Page 47 - Kukanja Gabrijelčič, Mojca, and Maruška Seničar Željeznov, eds. 2018. Teaching Gifted and Talented Children in A New Educational Era. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
P. 47
Exploring Dutch Students’ Implicit Theories of an Intelligent Person
talented as the depicted boys were. This is not in accordance with outcomes
in Germany. German students who drew an intelligent person attributed
more talent in mathematics to their depicted males than to their depicted fe-
males (Aljughaiman et al., 2012). However, some negative gender role stereo-
types were found. ‘Technical skills’ and ‘computer science’ were rated higher,
when attributed to depicted boys.
As expected, ‘creative,’ ‘talented in languages,’ and ‘imaginative’ seem to
be considered as elements of intelligence, but not as much as ‘hardwork-
ing,’ ‘persistent,’ ‘mathematics’, ‘sciences,’ ‘technical skills,’ and ‘computer sci-
ences.’ In Germany, an intelligent person was considered more imaginative
(Aljughaiman et al., 2012). As imagery is such an important element of Self-
Regulated Learning (Zimmerman, 2002) teachers should encourage the de-
velopment of this characteristic in their lessons.
‘Artistic talents’ were not seen as an element of intelligence by all partic-
ipants, which could be explained by the fact that in the Netherlands, edu-
cation in arts is very poor (Schutgens, 2015; De Vreede, 2015). A limited ap-
proach, as numerous research shows the positive influence of arts on learn-
ing and the development of 21st century competences (e.g. Van Heusden,
2012).
Also ‘social skills’ seem not to be regarded as a part of an intelligent per-
son. Apparently, not only girls suffer negative gender-role stereotypes. Re-
cent research shows that in general students perceive positive social quali-
ties of high performing classmates (Oh et al., 2015). Nevertheless, participants
depicted male social skills below average. This is an example of a negative
implicit theory, which impedes learning. Teachers are recommended to be
attentive in recognizing these presumptions. Around the age of 12, social en-
gagement with peers has proven to be very important (Blakemore & Mills,
2014). Although the ‘profile of the Underground learner’ (Neihart, 2014) in
the first place adapts to those students whose domestic setting is rooted in
a culture clashing with the culture at school, the tendency to withdraw from
talent development opportunities and the experience of dissonance about
achieving goals is similar as they do not excel to avoid being rejected.
Differences between participants living in the city and participants living
in a rural area were not as expected. Although attributing a higher age to the
depicted male pictures could be the consequence of traditional values, there
are no other indicators for differences due to traditional values. The influence
of internet and the relatively high ranking of ‘hardworking’ and ‘persistent’
by all participants could explain this. Not foreseen was the lower rating of
‘liked by others’ by participants living in a rural area. This difference might
45
talented as the depicted boys were. This is not in accordance with outcomes
in Germany. German students who drew an intelligent person attributed
more talent in mathematics to their depicted males than to their depicted fe-
males (Aljughaiman et al., 2012). However, some negative gender role stereo-
types were found. ‘Technical skills’ and ‘computer science’ were rated higher,
when attributed to depicted boys.
As expected, ‘creative,’ ‘talented in languages,’ and ‘imaginative’ seem to
be considered as elements of intelligence, but not as much as ‘hardwork-
ing,’ ‘persistent,’ ‘mathematics’, ‘sciences,’ ‘technical skills,’ and ‘computer sci-
ences.’ In Germany, an intelligent person was considered more imaginative
(Aljughaiman et al., 2012). As imagery is such an important element of Self-
Regulated Learning (Zimmerman, 2002) teachers should encourage the de-
velopment of this characteristic in their lessons.
‘Artistic talents’ were not seen as an element of intelligence by all partic-
ipants, which could be explained by the fact that in the Netherlands, edu-
cation in arts is very poor (Schutgens, 2015; De Vreede, 2015). A limited ap-
proach, as numerous research shows the positive influence of arts on learn-
ing and the development of 21st century competences (e.g. Van Heusden,
2012).
Also ‘social skills’ seem not to be regarded as a part of an intelligent per-
son. Apparently, not only girls suffer negative gender-role stereotypes. Re-
cent research shows that in general students perceive positive social quali-
ties of high performing classmates (Oh et al., 2015). Nevertheless, participants
depicted male social skills below average. This is an example of a negative
implicit theory, which impedes learning. Teachers are recommended to be
attentive in recognizing these presumptions. Around the age of 12, social en-
gagement with peers has proven to be very important (Blakemore & Mills,
2014). Although the ‘profile of the Underground learner’ (Neihart, 2014) in
the first place adapts to those students whose domestic setting is rooted in
a culture clashing with the culture at school, the tendency to withdraw from
talent development opportunities and the experience of dissonance about
achieving goals is similar as they do not excel to avoid being rejected.
Differences between participants living in the city and participants living
in a rural area were not as expected. Although attributing a higher age to the
depicted male pictures could be the consequence of traditional values, there
are no other indicators for differences due to traditional values. The influence
of internet and the relatively high ranking of ‘hardworking’ and ‘persistent’
by all participants could explain this. Not foreseen was the lower rating of
‘liked by others’ by participants living in a rural area. This difference might
45
