Beliefs about Inclusive Practices among Students of Teacher Education and in-Service Teachers

Abstract

Uvjerenja se odnose na sklop konceptualnih predodžbi koje uključuju opća znanja o pojavama, ljudima i događajima vezanim uz profesionalni kontekst. Ovaj je rad usmjeren na utvrđivanje razlika u uvjerenjima studenata prve, treće i pete godine učiteljskog studija te zaposlenih učitelja o odgojno-obrazovnoj inkluziji i poučavanju učenika s teškoćama, u svrhu utvrđivanja odgovora na pitanje mijenjaju li se i na koji način uvjerenja različitih skupina ispitanika o učenicima s teškoćama i njihovoj inkluziji u odgojno-obrazovni proces. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku 585 studenata učiteljskog studija i učitelja zaposlenih u osnovnim školama u Republici Hrvatskoj. Primijenjena je metoda metafora koja uključuje poznati objekt ili događaj kao konceptualno sredstvo za razjašnjenje kompleksnih pojmova ili situacija. Sudionici istraživanja dopunjavali su rečenice ‘Inkluzija učenika s teškoćama u razvoju je kao …. jer …’ i ‘Poučavanje učenika s teškoćama u razvoju je kao … jer …’. Utvrđeno je da u ukupnom uzorku većina ispitanika izražava inkluzivna uvjerenja jer su njihovi odgovori usmjereni na oblikovanje i podržavanje učenika s teškoćama. Međutim, kada je u pitanju proces poučavanja, udio ispitanika koji iskazuju inkluzivna uvjerenja se smanjuje. Inkluzivna uvjerenja u najvećoj mjeri karakteriziraju studente 3. godine učiteljskog studija koji su netom bili uključeni u kolegij o inkluzivnoj pedagogiji, a u najmanjoj mjeri zaposlene učitelje. Ostale skupine studenata dijele gotovo ista profesionalna uvjerenja, što upućuje na nedovoljan doprinos inicijalnog obrazovanja i praktičnog iskustva na transformaciju od predprofesionalnih prema profesionalnim uvjerenjima o inkluzivnom obrazovanju.Beliefs refer to a set of conceptual images that include general knowledge about phenomena, people and events related to the professional context. The focus of this paper was on establishing differences in the beliefs of first-, third- and fifth-year students in teacher education and employed teachers regarding educational inclusion and teaching pupils with developmental disabilities. Its purpose was to provide answers to the question of whether and to what extent the beliefs of different groups of respondents vary with regard to pupils with developmental disabilities and their inclusion in the educational process. The participants in the research were 585 student teachers and teachers employed in primary schools in the Republic of Croatia. Beliefs were explored by means of the metaphor technique, using a familiar object or event as a mental vehicle for interpreting complex notions or situations. The participants in the research were asked to complete the sentences ‘Inclusion of pupils with developmental disabilities is like …, because …’ and ‘Teaching pupils with developmental disabilities is like …, because …’. It could be established that in the total sample most participants expressed inclusive beliefs, since their responses were directed at shaping and supporting pupils with developmental disabilities. However, when it came to the teaching process, the share of participants expressing inclusive beliefs decreased. Inclusive beliefs characterised third-year students, who were at the time of the investigation completing a course in inclusive education, to the greatest extent and in-service teachers to the smallest extent. The remaining groups of students shared almost identical professional beliefs, which points to an insufficient contribution of both initial teacher education and teaching experience to the transformation from pre-professional towards professional beliefs about inclusive education