Exploring mental representations of prospective teachers about gifted education using associative group analysis

Figures & data

Table

Response rank	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Weighted frequency	6	5	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	1

Table 1. Gifted student: the structure of semantic categories.

	Initial year		Final year
	f	%	f	%
Conceptualization of giftedness	359	34	296	34
Smart	211		119
Above average	72		78
Capable	43		16
Talent	28		9
Strong areas	3		22
Gifted	0		21
Student with special needs	2		11
Twice exceptional	0		12
Gardner	0		8
Domains of giftedness	177	17	259	29
Academic performance	40		84
Art	76		44
Multitalented	16		57
Mathematics	17		24
Gifted in one specific domain	14		25
Sports	14		15
Gifted in one or more domains	0		10
Learning and motivational characteristics	238	23	143	16
Curious	45		41
Diligent	48		25
Successful	20		26
Participates in lessons	44		0
Knowledgeable	27		6
Active	0		23
Skillful	19		0
Bored	8		11
Organized	4		11
Non-stereotypical traits	10		0
Independent	10		0
Restless during class	3		0
Cognitive characteristics	157	15	125	14
Divergent thinking	53		31
Creative	35		44
Receptive	51		16
Logical reasoning	11		26
Critical	2		8
Playful	5		0
Socio-emotional characteristics	77	7	34	4
Socially adept	48		19
Asocial	10		8
Managerial	13		0
Perfectionist	0		7
Satisfied	6		0
Social context	45	4	23	3
Critique of identification	22		0
Benefit utilization	11		0
Nerd	0		11
An overlooked talent	6		5
Stigmatization	0		7
Society pressure	6		0

Table 2. Gifted education: the structure of semantic categories.

	Initial year		Final year
	f	%	f	%
Didactic-methodical adaptations	554	49	458	47
Additional tasks	167		50
Additional lessons	92		106
More demanding tasks	103		48
Customized work	35		42
Work strategies	17		51
Competitions	41		19
Differentiation and individualization	0		52
Project work	23		6
Group work	23		6
Individual work	21		7
Miscellaneous activities	21		7
Individualized plan	11		16
Interdisciplinary cooperation	0		18
Problem tasks	14		4
Creative workshops	7		10
Acceleration	0		16
Negative aspects of gifted education	125	11	161	17
Critique of practical implementation	66		113
Critique of identification	25		21
Critique of unequal educational opportunities	21		0
Gifted students’ overload	8		7
Teachers’ incompetence	5		9
Excessive emphasis on giftedness	0		11
Environment	161	14	104	11
Elementary school	39		51
Extracurricular activities	51		37
Camps for gifted students	24		11
Study	24		5
Additional education	15		0
High school, gymnasium	8		0
Competence to work with gifted	108	9.5	112	12
A more demanding job as a teacher	45		21
Teacher preparation	42		15
A challenge	0		30
Teacher training	0		26
Easier work of a teacher	12		4
School counseling service	9		5
Faculty of education	0		11
Conceptualization	108	9.5	72	7
Culture and art	45		0
Testing	10		28
Socially adept	13		6
Strong areas	0		18
Smart	16		0
Student independence	5		8
Importance	10		0
School subjects	1		9
Potential	3		3
Gifted in one domain	5		0
Motivational and psychological incentives	69	6	50	5
Encouragement and support	37		30
Aspirations of gifted	25		3
Higher expectations	7		17
Home and family	9	1	8	1
Home and family	9		0
The role of parents	0		8