Abstract:

Personal Implicit Theory is based on personal experiences, value systems, beliefs, and attitudes that an individual deeply believes in. In relation to a child, it represents a system of values about the child's character, his/her abilities, needs and appropriate educational procedures. The personal Implicit Theory of Educators represents a complex set of knowledges, attitudes, skills, family life and institutional schooling from the level of preschool education all the way to college education and educational practice. Personal Implicit Theories of Educators, which are thought to emerge in the early stages of life, differ from scientific theories in that they contain a value system nurtured in the educational collective and educational group rather than in the official curriculum as scientifically based theories. We distinguish the traditional (the educator has a dominant and the child a passive role) and modern oriented educator (democratic environment and emphasis on the child's activities), and thus the two basic types of personal implicit theories.

The aim of the research was to determine the types of personal implicit theories of educators,
i.e. whether their beliefs and attitudes towards their vocation are oriented traditionally or progressively in regards to the type of institution in which they are applied (private kindergarten / public kindergarten). For the needs of the research, a questionnaire was made, in order to measure agreement / disagreement on the Likert-type scale with statements related to: the purpose of preschool education, development of educational work, curriculum construction, contacts with parents, learning from other children and through planned activities, offering help to solve problems and problem situations. 323 educators of private and public kindergartens in the Republic of Croatia participated in the research.

Conclusions related to the results of the analysis of the collected data indicate the structure and differences of Personal Implicit Theories of Educators in preschool education.

Keywords:

Pedagogy, personal implicit theory, educator, child, beliefs.