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Methodological Holism Problems And The Mentoring Paradox In Fostering Giftedness Excellence
Stojanović, Aleksandar
Gojkov Rajić, Aleksandra
Gojkov, Grozdanka
Abstract: Problems of Methodological Holism and the Paradox of Mentorship in Nurturing Excellence Among Gifted Individuals This study aims to examine, through theoretical analysis, the problems of meth- odological holism and the paradox of mentorship in nurturing excellence among gifted individuals. Meth- odological holism is regarded as a theoretical approach based on the assumption that social phenomena can only be understood within the broader context of systems, institutions, and cultural patterns. In contrast to methodological individualism, which emphasizes individual action, holism stresses the whole. This approach is considered particularly significant in educational and pedagogical research on the mentorship of gifted individuals, yet it faces numerous methodological challenges. In the context of mentoring gifted students, these challenges manifest through the so-called mentorship paradox—a contradiction between the individual dimension of gifted students’ development and institutional or systemic constraints. The intention, therefore, is to analyze current issues of methodological holism and their relationship to the paradox of mentorship of gifted individuals, drawing on findings from empirical research, which, from a theoretical perspective, repre- sent a form of metatheoretical analysis of the problem explored in this study. The theoretical framework of this study has two parts. The first concerns methodological holism and its limitations. The analysis concludes that methodological holism enables researchers in the field of mentorship of gifted students to consider mentorship within a broader sociocultural context. This includes factors such as educational policy, institutional culture, and value norms. However, problems arise when considering the following aspects: - Overgeneralized interpretation of processes – the emphasis on systems often leads to a loss of precision, as micro-interactions (mentor–student) remain overshadowed. - Operationalization of the “whole” – it is empirically difficult to encompass all dimensions (school, family, society, culture). - Conflict with individualism – holism overlooks individual creativity and freedom, which are crucial in men- toring gifted individuals. - Predictive weakness – holistic models tend to describe rather than predict the success of mentorship. The second part of the theoretical context refers to the mentorship paradox, which arises from the dual nature of this phenomenon: - Individual level – mentorship is a personalized relationship based on trust, flexibility, and the development of the student’s creative potential. - Collective level – mentorship is part of institutional patterns and social expectations, which often require standardization and uniformity. The paradox is reflected in the expectation that mentors should act simultaneously as authorities and media- tors of freedom while integrating the mentee’s individual needs with general educational norms. Empirical findings confirm the limitations of methodological holism and illuminate the mentorship paradox in various areas: systemic policies versus individual performance; culture and educational norms; the paradox of person- alization; authority and freedom. Analyses indicate that methodological holism enables an understanding of mentorship within systemic and cultural contexts, yet it faces serious limitations in explaining the dynamics of personal relationships. The mentorship paradox—the tension between individual freedom and institutional structures—underscores the limitations of the holistic approach. Thus, it is concluded that new methodologi- cal approaches and integrative methodological models are needed, combining a holistic perspective (sociocul- tural context) with an idiosyncratic focus (personalized relational dynamics). Such an approach could lead to a more adequate understanding and advancement of mentorship in contemporary efforts to nurture excellence among gifted individuals.
engleski
2025
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Keywords: methodological holism, mentorship paradox, gifted individuals