Assessing potential giftedness in the natural field as a tool to improve teaching of gifted students

Darovitost je kao pojam, unatoč brojnim spoznajama, još uvijek nedovoljno određena za potrebe obrazovanja te su za nastavnike i stručne suradnike odgoj i obrazovanje takve djece još uvijek vrlo složeni i izazovni zadaci. Do sredine 1990-ih godina vladalo je uvjerenje da točnost i pouzdanost učitelja u procjeni darovitosti nije značajna, no važnu ulogu u točnosti procjena ima upravo instrument koji učitelj koristi. Također, učitelji donose visoko subjektivne procjene ako nemaju podršku u kriterijima i skalama koje ih točno vode prema karakteristikama koje trebaju opažati za procjenu darovitosti i osiguravaju manji utjecaj subjektivnosti na rezultat. U okviru HRZZ projekta „Učenje biologije u epidemiološki prilagođenom istraživačkom okruženju“ prilagođene su skale za procjenu potencijalne darovitosti (u prirodoslovnom području) s ciljem prilagodbe odgojno-obrazovnog procesa potrebama darovitih učenika. Teorijska podloga za izradu skala za procjenu darovitosti bio je Renzullijev troprstenasti model darovitosti koji uključuje iznadprosječno razvijene opće ili specifične sposobnosti, osobine ličnosti, posebice specifičnu motivaciju za rad (predanost zadatku) i kreativnost. Skale se sastoji od niza pozitivno formuliranih tvrdnji raspoređenih u određeni broj subskala koje ispituju različite osobine darovitih učenika. Oni učenici koji pripadaju u gornjih 25 % od ukupnog rezultata za sve tri skale (opće ili specifične sposobnosti, motivacije i kreativnosti) smatrat će se potencijalno darovitima. Skala za procjenu učenika, uz standardne testove koje provode psiholozi, može biti izvrstan alat nastavnicima za identifikaciju darovitih učenika u razredu na temelju koje će unaprijediti svoj nastavni proces prema specifičnim zahtjevima pojedinih učenika.Despite numerous insights, the concept of being gifted is still insufficiently defined for the needs of education, when it comes to the teachers and professional associates the upbringing and education of such children is still a very complex task. Until the mid-1990s, there was a belief that the accuracy and reliability of teachers in assessing giftedness were not significant, but the teacher played an essential role in the accuracy of those assessments with the use of scales. Moreover, teachers can make highly subjective assessments if they do not use the correct criteria and scales that guide them towards the characteristics that they need to observe to assess giftedness and ensure that their subjectivity does not affect the outcome. The scales to evaluate potential giftedness in the natural field were developed to guide and facilitate the identification of gifted students by their teachers for implementing the HRZZ project "Learning Biology in an Epidemiologically Adapted Research Environment", to adapt the educational process to the needs of gifted students. The theoretical basis for the development of the scales was Renzulli\u27s three-ringed model of giftedness, which includes an above-average development of basic or specific abilities, personality traits, task commitment, and creativity. The scales consist of a series of positively formulated statements arranged in subscales that examine the different characteristics of gifted students. Those students who belong to the top 25% of the total score for all three scales (basic or specific abilities, task commitment and creativity) will be considered potentially gifted. The Student Assessment Scale, in addition to the tests conducted by psychologists, can be an excellent tool for teachers to identify gifted students in the classroom, and with the use of the scale, the teachers can improve their teaching process by following the specific requirements of individual students