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