consistent factors. Education here is thus an interaction between the various sets of teachers’ values and the ongoing construction of students’ values. This method of primary education encourages appropriate conditions for lifelong learning for each student. Suggested lessons may include discussions with students about values so that students perceive the variance in values and are able to think about them in a constructive and critical manner.

Education Through Nature (and With Nature) as the Source of a Child’s Resilience: The Educational and Healing Context of a Forest

Anna Błasiak — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The objective of the article is to present the healing and educational properties of a forest in the context of the digital and consumerist reality of the 21st century and to discuss education for resilience as a specific kind of mental strength, inner power, and ability to cope with obstacles by using one’s own resources and reaching for social support. The research question was formulated as follows: What is the role of education through nature (and with nature) – an important element of which is a forest – in developing and reinforcing resilience in children? The choice of subject is justified by the social and cultural changes, which force a person to face new challenges and expectations. The dynamics of those changes leaves the modern person little time to think about, try to understand, and give meaning to the new conditions of life. Resilience may be a construct that facilitates adaptation to the changing and fragile reality and it may be developed and reinforced through contact with nature, that is, in a forest. In terms of its methodological aspects, the article includes research of a theoretical nature. The author has carried out a synthetic and analytical review of selected books, as well as an analysis of the existing data related to the issue in question.

Teachers’ Opinions on the Forms, Causes, Consequences, and Possible Solutions to Deviant Behavior Among Senior School Students in Ilorin, Nigeria

Muhinat Bolanle Bello — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

This research examined teachers’ opinions on the forms, causes, and consequences of deviant behavior among senior school students in Ilorin South Local Government Area in Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive form of survey research. The study population consisted of teachers of public senior secondary schools in Ilorin South; the study group was comprised of 322 teachers selected from 23 schools in the area using the purposive sampling technique. A questionnaire designed by the researcher with 28 items using a four-point Likert scale was used to elicit the necessary data from the respondents. The tool was checked for content validity and the split-half method revealed a reliability index of 0.68. A descriptive statistical method of percentages was used to answer the research question. The findings revealed that lateness, truancy, disrespect of the school authority, and examination malpractice were some of the forms of deviant behavior prevalent among the students. Also, access to illicit drugs and over- or under-pampering of children were considered some of the causes of deviant behavior, while academic failure, increased dropout rates, increased social vices, and an inconducive teaching and learning environment were thought to be the consequences of deviant behavior. Therefore, the provision of adequate facilities, monitoring of students’ activities at all times, and professional counselling are possible solutions to the problem of deviant behavior among the students.

Mathematical Narrations and Poetry. A Mathematical Resilience Tool

Cándida Filgueira Arias, Maria del Carmen Escribano Ródenas — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Mathematics frequently appear in stories, poetry, stories, literary narratives, in general in different literary genres.

Numbers and Mathematics usually appear in the stories, poems and narratives of children's and youth literature. Likewise, in these literary genres spatial relationships, shapes, sizes, quantities, numbers are verified, and it is that in Mathematics the pillars of logic and creativity underlie (Cervera, 1983).

Thus, it is intended to develop an analysis and reflection through a bibliographic review of children's and youth literature related to Mathematics as a resilient tool for coping with the teaching of this discipline, creating new learning situations to develop significant links between literature. “mathematics” and resilience.

The results of the research have revealed theoretical and practical tools (stories, tales, poetry, literary narratives, stories) that will accompany and promote resilient mathematical processes through the construction of symbolic spaces of refuge and socio-emotional acceptance through reading and creative expression motivated by children's and youth literature.

Las Matemáticas aparecen frecuentemente en cuentos, poesías, relatos, narraciones literarias, en general en distintos géneros literarios.

Los números y las Matemáticas aparecen habitualmente en los cuentos, poemas y narraciones de la literatura infantil y juvenil. Así mismo, en estos géneros literarios se constatan relaciones espaciales, formas, tamaños, cantidades, números, y es que en las “Matemáticas subyacen los pilares de la lógica y la creatividad” (Cervera, 1983, p. 32).

Así pues, se pretende desarrollar un análisis y reflexión a través de una revisión bibliográfica de la literatura infantil y juvenil relacionada con las “Matemáticas como herramienta resiliente para el afrontamiento de la enseñanza de esta disciplina creando nuevas situaciones de aprendizaje para desarrollar vínculos significativos entre la literatura matemática y la resiliencia” (Cervera, 1983, p. 22).

Los resultados de la investigación han dado a conocer herramientas teóricas y prácticas (relatos, cuentos, poesías, narraciones literarias, relatos) que acompañarán y favorecerán los procesos resilientes matemáticos a través de “la construcción de espacios simbólicos de refugio y acogimiento socioemocional mediante la lectura y la expresión creativa motivada por la literatura infantil y juvenil” (Pavón, 2015, p. 15)