|
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
|
What Predicts Teachers' Attitudes Toward the Gifted?
D. Betsy McCoach
University of Connecticut, betsy.mccoach{at}uconn.edu
Del Siegle
The present study explores teachers' attitudes toward the gifted and gifted education. Specifically, the authors examine whether teachers tailor their responses about attitudes toward the gifted to fit the perceived interests of the researcher. In addition, the authors examine several potential predictors of attitudes toward the gifted: training or experience in gifted education, training or experience in special education, and self-perceptions as gifted. A total of 262 teachers participate in the study. The perceived epistemic interests of the researcher do not affect teachers' self-reported attitudes toward the gifted. Teachers who had received training in gifted education hold higher perceptions of themselves as gifted. However, teachers' self-perceptions as gifted are unrelated to their attitudes toward gifted education. Finally, special education teachers hold slightly lower attitudes toward the gifted. The authors discuss the implications of these results for the field of gifted education.
Key Words: attitudes • teacher training • response effect
References
- Bégin, J., & Gagné, F. (1994a). Predictors of attitudes toward gifted education: A review of the literature and blueprints for future research . Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 17, 161-179 .[Web of Science]
- Bégin, J., & Gagné, F. (1994b). Predictors of a general attitude toward gifted education . Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 17, 74-86 .[Web of Science]
- Copenhaver, R.W., & McIntyre, D.J. (1992). Teachers' perception of gifted students . Roeper Review, 14, 151-153 .
- Cramond, B., & Martin, C.E. (1987). Inservice and preservice teachers' attitudes toward the academically brilliant . Gifted Child Quarterly, 31, 15-19 .[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Gagné, F. (1983). Perceptions of programs for gifted children: Agreement on principles, but disagreement over modalities . B. C. Journal of Special Education, 7, 113-127 .
- Gagné, F. (1991). Brief presentation of Gagné and Nadeau's attitude scale "Opinions about the gifted and their education." Unpublished manuscript.
- Gagné, F., & Nadeau, L. (1985). Dimensions of attitudes towards giftedness. In A. H. Roldan (Ed.), Gifted and talented children, youth, and adults: Their social perspective and culture (pp. 148-170). Monroe, NJ: Trillium .
- Gagné, F., & Nadeau, L. (1991). Opinions about the gifted and their education. Unpublished instrument.
- Gallagher, J.J. (1994). Current and historical thinking on education for gifted and talented students. In P. O'Connell-Ross (Ed.), National excellence: A case for developing America's talent. An anthology of readings (pp. 83-107). Washington, DC: Office of Educational Research and Improvement .
- Jacobs, J.C. (1975). Teacher attitudes toward gifted children . Gifted Child Quarterly, 17, 23-26 .
- Justman, J., & Wrightstone, J.W. (1956). The expressed attitudes of teachers toward special classes for intellectually gifted children . Education Administration and Supervision, 42, 141-148 .
- Krosnick, J.A., & Schuman, H. (1988). Attitude intensity, importance, and certainty and susceptibility to response effects . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 940-952 .[CrossRef][Web of Science]
- Lavine, H., Huff, J.W., Wagner, S.H., & Sweeny, D. (1998). The moderating influence of attitude strength on the susceptibility to context effects in attitude surveys . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 359-373 .[CrossRef][Web of Science]
- Megay-Nespoli, K. (2001). Beliefs and attitudes of novice teachers regarding instruction of academically talented learners . Roeper Review, 23, 178-182 .
- Michener, L. (1980). A survey of the attitudes of administrators, teachers, and community members toward the education of gifted children and youth . Dissertation Abstracts International, 41, 4678A-4679A (University Microfilm No. 81-09, 558).
- Morris, S.K. (1987). Student teachers' attitudes toward gifted students . Creative Child and Adult Quarterly, 12, 112-114 .
- Norenzayan, A., & Schwarz, N. (1999). Telling what they want to know: Participants tailor causal attributions to researchers' interests . European Journal of Social Psychology, 29, 1011-1020 .[CrossRef][Web of Science]
- Peachman, M.C. (1942). Attitudes: Their significance in education for the gifted . Journal of Educational Psychology, 33, 183-198 .[CrossRef][Web of Science]
- Rubenzer, R.L., & Twaite, J.A. (1979). Attitudes of 1,200 educators toward the education of the gifted and talented: Implications for teacher preparation . Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 2, 202-213 .
- Schwartz, N. (1999). Self-reports: How the questions shape the answers . American Psychologist, 54, 93-105 .[CrossRef]
- Tannenbaum, A.J. (1962). Adolescent attitudes toward academic brilliance. Talented youth project monograph. New York: Bureau of Publications, Teachers College, Columbia University .
- Tourangeau, R., Rips, L.J., & Rasinski, K. (2000). The psychology of survey response. Cambridge , UK: Cambridge University Press .
Gifted Child Quarterly, Vol. 51, No. 3,
246-254 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0016986207302719
 CiteULike  Complore  Connotea  Del.icio.us  Digg  Reddit  Technorati  Twitter What's this?
|
|
