Primary School Pedagogy: Heterogeneity & Achievement

• Lecture focuses on an introduction to the theory and practice of primary school pedagogy
• The lecture is covering "Heterogeneity in Primary School: High Achievement"

Overview

• Reviewing the last session
• Covering the current new topic
• Includes an outlook

Lecture Series Overview

• 17.10.2024: Organizational and thematic introduction to the concept of primary school pedagogy
• 24.10.2024: Historical development of primary schools and the concept of childhood
• 07.11.2024: Reform pedagogical approaches in primary school pedagogy
• 14.11.2024: Professional competence of primary school teachers
• 21.11.2024: Organizational forms of primary schools
• 28.11.2024: Primary school after the empirical turn, competence orientation and school achievement studies
• 05.12.2024: Heterogeneity in primary schools, children with migration backgrounds
• 12.12.2024: Heterogeneity in primary school, dealing with high intelligence
• 19.12.2024: Burdens of the teaching profession, and professional self-regulation
• 09.01.2025: Schools with special profiles, bilingual schools
• 16.01.2025: School law and school administration
• 23.01.2025: Summary and reflection
• 30.01.2025: Exam preparation and event evaluation
• 06.02.2025: Exam

Review of the last lecture

• Need to know the different dimensions of heterogeneity
• Must understand the extent and distribution of immigration in the education system
• Need to know the latest findings from empirical educational research on disparities related to immigration
• Have potential implications for dealing with children with immigrant backgrounds

Learning Objectives

• Need to develop a differentiated understanding of the concept of high intelligence
• Understand the defining characteristics of high intelligence
• Understand the general organizational measures for dealing with highly gifted students in primary schools

Heterogeneity In Primary School

• Refers to non-uniformity and diversity
• Key dimensions of heterogeneity include social and economic background (SES), ethnicity/culture/language, learning requirements, and gender and age
• Note that these dimensions are interdependent

High intelligence (Giftedness)

• There are different views on the construct of giftedness
• It is seen as a static or dynamic construct, either in intellectual abilities or specific areas, as a potential or demonstrated achievement, and as a threshold on a psychometric scale
• Giftedness is a somewhat imprecise concept

Characteristics of highly gifted individuals

• Terman Study (1925) found that highly gifted individuals show above-average academic and professional achievements, broad interests, emotional stability, social integration, and good health
• Marburg High Intelligence Study (Rost, 1993) found that personality traits and social relationships are similar to average children, with differences being positive
• Highly gifted individuals learn faster and more efficiently, but do not qualitatively learn differently

Core Characteristics

• Rost (2004) states that the core factor is very high intelligence
• Intellectually gifted people acquire knowledge quicker and efficiently, use it adequately in different situations, learn quickly from experience, and generalize/differentiate

High Intelligence Defined

• In quantitative terms, it means a intelligence test score in relation to distribution in the population
• This is a common concept that is relevant for diagnostic practice
• Typically the top 2% of most intelligent are considered highly intelligent, which is an IQ of over 130

Normal Distribution of Intelligence Test Scores

• The distribution of scores in a normal population shows a bell curve
• In this distribution, "high achievement" corresponds to an IQ of ≥ 130 or a percentile rank of ≥ 98

Excursion: Intelligence

• The most studied personality trait in psychology is intelligence, and is measurable
• Measured intelligence is one of the best predictions of success in education or career

Overview of Intelligence Tests

• Intelligence tests vary based on theoretical assumptions
• Key consideration is whether intelligence is hierarchically organized or comprises multiple components
• Hierarchical models include Spearman's g-factor and s-factors
• Multi-factorial models include Carroll's fluid and crystallized intelligence, and Thurstone's primary factor model
• The theory of multiple intelligences by H. Gardner is another key framework

Intelligence & Achievement

• High intelligence does not automatically translate to school achievement

Models Of High Intelligence/ Achievement

• Renzulli (1993) states that high intelligence is specific interaction of three equal components: motivation, creativity, and abilities
• Mönks (2000) states that high intelligence stems from environment factors of education

Key Models

• Munich high intelligence models include intellectual abilities, creative skills, social competence, musicality, artistic talent, and practical intelligence
• External factors include family, peers, instruction quality, and critical life events

Critique of Model

• Multi-dimensional models are descriptive, but expand arbitrarily
• Difficult to empirically capture considered characteristics
• Quantitively, high intelligence is advantageous from a test design and economic point of view

Intelligence Theories

• The concept is tied to research into cognitive abilities, empirical evidence is strong
• The concept can't to simply be transferred to other areas of ability

Diagnostic Processes

• Concept has different high intelligence values depending on property/capacity
• Stability in intelligence tests is around 7 years old
• Includes checklist observations, surveying people, and standardized intelligence tests

Checklists/ Observation Categories

• Used to identify individuals
• Includes high detail knowledge, advanced vocabulary, excellent observation skills, keen interest in reading books, critical thinking, and fairness
• Key issues are single points being restrictive and empirical data conflicting, making it hard to gauge features

Teachers Perspective

• Advantages of teacher assessments include familiarity with children of different ages and comparable possibilities in the classroom
• Teachers observing for a long time and various situations, and can asses performance and development

Potential Teacher Issues

• Issues stem from subjective conceptions for children, and reference group effects
• There may be distortianate factors, and judging based on visible behavior leads to underestimated underachievers

Key Intelligence Test

• Standard testing, objective measuring of skills, is more difficult with heterogeneous skills
• Quantification skills allowed the organization of skill with reference to population benchmarks

What about the tests?

• Tests can vary and generate discrepancies when measuring intelligence
• It's important to use at least two tests on different days

Test Example

• An intelligence test can assess versatile cognitive dimensions
• Types of tasks include finding patterns, and logical thinking

Underachievement Definition

• High intelligence is not linked to an equal performance otherwise
• It is a noticeable lag of skill that someone's gifts should permit the skills to perform
• 5-12% of children are underachievers, most being high intelligence

What Happens Next?

• How to take action in states for certain intelligent needs
• School statutory in all schools
• $4.2 says students who show high academic levels are to encourage and motivate skills in teaching
• This law applies everywhere/brandensburg schools

What Now?

• General measures exist to improve education
• Two Key concepts: acceleration and enrichment

More on Acceleration

• Can shorten school or course work
• Key things: early enrollment, course skipping, high class activity
• Key rules, agreement of all factors involved

On Enrichment

• Integrative and wider than gifted/ regular student interest for their courses
• Higher learning content- deepend learning topics in course

What's a "Differentiierung"?

• Differneierung entails customizing and individualizing courses for children
• Could be something done in groups or out of school

Summary

• High Intelligence has no solid/standardized definition
• All conceptions and descriptions have high intellectuallity
• Generally high intelligence is above an IQ of 130
• Intelligence isn't guaranteed, it works in conjunction with others to provide results
• Key points: Acceleration, Enrichment, Customization

Further

• T09: 19.12.2024
• Topic: Stresses and occupation requirements