Conceptions and perceptions of student initiative held by elementary school teachers and students

Abstract

The aim of this study is to provide empirical analysis of teachers’ and students’ understanding of the term student initiative and their perceptions of its manifestations in school environment. A total of 182 teachers and 223 8th grade students were asked to (1) provide associations to the term ”initiative”, (2) to specify personal characteristics and behaviors of students with high initiative and (3) to report on the importance and levels of student initiative manifested in different domains of school functioning. Both teachers’ and students’ associative fields for the term initiative are extremely large and with weak associative strength, implying various diverse meanings. However, both groups consider student initiative as an important feature for school functioning and report on student initiative being manifested in different domains of school life. While there are some differences, both groups connect student initiative with success in school but not with the gender of the student, pointing out prosocial behavior in the school environment and dedication to learning, as well as readiness for additional engagement in the class. Implications for school practice are discussed in terms of changing teacher – student patterns of conversational activities and inclusion of complex and challenging tasks connected to learning material.