Page 94 - 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. 94
et C. De Boer, Marie-Christine J. L. Opdenakker, and Alexander E. M. G. Minnaert
about and involvement with their students. Therefore, they met their stu-
dents’ need for competence and relatedness in the lesson observed. How-
ever, during the lesson observed, the teachers showed a low level of skills
with reference to differentiation, and hence, at least, hindered students’ need
for autonomy in learning. Although teachers permitted students some free-
dom in choosing different tasks, and in working on other assignments, the
way they made choice available, and/or offered differential and challenging
tasks, corresponded to characteristics of structured teaching according to
SDT, such as teachers providing optimal challenging tasks and effective in-
structional support at the level of the student. It looks as if the teachers were
predominantly focused on keeping students ‘working’ by organizing learn-
ing tasks for them, and, in so doing, maybe unconsciously, neglecting oppor-
tunities for the students to make choices on their own. In SDT, it is stated that
offering structure without an autonomous supportive interpersonal context
could result in introjected self-regulation or motivation on the part of stu-
dents (Deci, Eghrari, Patrick, & Leone, 1994). Since introjected motivation is
considered a controlling form of motivation, students’ interest in learning in
school can decrease over time (Reeve, 2006). Moreover, Garn and Jolly (2014)
found that providing choice, by means of structure and autonomy support,
was identified as motivating by high-ability students.
During the video-stimulated recall interviews with the teachers, we veri-
fied that most teachers emphasized the importance of a well-planned lesson.
They acknowledged the effect of well-organized lessons on students feeling
competent and at ease. Nevertheless, they seemed to be less aware of the
effects of how they organized their lesson on students’ motivation and task
engagement. We understood that they were not knowledgeable about the
importance of how they taught, communicated their expectations, and pro-
vided support/help on students’ learning motivation (see also Reeve, Jang,
Carrell, Jeon, & Barch, 2004). All six teachers, though, stressed the importance
of a good teacher-student relationship and were well informed about the ef-
fects of a warm, social class environment on students’ feelings of well-being
and their learning performance. Ryan and Deci (2000) have specified that the
need for relatedness, and feeling connected with others, is essential for stu-
dents’ positive task-related behaviour and their performance. Researchers in
the field of giftedness also emphasize the importance of a positive teacher-
student relationship, and stress that the way teachers present challenging
tasks, and support their students matters in terms of students’ motivation
and engagement with the material (Little, 2012; VanTassel-Baska et al., 2006;
Vialle & Quigley, 2002).
Taken together, as a theoretical framework for investigating characteris-
92
about and involvement with their students. Therefore, they met their stu-
dents’ need for competence and relatedness in the lesson observed. How-
ever, during the lesson observed, the teachers showed a low level of skills
with reference to differentiation, and hence, at least, hindered students’ need
for autonomy in learning. Although teachers permitted students some free-
dom in choosing different tasks, and in working on other assignments, the
way they made choice available, and/or offered differential and challenging
tasks, corresponded to characteristics of structured teaching according to
SDT, such as teachers providing optimal challenging tasks and effective in-
structional support at the level of the student. It looks as if the teachers were
predominantly focused on keeping students ‘working’ by organizing learn-
ing tasks for them, and, in so doing, maybe unconsciously, neglecting oppor-
tunities for the students to make choices on their own. In SDT, it is stated that
offering structure without an autonomous supportive interpersonal context
could result in introjected self-regulation or motivation on the part of stu-
dents (Deci, Eghrari, Patrick, & Leone, 1994). Since introjected motivation is
considered a controlling form of motivation, students’ interest in learning in
school can decrease over time (Reeve, 2006). Moreover, Garn and Jolly (2014)
found that providing choice, by means of structure and autonomy support,
was identified as motivating by high-ability students.
During the video-stimulated recall interviews with the teachers, we veri-
fied that most teachers emphasized the importance of a well-planned lesson.
They acknowledged the effect of well-organized lessons on students feeling
competent and at ease. Nevertheless, they seemed to be less aware of the
effects of how they organized their lesson on students’ motivation and task
engagement. We understood that they were not knowledgeable about the
importance of how they taught, communicated their expectations, and pro-
vided support/help on students’ learning motivation (see also Reeve, Jang,
Carrell, Jeon, & Barch, 2004). All six teachers, though, stressed the importance
of a good teacher-student relationship and were well informed about the ef-
fects of a warm, social class environment on students’ feelings of well-being
and their learning performance. Ryan and Deci (2000) have specified that the
need for relatedness, and feeling connected with others, is essential for stu-
dents’ positive task-related behaviour and their performance. Researchers in
the field of giftedness also emphasize the importance of a positive teacher-
student relationship, and stress that the way teachers present challenging
tasks, and support their students matters in terms of students’ motivation
and engagement with the material (Little, 2012; VanTassel-Baska et al., 2006;
Vialle & Quigley, 2002).
Taken together, as a theoretical framework for investigating characteris-
92
