Gifted Education Commons^™

Ua35/11 Honors Program, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Finding Aids

Records created by and about the Honors Program.

Gifted Learners And Mathematical Achievement: An Analysis Of Gifted Instructional Models, Lezley Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine whether differences exist in the mathematics achievement of fifth grade gifted students based on the instructional delivery model used for mathematics instruction, cluster or collaborative, as defined by the Georgia Department of Education. The content area of mathematics, an area susceptible to underachievement among gifted learners, was investigated using archival data from a sample of 67 participants from rural Southwest Georgia over three academic years. The STAR Math assessment and the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT): Math assessments were used to measure overall mathematics achievement. The subscales on the CRCT were ...

Self-Perceptions Of Gifted Achievers And Underachievers: A Phenomenological Study, Anne Behrend

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although much research exists on the academic benefits of ability grouping for highly gifted students, and considerable numbers of studies are reported in the literature concerning the emotional and social adjustment of these talented students, there is a lack of information on the reasons for the distinct disparity in the levels of achievement attained by members of this group. This study investigated, from the perceptions of the students themselves, what school factors make the difference in their motivation to succeed. The researcher examined the academic and later careers of seven gifted young people, and interviewed three of their teachers as ...

Exceptional Connections : A Cross-Cultural Exploration Of The Actual Teacher Behaviours That Contribute To Positive Relationships With Gifted Secondary Students And Secondary Students With Emotional/Behavioural Disorders, Trevor Capern

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This cross-cultural study examined the teacher behaviours that contributed to positive student-teacher relationships with gifted secondary students and secondary students with Emotional/Behavioural Disorders (EBD) in Western Australia and Canada. The study also examined which categories of social support (emotional, instrumental, informational, appraisal) were considered most important in developing positive relationships according to the exceptional students and their teachers. Behaviours were identified through a mixedmethods approach that included surveys, teacher interviews, and student focus groups. Participants included gifted secondary students (N = 133) and their teachers (N= 49), and secondary students with EBD (N = 89) and their teachers (N=23) in ...

Using Problem-Based Learning To Explore Unseen Academic Potential, Shelagh A. Gallagher, James J. Gallagher

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning

One goal of the US Department of Education-funded Project Insights was to see if the use of Problem-based Learning (PBL) would encourage students to reveal previously unseen academic potential. Two PBL units were taught to 271 sixth grade students in 13 classrooms. Afterwards, teachers identified students who demonstrated previously unseen academic potential during the PBL units. This advanced academic potential group was compared with students identified as gifted using district criteria and the remaining sixth grade students. Measures included standardized achievement test scores, teacher ratings of students’ engagement in PBL, and independent ratings of students’ performance on specific PBL assignments ...

Comparing Overexcitability Levels Between Stem Talented Students And Generally Gifted Students Using The Oeqii, Taylor Imburgia '13, Deborah Mcgrath, Christopher G. Kolar

Student Publications & Research

Gifted individuals have been shown to have higher developmental potential, making them more likely to exhibit overexcitabilities (OEs) classified as psychomotor, sensual, intellectual, imaginational, or emotional. The OE levels between IMSA males and females and between IMSA students interested in STEM and Ohio generally gifted students were examined using the Overexcitabilty Questionnaire-two. Data from 70 IMSA sophomores were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Bonferroni Correction method. Results showed that IMSA females had significantly higher sensual and emotional levels than males. Both IMSA males and females exhibited significantly lower imaginational OE levels than the Ohio students. This study will hopefully ...

African Americans In Honors Programs, Sarah Rigsby, Destiny Savage, Jorge Wellmann

Research & Program Evaluation (CNS598)

This qualitative study aims to explore the reasons why African American students have low involvement in the Western Kentucky University Honors College program and its’ initiatives. Findings show that this low level of involvement is the consequence of a perceived lack of diversity within the Honors College, a lack of diversity in Honors College recruitment initiatives and materials, a feeling of not being accepted by their Caucasian peers, high levels of participation in and commitment to activities outside the Honors College community, and no minority community within the Honors College. Accordingly, African American Honors College students do not have high ...

The Challenge: Magazine For Gifted Studies, The Center For Gifted Studies, Tracy Inman

Gifted Studies Publications

No abstract provided.

A Multi-Site Case Study Investigating Teacher Perspectives Of Standards Based Reform And Gifted Students, Amy Valadez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The push by the Federal government to directly increase and positively impact achievement since the implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) (2001) gave rise to the educational design known as standards based reform (SBR). This legislation impacted all sub-groups by measuring growth for sub-populations to determine yearly adequate progress. The growth of the sub-population of gifted students, however, was not included in the determination of a school's or county's success, so the impact of standards based reform on the gifted student is lacking. Therefore, this case study examined educators' perspectives of standards based reform on the gifted ...

Movement In Learning: Revitalizing The Classroom, Marcus Van

AYMAT Individual Thesis/ SMAT IPP Collection

Movement is a vital part of our every day lives, and it is also important for a healthy brain. The following paper examines the shift from movement based learning to a more restrictive rote format, which often has adverse effects on learning. This work discusses the ways in which teachers are under pressure to “teach to the test” instead of creating student-centered classrooms. Some of the side effects of a test-centered approach are low self-esteem (from not meeting strict academic requirements) and behavioral problems in students.

Adding more movement to lessons can provide variation and relief from the rote-only system ...

Is Johnny Smarter Than His Teacher?, Timothy L. Heaton

Education Faculty Presentations

Gifted children are sometimes labeled trouble-makers or lazy because they have not been properly diagnosed or taught in the classroom. This seminar deals with the unique nature of the gifted learner and how to instruct them in the regular classroom.

Gifted Hispanic Identity: Exploring Relationships Among Resilience, Goals And Academic Orientation, Matthew Forrester

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological analysis was to explore the identity development of gifted Hispanic male students in the middle school setting. The study used a survey, multiple interviews and observations, along with focus group data to acquire data in four principle areas: academic orientation, ethnic identity, resilience and goals. Results indicate the importance of resilience as an interactive element in the process of identity development, as well as the importance of ethnic identity exploration and long-term goal setting in formulating a high achieving academic orientation. Other emergent themes such as language use and discrimination are also discussed in light ...

The Challenge: Magazine For The Center For Gifted Studies, The Center For Gifted Studies, Western Kentucky University, Tracy Inman

Gifted Studies Publications

No abstract provided.