Page 78 - Kukanja Gabrijelčič, Mojca, and Maruška Seničar Željeznov, eds. 2018. Teaching Gifted and Talented Children in A New Educational Era. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
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et C. De Boer, Marie-Christine J. L. Opdenakker, and Alexander E. M. G. Minnaert
2002) stress the need for compacting and enrichment programs, for tutored
learning, for accelerating education, and for additional or extracurricular as-
signments, within the zone of students’ autonomous decision-making in
gifted programs, to challenge and motivate gifted students for learning in
school. Consequently, teachers of gifted students should differentiate to stu-
dents’ cognitive level and time to learn, provide opportunities for greater
complexity and depth in the organization of content, and promote choice
and independence in students’ learning (Graffam, 2006; Kanevsky, 2011; Little,
2012; Philips & Lindsay, 2006). Research on educational practice has revealed,
though, that special curricula and programs are not necessarily sufficient
to improve gifted students’ competencies, and to promote their motiva-
tion (Colangelo & Assouline, 2000; Hoogeveen, Van Hell, Mooij, & Verhoeven,
2004; Hoogeveen, Van Hell, & Verhoeven, 2005; Little, 2012; VanTassel-Baska,
MacFarlane, & Feng, 2006). It appears as if teachers of gifted students do not
meet the overall crucial competencies necessary for both triggering gifted
students’ motivation, and fulfilling their socioemotional and psychological
needs (Chan, 2001; Deci & Ryan, 2000; Sisk, 2009; VanTassel-Baska, MacFar-
lane, et al., 2006; Vialle & Quigley, 2002;), for enhancing their metacognitive
skills (Hong, Green, & Hartzell, 2011), and for monitoring and fostering their
academic achievement (Chan, 2001, 2011; Hansen & Feldhusen, 1994).
Teachers are considered as an important determining factor for students’
learning environment, and there is empirical evidence that teachers’ plan-
ning, decision making, instructional practices and interpersonal relation-
ships influence students’ motivation and the degree to which they learn
(Chan, 2001; Croft, 2003; Opdenakker & Minnaert, 2011; Schunk, Pintrich, &
Meece, 2010; Skinner & Belmont, 1993; VanTassel-Baska et al., 2008). Hence,
’the context and manner in which challenging tasks are presented matter in
terms of promoting motivation and engagement for gifted learners’ (Little,
2012, p. 697). Accordingly, the question emerged whether teachers – when
they differentiate to gifted students’ cognitive learning needs – also pay ad-
equate attention to the learning context, and create a motivating learning
environment?
The influence of the learning environment on students’ motivation in
school is also stressed by the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) of Deci and
Ryan (2000). In this theory, a set of three innate psychological needs is
indicated relevant for students’ motivation, (task) engagement, and self-
development: the need for competence, relatedness, and autonomy (Ap-
pleton, Christenson, & Furlong, 2006). In an educational setting, the need for
competence ‘involves students’ experience of efficacy while completing a
76
2002) stress the need for compacting and enrichment programs, for tutored
learning, for accelerating education, and for additional or extracurricular as-
signments, within the zone of students’ autonomous decision-making in
gifted programs, to challenge and motivate gifted students for learning in
school. Consequently, teachers of gifted students should differentiate to stu-
dents’ cognitive level and time to learn, provide opportunities for greater
complexity and depth in the organization of content, and promote choice
and independence in students’ learning (Graffam, 2006; Kanevsky, 2011; Little,
2012; Philips & Lindsay, 2006). Research on educational practice has revealed,
though, that special curricula and programs are not necessarily sufficient
to improve gifted students’ competencies, and to promote their motiva-
tion (Colangelo & Assouline, 2000; Hoogeveen, Van Hell, Mooij, & Verhoeven,
2004; Hoogeveen, Van Hell, & Verhoeven, 2005; Little, 2012; VanTassel-Baska,
MacFarlane, & Feng, 2006). It appears as if teachers of gifted students do not
meet the overall crucial competencies necessary for both triggering gifted
students’ motivation, and fulfilling their socioemotional and psychological
needs (Chan, 2001; Deci & Ryan, 2000; Sisk, 2009; VanTassel-Baska, MacFar-
lane, et al., 2006; Vialle & Quigley, 2002;), for enhancing their metacognitive
skills (Hong, Green, & Hartzell, 2011), and for monitoring and fostering their
academic achievement (Chan, 2001, 2011; Hansen & Feldhusen, 1994).
Teachers are considered as an important determining factor for students’
learning environment, and there is empirical evidence that teachers’ plan-
ning, decision making, instructional practices and interpersonal relation-
ships influence students’ motivation and the degree to which they learn
(Chan, 2001; Croft, 2003; Opdenakker & Minnaert, 2011; Schunk, Pintrich, &
Meece, 2010; Skinner & Belmont, 1993; VanTassel-Baska et al., 2008). Hence,
’the context and manner in which challenging tasks are presented matter in
terms of promoting motivation and engagement for gifted learners’ (Little,
2012, p. 697). Accordingly, the question emerged whether teachers – when
they differentiate to gifted students’ cognitive learning needs – also pay ad-
equate attention to the learning context, and create a motivating learning
environment?
The influence of the learning environment on students’ motivation in
school is also stressed by the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) of Deci and
Ryan (2000). In this theory, a set of three innate psychological needs is
indicated relevant for students’ motivation, (task) engagement, and self-
development: the need for competence, relatedness, and autonomy (Ap-
pleton, Christenson, & Furlong, 2006). In an educational setting, the need for
competence ‘involves students’ experience of efficacy while completing a
76
