ANÁLISE DA NOÇÃO DE JUSTIÇA EM ESTUDANTES COM ALTAS HABILIDADES/SUPERDOTAÇÃO: UMA CONTRIBUIÇÃO EDUCACIONAL

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to analyze the moral judgement of high ability/gifted students. The subjects studied were ten elementary and high school students aged between eleven and sixteen years old, identified as having high abilities/giftedness in the school context and who attended multifunctional resource rooms in two state schools subordinated to the Guarapuava Regional Centre of the State Education Department. This was a qualitative exploratory study discussing the need to give visibility to high ability/gifted students with regard to their moral aspects. The data was obtained using Piaget`s clinical method and the investigation instruments used were observation and semi-structured interviews comprised of moral dilemmas involving the following categories: sanction, immanent justice, retributive and distributive justice, responsibility, authority and cooperation. The results indicated that sanction by reciprocity predominated, as well as a very clear notion of joint responsibility and a high level of moral judgement demonstrated by opting for distributive justice. The study revealed the existence of a conflict between authority and equality, although even so the students believed that the former is not a source of justice. It also demonstrated that they have considerable comprehension and awareness of injustices occurring in the overall context of society, as well as deep respect for rules. We concluded that the aspects relating to autonomous morality were evident in the students studied because of their demonstrating a refined notion of justice. Nevertheless, pedagogical actions need to be developed to enable discussions about issues of interest to them both in the ordinary classroom and in the multifunctional resources room with the aim of favouring the building of cooperative environments. Finally, we stress that in the face of this context it is fundamental that teachers are familiar with the characteristics of high abilities/giftedness so as to encourage the exercising of moral autonomy and thus offer opportunities for acting in agreement with these principles.