Teachers' Knowledge and Misconceptions about Diversity: Correlations with Personal Contact, Attitudes, Self-Efficacy and Instructional Practices
Saved in:
| Title: | Teachers' Knowledge and Misconceptions about Diversity: Correlations with Personal Contact, Attitudes, Self-Efficacy and Instructional Practices |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Anke Heyder (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs. 2026 26(2). |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 17 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Elementary School Teachers, Secondary School Teachers, Career and Technical Education Teachers, Special Schools, Foreign Countries, Teacher Attitudes, Knowledge Level, Misconceptions, Diversity, Interpersonal Relationship, Self Efficacy, Educational Practices, Teaching Methods, Special Education Teachers, Educational Needs, Emotional Problems, Behavior Problems, Learning Problems, Dyslexia, Learning Disabilities, Academically Gifted, Inclusion |
| Geographic Terms: | Germany |
| DOI: | 10.1111/1471-3802.70083 |
| ISSN: | 1471-3802 |
| Abstract: | This study investigated in-service teachers' knowledge about learner diversity and its relation to other teacher-related factors, guided by the COACTIV model of professional competence. We expected knowledge differences depending on prior learning opportunities, positive associations with attitudes towards inclusion, teaching self-efficacy for inclusive education and mastery-oriented practices, and negative associations with performance-oriented practices. Participants were 139 German in-service teachers (average age 40, 13 years of teaching experience) from primary (19%), secondary (29%), grammar schools (26%), vocational colleges (12%), segregated special schools (12%) and others (2%). We assessed their knowledge and misconceptions using an objective, standardised test with 142 true-or-false statements about special educational needs due to emotional/behavioural and learning difficulties, partial achievement disorders (dyslexia, dyscalculia), gender and intellectual giftedness. Several t-tests compared their scores with those of 395 bachelor and 181 master teacher students, showing that in-service teachers had higher knowledge. Several t-tests further showed that special education teachers knew more than mainstream education teachers. Correlation analyses in the in-service teacher sample revealed that higher knowledge was associated with more positive attitudes towards inclusion, greater self-efficacy for teaching in inclusive education and more mastery-oriented practices. The results highlight the importance of knowledge about diversity as part of teachers' professional competence. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1503940 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This study investigated in-service teachers' knowledge about learner diversity and its relation to other teacher-related factors, guided by the COACTIV model of professional competence. We expected knowledge differences depending on prior learning opportunities, positive associations with attitudes towards inclusion, teaching self-efficacy for inclusive education and mastery-oriented practices, and negative associations with performance-oriented practices. Participants were 139 German in-service teachers (average age 40, 13 years of teaching experience) from primary (19%), secondary (29%), grammar schools (26%), vocational colleges (12%), segregated special schools (12%) and others (2%). We assessed their knowledge and misconceptions using an objective, standardised test with 142 true-or-false statements about special educational needs due to emotional/behavioural and learning difficulties, partial achievement disorders (dyslexia, dyscalculia), gender and intellectual giftedness. Several t-tests compared their scores with those of 395 bachelor and 181 master teacher students, showing that in-service teachers had higher knowledge. Several t-tests further showed that special education teachers knew more than mainstream education teachers. Correlation analyses in the in-service teacher sample revealed that higher knowledge was associated with more positive attitudes towards inclusion, greater self-efficacy for teaching in inclusive education and more mastery-oriented practices. The results highlight the importance of knowledge about diversity as part of teachers' professional competence. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1471-3802 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/1471-3802.70083 |
