Gifted Education Commons^™

A Qualitative Study: How Northeastern Illinois University’S College Of Education Program Successfully Prepares Black Males With A Previous Individualized Learning Plan To Become Teachers, Sunni Ali

Journal of Research Initiatives

As Teacher College Programs throughout the country attempt to increase their numbers of quality educators entering a classroom, one abiding concern remains: how do universities attract and successfully transition black male educators to become K-12 teachers? Such a lasting question has caused several national programs to arise, specifically an initiative consortium (N.I.C) that involved several colleges of education programs to develop and sustain strategies to increase black male teachers in the profession.

This qualitative-interview based study reviews how a teacher college program located in Chicago, Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), applies N.I.C. external and internal mechanisms to engage black male students' …

An Exploration Of The Factors That Motivate Gifted And Talented Rural Students To Engage In Stem, Issabella Baldwin Zurek '18, Takudzwa George '18, Clinton Oshipitan '18, Robert Luo '18, Amy Wang '18

Student Publications & Research

Research Questions:

• What motivates rural students to pursue STEM?
• How can we use these factors to engage more rural students in STEM?

The Underrepresentation Of Low Socioeconomic Status Children In Gifted And Talented Programs, Teresa Clark-Massey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem is children from low socioeconomic status households are often underrepresented in gifted and talented programs. Only a small percentage of these students is selected to participate in the district's gifted program. The purpose of the study was to help appropriately identify and include low SES children in the district's gifted program. The social constructivist foundation was applied for a better understanding of how the environment affects a child's learning and how social factors contribute to cognitive development, which could possibly alter the perceptions of how successful children can be. The guiding questions revolved around the teachers' perceptions of …

Social And Emotional Learning Needs Of Gifted Students, Derek.Phelan Allen Phelan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Compared to their peers, gifted and talented (GT) students have unique social and emotional needs. As schools mandated social and emotional learning goals for each GT student, support at the state level was limited. The purpose of the study was to answer the guiding question of how students could benefit from implementing key elements in a GT social and emotional curriculum. The study was guided by Corso's approach to promoting and developing positive social-emotional behavior. Data were collected from questionnaires administered to 32 statewide GT experts. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 of those GT experts. Thematic data analysis followed …

Slipping Through The Cracks: A Look Into Special Education Referrals, Courtney Musselman

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Special Education is offered in many schools today and more and more students are being referred to this type of education. For this capstone project three local special education teachers were interviewed about the referral process and what could be done to improve it. This is an important issue because many students are slipping through the cracks when it comes to be identified and others are being overly identified. The referral process is important because it provides students with an equal opportunity for education. Findings from the interviews and information from a relevant literature review were used to develop an …

A Study Of Parent Perceptions Of Advanced Academic Potential In The Early Grades, Jennifer L. O'Brien

Honors Scholar Theses

Parents are key stakeholders in children’s education; this project, which is part of a larger study about early identification of high potential, focused on parent awareness of the behaviors that indicate high potential and the kinds of resources that would support developing academic potential in the early grades (grades K-2). This project consisted of an online parent survey and a parent workshop with a card sort component in which parents indicated what kinds of resources would be priorities. The study took place in three school districts with large populations of families from low-income backgrounds. A total of 38 parents completed …

Mathematics And Music: A Search For Correlation, Isaac Sarver

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Several studies have been conducted, which have shown connections between content in music and mathematics. Concepts such as fractions, ratios, etc. are mathematical concepts that also can be found or expressed through music. Although these connections have been made, they primarily address connections within the subject matter of music and math. This study attempts to find a correlation between a high school student participating in a school sponsored music program and receiving a higher average math grade. In the study, two school districts provided anonymous student math score data, while also showing which students participated in a music program. From …

"That's Empowering!": The Influence Of Community Activism Curriculum On Gifted Adolescents' Self-Concepts, Ashley D. Beason-Manes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The first of the following manuscripts addresses the experiences of a group of gifted middle school students as they engaged in community action projects that provided them opportunity to become activists in their school, neighborhood, and larger community. This study pays special attention to participants’ self-concepts as measured by the Harter Self-Perception Profile for Children (2012) and through participant interviews. The study finds evidence of students’ co-cognitive components of giftedness when themes of courage, sensitivity to human concerns, and sense of destiny are applied. Main themes from Harter’s scale are also applied, and participant interviews reveal evidence of academic and …

The 'Rules Of Engagement': The Ethical Dimension Of Doctoral Research, Christopher Berg

Journal of Research Initiatives

The pursuit of a doctorate is a rite of passage that requires a student to successfully navigate the transition from “student” to “scholar.” One area of practice, however, that is often marginalized is the role of ethics. Though there is no formal coursework in ethics, its importance cannot be understated. This essay examines the conceptual role of ethics in doctoral research as both an individual reflective essay as well as a broader discussion of ethics in general. The ethical dimension considered is broken down into eight principles or ethical research and practice in doctoral research. The “Eight Ethical Principles” will …

Evaluation Of Gifted Education Using A-F School Grading Accountability Systems, Daniel R. Arndt

Honors Scholar Theses

A recent trend in accountability systems in the United States has been grading schools on an A-F scale. Some of the evaluation components included in these systems are standardized test proficiency rates and student growth measures. Traditionally, these systems have not emphasized accountability for gifted education programming or services. The accountability systems of the sixteen states in the U.S. under these A-F systems were analyzed for indicators that involve gifted education, which does not yet have a federal mandate or centralized decision-making. The frequency of evaluation components were compared at the high school and elementary school levels. The only gifted …

Nurturing Play-Makers & Active Investigative Agents: Schwartz Tag, Good Video Games And Futures Of Jewish Learning, Owen Gottlieb

Articles

How can an experiential approach to education, in combination with a games-based orientation, help us reach often-elusive educational goals? In many ways the study of games and game design bring us back to tenets of education that we have long known, including the benefits of self-directed learning and project-based work. Games-based design and learning may provide a way to shift the discussion from “What should an educated Jew know?” to “How does a learner develop a taste for Jewish learning and living?”

Student Engagement And Action In Classroom And Community: Place-Based Education And Social Action For The High-Achieving Student, Rachel M. Jank

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This paper briefly discusses the work done in a college-preparatory, Senior English class to combat the disengagement present in many educational institutions. This disconnect does not allow for learning retention and, therefore, does not allow for students to apply the moment of learning to life outside of the secondary classroom. The work I do is based off of Jessica Singer Early, Bruce Bigelow, Linda Christensen, and many other master teachers who work with the educational designs of Place Consciousness and Social Action within their respective classrooms. The theories of John Dewey and Paulo Freire suggest that a non-traditional style of …

Bootstrap Blues, Hannah M. Frantz

SURGE

Meet David*. In mid-January, he came to the small town Iowa elementary school where I work. David has attended more schools in the two years since he started school than I have in my lifetime. In fact, the school he just moved from only has four days of attendance listed on his record. David moves so often because he’s homeless. His situation is not what we may stereotypically think of as “homeless”—you wouldn’t see him on the streets or even in soup kitchens. Instead, David stays with his mother, and they couch surf from one home to another from week …

Creative Multi-Disciplinary Learning Incorporating Da Vinci-Style Thinking For Gifted Students, Amelia Melissa Ferrell

All Graduate Projects

This project reviews the merits of interdisciplinary study with a focus on creative thinking, using the foundational knowledge of the life studies of Leonardo da Vinci to teach students concepts in math, science, art, and social studies. From these learnings, students will develop projects of interest that show their basic learning extended into creative student-developed projects.

Accommodating Accommodations: How A Small Liberal Arts College Certification Program Redefines The New Ell State Mandates, Brent C. Talbot, Kaoru Miyazawa

Sunderman Conservatory of Music Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Improv(Ing) Students: Teaching Improvisation To High School Students To Increase Creative And Critical Thinking, Beth D. Slazak

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This project focuses on teaching High School students improvisational techniques to increase their creative and critical thinking skills. This covers tools of Creative Problem Solving, rules and concepts of improvisational theater, and affective thinking skills. The finished project includes lesson plans, a workbook, and a video that will assist students and educators in teaching these skills.

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 …

Nchc Monographs & Journals

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Assessing and Evaluating Honors Programs and Honors Colleges: A Practical Handbook by Rosalie Otero and Robert Spurrier (2005, 98pp). This monograph includes an overview of assessment and evaluation practices and strategies. It explores the process for conducting self-studies and discusses the differences between using consultants and external reviewers. It provides a guide to conducting external reviews along with information about how to become an NCHC-Recommended Site Visitor. A dozen appendices provide examples of “best practices.”

Nchc Publication Order Form

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Purchases may be made by calling (402) 472-9150, emailing [email protected], visiting our website , or mailing a check or money order payable to: NCHC • University of Nebraska–Lincoln • 1100 Neihardt Residence Center • 540 N. 16th Street • Lincoln, NE 68588-0627.

Admissions And Retention In Honors

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

The National Collegiate Honors Council is an association of faculty, students, and others interested in honors education. Executive Committee: Rick Scott, President, University of Central Arkansas; Jim Ruebel, President-Elect, Ball State University; Gregory Lanier, Immediate Past-President, University of West Florida; Barry Falk, Vice-President, James Madison University; Kyoko Amano, Secretary, University of Indianapolis; Gary Bell, Treasurer, Texas Tech University. Executive Director: Cynthia M. Hill, headquartered at University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Board of Directors: Suketu Bhavsar, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; Lisa Coleman, Southeastern Oklahoma State University; Riley Cook, University of Iowa; Emily Jones, Oklahoma State University; Joe King, Radford University; Jon Kotinek, …

Assessing Rigor In Experiential Education: A Working Model From Partners In The Parks, John S. Maclean, Brian J. White

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Assessment has become a popular buzzword on academic campuses over the last few decades. Most assessment models are designed to evaluate traditional learning structures. If we were to state simply the process of assessment, it might read like this: a) what you want the students to learn; b) how you want to teach the material; c) how you know if the students learned the material. In a traditional pedagogical environment, for example, an instructor might want the students to learn how early geologists deduced the influence of glaciation in the Sierra Mountains from striations on polished granite surfaces. She would …

They Come But Do They Finish? Program Completion For Honors Students At A Major Public University, 1998–2010, Lynne Goodstein, Patricia Szarek

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

In recent years the option of enrolling in honors programs and colleges at major public universities has increasingly become an alternative to elite private and public institutions for some of the brightest and most academically talented high school graduates. To attract these high-achieving students, universities may offer applicants incentives such as merit scholarships, smaller classes, honors residential options, research experiences, and enrichment programs. The message to prospective students is that, by enrolling in an honors college or program, they will receive an education that rivals what would be obtained at an elite private school and at a much lower price. …

Dedication

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Recently selected as an NCHC Fellow, Hallie Savage has been a major player in honors for the past sixteen years. Having earned her PhD from Kent State University, she joined the faculty of Clarion University of Pennsylvania in 1992 and is Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders as well as, since 1997, Director of the Honors Program. During her years at Clarion, she has produced many pages’ worth of publications and presentations in honors as well as in her academic discipline while also receiving numerous awards for her teaching and service. Her service to the National Collegiate Honors Council began …

Notes Toward An Excellent Marxist-Elitist Honors Admissions Policy, Jerry Herron

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

I beg indulgence for an opening anecdote that will perhaps point the issue at hand in a useful direction. I am descended from an honorable line of traveling preachers and car salesmen. As to the preachers, one forebear in particular would occasionally suffer a certain reluctance among the flock when he made his call inviting potential congregants to come forward and receive the benefits of faith, which—to invoke the other side of my family tree—was not unlike the annual call to view new car models back when model change was real and something people could believe in. In order to …

Propensity Score Analysis Of An Honors Program’S Contribution To Students’ Retention And Graduation Outcomes, Robert R. Keller, Michael G. Lacy

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Honors directors and deans know or presume that retention and graduation rates of honors students substantially exceed those of non-honors students. In our research, we have attempted to better determine what portion of this success is attributable to the academic and other benefits of honors programs as opposed to the background characteristics of the students. Among the former, we would point to innovative and small classes, more individual attention for honors students from faculty and staff, residential learning communities, thesis experiences, and extra-curricular opportunities, all of which might be expected to make the college experience more engaging for honors students …

Meeting The Aims Of Honors In The Online Environment, Melissa L. Johson

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

In 1998, the Boyer Commission called for using more innovative methods of course delivery, moving away from the traditional lecture toward inquiry-based learning. The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) has long held that undergraduate honors education is one arena where pedagogical innovation takes place. Members of the honors community note that what makes honors unique is that honors courses serve as laboratories of curricular innovation and experiential learning (Braid, “Cultivating”; Braid, “Majoring; Bruce; Hutgett; Lacey; Schuman, “Cultivating”; Strikwerda; Werth; Wolfensberger, van Eijl, & Pilot). Exemplary honors courses should include participatory learning, an emphasis on primary sources, interdisciplinary and experiential themes, …

Editor’S Introduction, Ada Long

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

This issue of the Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council begins with a Forum on “Nontraditional Honors Students.” We distributed the lead essay titled “Nontraditional Honors,” by Janice Rye Kinghorn of Miami University Middletown and Whitney Womack Smith of Miami University Hamilton, on the NCHC website, on the listserv, and in NCHC e-Newletters several months in advance, and we invited contributors to consider the following questions:

Admissions, Retention, And Reframing The Question “Isn’T It Just More Work?”, Michael K. Cundall Jr.

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

In the lead essay of this Forum, one of the questions Jerry Herron asks in discussing honors admissions is “What are we offering?” This question relates directly to the question often posed by well-meaning parents, wellintentioned students, and inquisitive administrators who want to know if honors is just more and/or harder work and hence not worth the risk. Having gotten a B in honors calculus will do damage to a GPA when the student could have earned an A in a non-honors calculus course. Students and parents might thus perceive the cost of honors work to outweigh the possible benefits, …

Editor’S Introduction 2, Ada Long

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

At least as much as the curricular or extracurricular opportunities that an honors program offers to students, its admissions and retention policies determine the teaching and learning that take place within it. In defining which students will be welcome in the community of honors, administrators broadcast their values before students even apply. If grades and test scores are the criteria for admission, then students can anticipate that the program will hold such competitive rankings in high regard. The higher the required grades and scores, the more rigorous the competition that students can expect. Students should also anticipate that retention policies …

Assessing Success In Honors: Getting Beyond Graduation Rates, Sean K. Kelly

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

An honors curriculum with realistic graduation requirements should have a respectable graduation rate. This number, when low, can indicate significant problems in the program. But a high graduation rate does not necessarily indicate success. A quality honors program, especially one that remains attentive to students’ ability to thrive, might have better measures available for judging impact and effectiveness. After all, manipulating a graduation rate is easy: make the curriculum excessively convenient and lower standards. While some honors curricula are perhaps unnecessarily rigid or unusually difficult, the faculty and administrators of most quality programs have managed to create a curriculum with …