Coincidental development of talent in university students

Abstract

This research investigated how tertiary students perceived their talents and the coincidental learning that occurred over a semester. The tertiary students (n = 467) were 379 females with a mean age of 22.63 years (SD = 6.84) and 88 male students with a mean age of 23.97 years (SD = 6.24). The aim of the research was to establish whether there was a change over the duration of a semester and whether gender was also associated with respondents’ talent ratings. Following multiple intelligence (MI) theory, talents as manifestations of MIs were measured. Each talent was rated on seven concepts of learning. Results showed nine factors emerged in conjunction with the seven conceptions of learning, as they have in previous research. Importantly, there were small but significant differences between the beginning and the end of semester scores of seven of nine talents, indicating coincidental learning. Highest ranking of the talents were self-awareness, language and communication, and social and leadership talents. The ranking of the concepts of learning based on the average contribution to each talent was consistent with previous research, and showed performance and then natural ability to be highest ranking. These findings support the suggestion that tertiary students’ talents improve coincidentally with formal study and is deserving of further research.

Keywords:

• talent development
• concepts of learning
• coincidental learning
• strength-based learning
• graduate attributes

Public Interest Statement

Billions are spent by governments, and private organisations and institutions annually to develop the talents of people, particularly through formal education. This article describes how tertiary students go about developing their talent over the course of a semester course. Nine general talents were measured and the ways those talents were acquired are described to identify what was learned indirectly while participating in formal university course. Over the course of a semester, small but significant increases in the perception of talent of the students occurred, the highest talents ranked were in the areas of self-awareness, language and communication, and social and leadership brought about mostly by performance and natural ability. This is important as these coincidental learnings are relevant to personal and professional domains of life. The findings provide evidence that the benefits of formal education go beyond specific skill development and knowledge acquisition specific to the course being study.

Competing interests

The author declare no competing interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Terence Bowles

Terence Bowles is a senior lecturer in Educational Psychology in the School of Education at the University of Melbourne. He was a teacher before beginning a career as a practitioner in Educational, Developmental and Clinical Psychologist. He has practised in secondary schools followed by a career as a private practitioner. At the completion of his PhD, he began a career as an academic. He is the author of 50 peer reviewed papers. His university teaching and research programmes focus on clinical and normal functioning, motivation, achievement, communication and relationships. He has published on change management, adaptive functioning, social and emotional learning time orientation and affect, consultation, giftedness, talent and talent development.