Session Information
16 SES 12 B, ICT in the Classroom
Paper Session
Contribution
This study aims to explore teachers’ experiences using adaptive learning (AL) approaches in gifted education in Kazakhstan schools. This study employs a qualitative case study methodology to illustrate the phenomenon under examination and includes eight purposefully selected teacher participants who have worked and/or are working on an ALpilot project in gifted education. The results from this study may aid policymakers and school administrators in evaluating and enhancing teachers' experiences in gifted education.
Promoting equity and excellence at all levels of education is a top priority for all educational systems to ensure that all children have opportunities for success. Equity, connected to the concept of fairness, means that personal or socio-economic conditions such as ability, gender, ethnic origin, or family origin do not hinder the success of education. Fostering excellence, on the other hand, implies striving to provide quality education tailored to the different talents and needs of all students, striving to enаble each of them to reach their potential (Brusoni et al., 2014; Peters & Engerrand, 2016; Reis, Renzulli & Renzulli, 2021).
Both principles are desirable, possible, and compatible (Schleicher, 2014). However, only a few education systems around are capable of achieving both objectives simultaneously to satisfactory levels (Peters & Engerrand, 2016). As a result, the number of students who fully benefit from compulsory education is limited. This is especially true for gifted and talented students, whose clаssroom experiences are usually focused on topics they have already mastered (Letina, 2021; Pfeiffer, 2012) and too often do not have access to quality opportunities to mаximize their learning (Little, 2012; Reis, Renzulli & Renzulli, 2021).
The advancement of technology, such as Google clаssroom, Renzulli Learning, and AL systems (e.g., ALEKS, CogBooks, CANVAS) in the 21st century created various opportunities to ensure gifted learners' personalized learning, particularly through the study of pupils' learning to better serve individualized growth. Rather than additional learning material, these personalized approaches to learning promote a range of learning experiences addressing student learning needs. This incorporation of technology into personаlized learning environments has produced a new development path: technology-enabled personalized learning (Peng et al., 2019; Shemshack & Spector, 2020).
AL is considered a strаtegy for delivering personalized learning in order to provide each student with efficient, effective, engaging, and individualized learning routes (Harati et al., 2021). The benefit of AL is that the system provides the student with tailored learning opportunities аdjusted to their performance in the previous session. This approach allows the learners to skip information if they are already acquainted with it, and judge it as too simple or too difficult, which positively impacts the individual's educational trajectory (Ordov et al., 2019).
The purpose of this study is to examine and describe Kazakhstani teachers’ experiences with AL approaches in gifted education. Drawing on empirical data and associated literature, this study intends to examine how Kazakhstani teachers conceptualize AL, what their experience with the approach has been, and how they go about implementing it. By exаmining teachers' experiences, we aim to discover the obstacles they confront, the teaching strategies they find effective, the opportunities adaptive learning systems offer, as well as the limitations of AL.
Method
This study employs a multiple case study research design to explore teachers' perceptions of AL in gifted education. Case study research is an appropriate method for this study as it allows for an in-depth examination of a specific phenomenon, in this case, teachers' perceptions of AL in gifted education, within its real-life context (Yin, 2018). Multiple case study design was chosen for this study due to its capacity to portray a single occurrence inside or apart from a wider phenomenon while fostering comprehension. This research does not qualify as a single-case study since it involves interviews with educators from various regions of the country on their experience in implementing AL in gifted education, in one network of schools. The study focuses on teachers using AL in gifted education in Kazakhstani schools, specifically four special schools for gifted students in different regions of Kazakhstan. Participants, eight teachers with AL experience in teaching gifted students, were recruited through email invitations from school principals. The sample included four male and four female participants, comprising four chemistry and four physics teachers. Their teaching experience ranged from four to 27 years, with an average of 12 years. Inclusion criteria required that participants are teachers who had experience using AL and were willing to participate in a one-hour-long interview. Each participant provided informed consent before data collection, participated of their own will and was free to leave the study with no penalty. To address the study questions, the researcher classified themes that emerged from interview data. In addition, the data from the eight participants were collated in tables to illustrate the frequency of identified themes in accordance with the aim of the research. Following the presentation of the data for each sub-research question is a chapter summary. In addition to the researcher, the interview, which consisted of open-ended questions, was an essential component of this study. Yin (2003) states that case studies may gather data using a variety of methods, including questionnaires, interviews, observations, and written reports from the individuals. The purpose of using in-depth interviews in this study was to get a vivid picture of the participant's opinion on the study issue (Milena, Dinora & Alin, 2008). Further, semi-structured interviews allowed us to obtain a clear image of teachers’ AL experiences in gifted education while allowing for follow-up and investigative inquiries.
Expected Outcomes
The primary finding of this study is that teachers think that teachers believe that AL is a beneficial tool for all kids, not just the gifted ones. Teachers have different meanings of AL, but most of them concur that it can improve personalized learning, student-centered learning, learning experience and progress, engagement, and motivation, and learning simplification and metacognition. However, there are other issues that must be resolved, such as technological, educational, managerial, and psychological difficulties. Teachers must use a variety of strategies, including organizational, pedagogical, class administration, curriculum, instruction, and technology strategies, to maximize the possibilities of AL. The results of this research show that AL has the potential to enhance student learning outcomes and assist teachers in their instructional strategies. There are worries that artificial intelligence (AL) may replace human contact and that ties between students and teachers must be maintained. Inadequate teacher training and scarce technology resources are two obstacles to the successful deployment of AL. Overall, teachers view AL as beneficial and would encourage other educators to adopt the technology.
References
References Brusoni, M., Damian, R., Sauri, J. G., Jackson, S., Kömürcügil, H., Malmedy, M. A. R. I. E., ... & Zobel, L. (2014). The concept of excellence in higher education. Retrieved on March, 18, 2016. Harati, H., Sujo-Montes, L., Tu, C. H., Armfield, S. J., & Yen, C. J. (2021). Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) Adaptive System Impact on Students’ Perception and Self-Regulated Learning Skills. Education Sciences, 11(10), 603. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11100603 Letina, A. (2021). Using Differentiation Strategies for Gifted Pupils in Primary School Science Classes. Revija za Elementarno Izobrazevanje, 14(3), 281-301. https://doi.org/10.18690/rei.14.3.281-301.2021 Little, C. A. (2012). Curriculum as motivation for gifted students. Psychology in the Schools, 49(7), 695-705. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21621 Milena, Z. R., Dainora, G., & Alin, S. (2008). Qualitative research methods: A comparison between focus-group and in-depth interview. Analele Universităţii din Oradea, 1274. Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools. (2020). "Annual report of the Autonomous Organization of Education "Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools", the official website of the organization. https://www.nis.edu.kz/Diana/Годовой_отчетАОО2020_1часть_ENG.pdf Ordov, K., Madiyarova, A., Ermilov, V., Tovma, N., & Murzagulova, M. (2019). New trends in education as the aspect of digital technologies. International journal of mechanical engineering and technology, 10(2), 1319-1330. Peng, H., Ma, S., & Spector, J. M. (2019). Personalized adaptive learning: an emerging pedagogical approach enabled by a smart learning environment. Smart Learning Environments, 6(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-019-0089-y Peters, S. J., & Engerrand, K. G. (2016). Equity and excellence: Proactive efforts in the identification of underrepresented students for gifted and talented services. Gifted Child Quarterly, 60(3), 159-171. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986216643165 Pfeiffer, S. I. (2012). Serving the gifted: Evidence-based clinical and psychoeducational practice. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203883587-8 Reis, S. M., Renzulli, S. J., & Renzulli, J. S. (2021). Enrichment and gifted education pedagogy to develop talents, gifts, and creative productivity. Education Sciences, 11(10), 615. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11100615 Schleicher, A. (2014). Equity, excellence and inclusiveness in education. International Summit on the Teaching Profession, Wellington, New Zealand, March, 28. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264214033-en Shemshack, A., & Spector, J. M. (2020). A systematic literature review of personalized learning terms. Smart Learning Environments, 7(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-020- 00140-9 Yin, R. K. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods. Thousands Oaks. Sage. Young, LC and Wilkinson, IR (1989). The role of trust and co-operation in marketing channels: a preliminary study. European Journal of Marketing, 23(2), 109-122. Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods. Sage.
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