Can training in giftedness affect the attitudes of teachers in primary education?

Abstract

Research has strengthened the argument that teachers’ attitudes directly influence their emotions and educational practices. It is essential to identify these attitudes to improve training and, consequently, professional practice. Under this context, the objective of this research is to analyze the effect that training in giftedness has on the attitudes of primary school teachers towards these students. A quasi-experimental pre and post-test study was carried out, with 15 teachers who attended the Inclusive Education master’s program in a private university in Cuenca-Ecuador. The teachers received training in various subjects related to the education of children with giftedness, during a course with a duration of 36 on-campus hours and 40 autonomous hours. In order to evaluate the attitudes, the questionnaire “Opinions about the gifted and their education” by Gagné and Nadeau was used. The attitudes improved in six factors of the questionnaire, with three factors showing statistically significant differences. This evident improvement in the attitudes of teachers can influence good educational practices towards students with giftedness, helping them take advantage of and highlight a student’s potential. It is clear that there is a need for relevant and quality teacher training, which in most training scenarios in Ecuador is a pending issue.

Keywords

• actitudes
• altas capacidades
• educación primaria
• formación
• maestros