Thesis (Educat.D.)--Fairleigh Dickinson University, 1985. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-07, Section: A, page: 1898.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Education of Special Education, 2006. / "Title from dissertation home page (viewed July 9, 2007)." Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-08, Section: A, page: 2940. Adviser: Samuel L. Odom.

Creative thinking is dynamic; its growth can be fostered in a democratic atmosphere with instruction and experiences which encourage the use of all mind functions. This study integrates two models of creative thinking and extends the existing research to include, not only gifted children, but also children who are learning disabled and children who are gifted with learning disabilities. Children who are gifted with learning disabilities (gifted/LD) are often achieving at below grade level because their high abilities mask their extreme learning disabilities and their learning disabilities mask their high cognitive abilities. Unable to produce at the expected rate or standard, they are frequently given programming which excludes them from activities which might develop their potential in gifted behaviours. Unidentified and misunderstood, the gifted/LD, like the learning disabled children, perceive school as an experience in failure; self-esteem is lowered and the school experience is left behind as quickly as possible. Cognitive as well as creative thinking patterns are compared in these three groups of exceptional children by examining, through both quantitative and qualitative analyses, their subtest scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and their performance on figural designs as well as creative writing. Teachers in four Boards of Education were interviewed individually. They were aware of creative thinking characteristics in gifted and gifted/LD children but not in learning disabled children. Since the revised Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children assessed only cognitive functioning, it was after administering tests of creative thinking that learning disabled children's strengths became apparent. These were intuitive creative aspects as expressed in figural form completion and expressing positive and negative feelings in their stories. Gifted/LD children were more similar to gifted than to learning disabled children in cognitive as well as other creative thinking abilities. This study should assist teachers and clinicians to identify creative thinking differences between gifted and gifted/LD and between gifted/LD and learning disabled children. By using their creative abilities while meeting educational needs, teachers are heightening self-esteem and encouraging the realization of their students' fuller potential.

No description available.

Does gender determine the choice to take science? When participation rates of men and women in scientific and mathematical fields are compared, all countries with statistical information have reported significantly lower participation rates for women (Heller & Ziegler, 1996). This was not shocking news. Under representation of women in sciences has been the norm since society frequently views women as lacking in ability, although there is no convincing evidence for different abilities in boys or girls (Bandura, 1997; Joyce & Weil, 1996; Weiner, 1985) Gifted girls face many obstacles in their academic careers The literature review deals with two main areas, parental support and school attitude. The first area relates to parental support that includes parental expectations, gender roles, parental encouragement, and encouraging agency. Then school attitude, including socializing agents, attributional feedback, self-efficacy, self-concept, equity, teachers, fun and prior experience, and peers was examined. This study attempted to explore the perceptions of gifted girls regarding school environment and parental support influencing their choices to take extracurricular science classes. This will add knowledge to the field of gifted education, specifically that of within-gender differences of gifted girls. Moreover, by knowing influential factors within the school environment and parental realm, educators and parents will be better equipped to nurture these in other gifted girls, thus, changing these 'obstacles' into positive challenges.

Abstract not available.

Abstract not available.

Cette recherche examine l'assistance éducative des parents auprès d'élèves en difficulté d'apprentissage à l'élémentaire. L'assistance éducative parentale se définit comme l'assistance que les parents offrent à leur enfant au plan des tâches scolaires. Elle est étudiée au regard de trois axes et de leur relation: l'axe des parents comme gestionnaires de l'encadrement éducatif, l'axe des parents comme modèles au plan de l'apprentissage scolaire et l'axe des parents comme médiateurs des habiletés sociales et affectives. Trente-six (36) parents répondent à un questionnaire sur leurs attitudes et leurs représentations par rapport aux composantes de ces trois axes. Les résultats suggèrent que les parents d'élèves en difficultés d'apprentissage accordent une importance certaine à chacun des axes étudiés et que ces axes entretiennent entre eux des rapports de dépendance qui offrent un éclairage utile à quiconque souhaite accompagner des parents d'élèves en difficultés dapprentissage.

Malgré une panoplie de recherches exhaustives sur l'épineuse question des élèves en difficulté de lecture, le phénomène demeure omniprésent. Les modèles basés essentiellement sur la dimension cognitive ne se révèlent pas efficaces auprès de tous les élèves en difficulté. Le Modèle novateur propose dans cette étude met en exergue l'affectivité comme un facteur critique dans les stratégies d'intervention. Ce Modèle fait usage des principales composantes tirées de trois modèles de lecture existants, dont deux modèles canadiens, soit ceux de Giasson (1995) et Van Grunderbeeck (1997) et d'un modèle belge, celui de Chauveau & Rogovas-Chauveau (1994). Le Modèle experimenté allie donc un travail au plan de la médiation affective aux mécanismes de médiation des habiletés cognitives et méta-cognitives propres à l'apprentissage de la lecture. Le but de l'étude du "Modèle mixte, cognitif et affectif, dans l'enseignement de la lecture" sert a examiner la contribution de ce Modèle par une étude de cas unique auprès d'un élève de quatrième année de l'élémentaire qui éprouve des difficultés importantes en lecture. Suite à une analyse mixte qualitative et quantitative (SPSS), les résultats révèlent que l'élève (1) progresse dans son utilisation spontanée de stratégies cognitives pour lire, (2) ameliore sa compréhension du texte et (3) modifie positivement son concept de soi d'apprenti-lecteur. Il appert que le "Modèle mixte, cognitif et affectif, dans l'enseignement de la lecture" réussit à donner le goût de la lecture à un élève en difficulté de lecture !

Increased popularity of the inclusive model of education where children with physical disabilities are integrated into neighbourhood schools is posing unique challenges for occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and speech-language pathologists. Researchers suggest that therapists should divest themselves of their direct treatment role and serve as consultants instructing educational personnel to apply required therapy. The purpose of this study was to examine therapists' perspectives of their working lives to identify the challenges they encounter delivering rehabilitation services to children educated in inclusive settings. This study used a qualitative design inspired by the grounded theory approach of Strauss and Corbin (1998). Twenty therapists representing education and health care public, publicly funded private, and private sector agencies participated in semi-structured interviews which were audiotaped and transcribed. Data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding to determine emergent themes and develop meaningful interpretations. This study has uncovered several issues related to therapy service delivery. Despite the claim of researchers that consultation is the method of choice in inclusive settings, according to therapists, in the present educational environment, this approach is not producing anticipated results. There is not the time, motivation, or resources to support collaboration, a necessary prerequisite for effective consultation and therapy delivery. Many children, therapists report, are "falling through the cracks." This paradigm shift to consultation has taken place despite a minimal evidence base. According to therapists, dissatisfaction with the present system is causing the rapid growth of private sector services, which further disadvantages already marginalized children and families. This study also highlights the professional values and struggles of therapists to direct their own practice within organizational controls and resource limitations. Furthermore, it reveals that regardless of the therapy discipline, the work setting is a critical factor with regards to therapists' job contentment and satisfaction, and hence the perceived quality of service delivered. Surprisingly, instead of demonstrating discipline specific characteristics, therapists' values, rewards, and stressors are more closely aligned with the employment sector in which they work. This study has highlighted the many tensions and struggles encountered by therapists delivering therapy to children educated in inclusive schools.