Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2002. / Advisor: Dr. Tom Anderson, Florida State University, School of Visual Arts and Dance, Dept. of Art Education. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Oct. 7, 2003). Includes bibliographical references.

A quasi-longitudinal case study was used to determine the effects on secondary students of participation in a program of enrichment and extracurricular science activities in terms of their interest and enjoyment in being involved in science activities, their motivation to continue to participate in science, and their perceptions about scientists and about the role of science in society. Two groups of students in a school were followed simultaneously, a junior cohort through Years 8 to 10 and a senior cohort through Years 10 to 12. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 20 students; five girls and five boys from each cohort. A strong positive relationship was found between changes in students' interest and enjoyment and changes in their motivation, and both these variables increased, in an overall sense for the combined student population, during the study period. All students generally held a high perception of both the normality of scientists and the importance of science in society throughout the study period. Participation in science activities impacted overall positively, but to varying extents for different activities, on all four dependent variables. Suggestions for the structure and/or conduct of competitions, excursions, and practical work, including the design of museum exhibits, and implications for further research are presented.

Over the past six years, a part-time withdrawal-from-mainstream-class enrichment program for gifted and talented children has been operating at the Holt Primary School in the Australian Capital Territory. In keeping with the neighbourhood school policy of the ACT Schools Authority, the program caters only for children within the school and has included those from grades three to six. Based on Renzulli's Enrichment Triad Model, the program has a thematic approach which provides opportunities for participants to pursue both group and individual research on topics of interest to them. Identified children remain in the program for as long as possible and some have continued for as long as three years when resources have been available. This Action Research Study by the Co-ordinator of the program describes the setting up, objectives, identification methods, resources and evaluation.

This study aims to design and investigate the effect of Self-Esteem Enrichment Bibliocounseling Program on the self-esteem level of sixth grade students. Twenty four subjects (13 female, 11 male) out of 166 total sixth grade students from a university affiliated private middle school in Ankara, were randomly selected based on Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (CSEI) total scores and assigned to treatment and no-treatment control group conditions. An experimental design with one selfesteem treatment group and one no-treatment control group, and two measurements (pre and post) were used to investigate the effectiveness of Self-Esteem Enrichment Bibliocounseling Program. The treatment program developed by the researcher was introduced to subjects during eight weeks. The group sessions were held once a week. Each session lasted 80 minutes. Mixed Design (one between and one within factor) Repeated-Measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed to the pre-test and post-test CSEI scores of experimental and control group subjects. Results indicated that, the Self-Esteem Enrichment Bibliocounseling Program employed to the treatment group produced significant increase in treatment group subjects self-esteem scores.

FEUERSTEIN'S INSTRUMENTAL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS The presented doctoral work covers the programme of cognitive stimulation created by Reuven Feuerstein. It aims to describe the effects that the teachers are triggered with by this programme. The work presents Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) in context of all the Feuerstein's work. It explains its theoretical grounds in detail, and connects them with broader questions from educational psychology field, that are related to the teaching of thinking skills. There is compared the Feuerstein's theory of Mediated Learning Experience (MLE) with L. S. Vygotsky's theory of mediation in the work. It also refers to the work of J. Piaget in many passages. The research part of the work is based on interviews and two small semantic- differential scales. The research group contained 9 experimental and 6 control teachers from primary schools. The main aim of the carried research was to map what form gain the influences that FIE has on the teachers. We also worked on the teachers' opinions regarding the implementation of this programme at mainstream schools. Besides the description of effects, we were also describing and comparing opinions of both groups on teaching thinking. The closing part of the work is...

This study involved the effects of a perceptual motor enrichment program upon the motor skills of a six year old boy with cerebellar brain damage, who, with a control group of ten normal six year olds, was given a pre-test of motor skills. He and a child from the control group participated in a perceptual-motor enrichment program. The motor skills of both subjects were tested halfway through the program. Following the program, the experimental child, the control child, and the control group were post-tested on their motor skills. The testings showed that the greatest gains in motor skills were obtained by the experimental child, followed by the control child. The control group displayed little increase in motor skill performance.

The thesis deals with the topic of diagnostics in children with behavioral problems and disorders. In the theoretical part the author describes commonly used terminology and the width of issues related to caring for these children. The Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Program is described and built on later in the practical section where the author introduces her own new method called "Children Together". The practical part of the thesis deals with action research aiming at improving author's practice in the field of special education and at evaluating the potential of the new method. The analysis of audio recordings from lessons and semi-structured interviews and two other supplementary research methods were utilized throughout the research. The outcomes of the research allow for a conclusion that the method "Children Together" can provide us with a volume of valuable assessment data on younger elementary-school-aged children. Towards the end of the thesis the author also identifies features of the method most valued by selected professionals, the ways how the method has been improved during the research and how it could be improved further on. The final product of the research is a method that is useful in special education practice, under certain conditions. The potential of the method has...

This descriptive research examines the performance on reading comprehension of four gifted adolescents participating in a reading enrichment program. This performance is related to the variables associated to the gifted performance following the model developed by Mönks: motivation, creativity, high ability, school, peers and family. Results showed that school does not satisfy the cognitive needs of these students and it does not offer the required social support either. The family provides the main social support. The motivation, creativity, the high level of language and concentration of the participants facilitate learning. The reading program is described by the participants as motivating due to the subject-matters and methodology; furthermore, due to the opportunity to deal with peers who have a similar cognitive level. / Esta investigación de nivel descriptivo examina el desempeño en comprensión de lectura de cuatro adolescentes talentosos durante un programa de enriquecimiento en lectura. Este desempeño es relacionado con las variables asociadas a la conducta talentosa, de acuerdo al modelo de Mönks: motivación, creatividad, alta capacidad, escuela, pares y familia. Se encontró que la escuela no satisface las demandas cognitivas ni brinda el soporte social esperado. La familia brinda el soporte social principal. La motivación, la creatividad, el alto nivel de lenguaje y de concentración de los participantes facilitan el aprendizaje. El programa de lectura es descrito por los participantes como motivador debido a los temas y la metodología; además, por la oportunidad del intercambio con pares del mismo nivel cognitivo.

The research overview is expected to contribute with knowledge of MLE, Mediated Learning Enrichment and FIE, Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment program/Feuerstein's cognitive intervention program and its effects, primarily among students with learning disabilities but also among educators.   A research overview focusing on scientific articles, published in 2010-2020. The purpose of the study is to analyze results in current research that evaluates the effects of MLE and FIE among students with learning disabilities and among educators, as reported in scientific articles and to relate the results analysis to a Swedish school context. The research questions are based on scientific articles in which a program for pedagogical work and attitudes (MLE and FIE) has been analyzed: 1.              Which effects of the program are described in the current studies? 2.              Which opportunities and obstacles can be found in working with the program? 3.              Which significance can the program have for the design of the learning environment and in relation to the role of the special education teacher? In which context?  I have chosen three perspectives to analyze the scientific articles: a sociocultural, a special educational and an organizational theory perspective. The program benefits the development of cognitive abilities for everyone and should be applied at a group level.  The impact of the home on the cognitive capacity of the students is crucial and a rich or less favorable home environment makes a difference. Parental training in MLE are advocated and differences between the conditions for children at school start could disappear completely through such intervention.  When children do not bring developed cognitive abilities to school, the school needs to be prepared to meet and mediate for positive learning. If teachers are educated in mediated learning, they can lay the foundation for their students. It is recommended that the program becomes part of the curriculum and teacher training. In order to see the effects of the program there is a need of; FIE teacher training, effective implementation of the program, sufficient time that students are exposed to the FIE program and coverage of instruments.  Effective digital MLE tools are needed to enhance self-regulating learning in our digital age. Obstacles are organizational, in terms of the cost and time of training; the fact that the education takes place in English and that it requires a licensed FIE instructor.  The socratic questions stimulate motivation and sense of meaning for everyone. Students develop more effective strategies, based on “Stop and think!”, instead of using the exclusion method.  There is a need for close cooperation between educators and special educators to include everyone at a group level. / Forskningsöversikten förväntas bidra med kunskap om MLE, Mediated Learning Enrichment och FIE, Feuersteins Instrumental Enrichment program/ Feuersteins kognitiva interventionsprogram och dess effekter, främst för elever i inlärningssvårigheter men även för pedagoger.  En forskningsöversikt med fokus på vetenskapliga artiklar, publicerade år 2010-2020. Syftet med studien är att analysera resultat i aktuell forskning som utvärderar effekterna av MLE och FIE för elever i inlärningssvårigheter och för pedagoger. Resultatanalysen relateras till en svensk skolkontext.  Forskningsfrågorna bygger på vetenskapliga artiklar där ett program för pedagogiskt arbete och attityder (MLE och FIE) har analyserats: -Vilka effekter av programmet beskrivs i de aktuella studierna?  -Vilka möjligheter och hinder finns i arbetet med programmet?  -Vilken betydelse kan programmet ha för utformningen av lärmiljön och i förhållande till specialpedagogens roll? I vilket sammanhang? Jag har valt tre perspektiv för att analysera de vetenskapliga artiklarna; ett sociokulturellt, ett specialpedagogiskt och ett organisationsteoretiskt perspektiv. Programmet gynnar utvecklingen av kognitiva förmågor för alla och bör tillämpas på gruppnivå. Hemmets inverkan på elevers kognitiva kapacitet är avgörande och en rik eller mindre gynnsam hemmiljö gör skillnad. Föräldrautbildning i MLE förespråkas och skillnader mellan villkor för barn vid skolstart kan försvinna helt. När barn inte tar med sig utvecklade kognitiva förmågor till skolan måste skolan vara beredd att mediera för ett positivt lärande. Om lärare utbildas i medierat lärande kan de lägga grunden hos sina elever. Det rekommenderas att programmet blir en del av läroplanen och lärarutbildning. För att se effekterna av programmet finns det ett behov av; FIE-lärarutbildning, effektiv implementering av programmet, tillräckligt med tid för att eleverna exponeras för FIE-programmet och täckning av instrument. Effektiva digitala MLE-verktyg behövs för att förbättra självreglerat lärande i vår digitala tidsålder. Hinder är organisatoriska när det gäller kostnader och tid för utbildning, utbildningen sker på engelska och den kräver en licensierad FIE-instruktör. De sokratiska frågorna stimulerar motivation och känslan av mening för alla. Eleverna utvecklar effektivare strategier, baserade på "Stanna upp och tänk efter!", istället för att använda exkluderingsmetoder. Det finns ett behov av ett nära samarbete mellan pedagoger och specialpedagoger för att inkludera alla på gruppnivå.

Le vieillissement normal comporte une diminution légère des fonctions cognitives supérieures qui n’entrave pas le fonctionnement quotidien de la personne. Cependant, ce déclin peut rendre la personne âgée plus vulnérable si celle-ci subit une atteinte cérébrale acquise, tel un traumatisme craniocérébral (TCC). Devant le vieillissement démographique de la population, l’intérêt pour l’étude du vieillissement cérébral normal et pathologique a significativement augmenté au cours des dernières années. Malgré ce fait, on constate une absence de programmes validés de réadaptation cognitive pour les personnes âgées qui subissent un TCC, alors que la cause la plus fréquente de TCC chez la personne âgée sont les chutes de sa propre hauteur, dont la fréquence augmente avec l’âge. Ces faits permettent de présager une augmentation significative de cas de personnes âgées qui subissent un TCC, ce qui représentera un fardeau additionnel pour le déjà surchargé système de santé. Le présent projet de recherche clinique visait à compenser une telle carence en évaluant l’efficacité d’un programme d’entrainement cognitif, le Programme d’enrichissement cognitif (PEC), spécifiquement développé par l’auteur de cette thèse pour les personnes qui ont subi un TCC à l’âge de 55 ans et plus. Le PEC est composé de trois modules intégrant des méthodes de réadaptation qui visent des processus cognitifs fréquemment atteints tant chez la personne âgée que chez les personnes ayant subi un TCC : conscience de soi, mémoire épisodique et fonctions exécutives. Deux études de l’efficacité du PEC, effectuées par le biais d’un devis contrôlé semi-randomisé à simple aveugle, sont présentées dans la présente thèse. La première étude visait à démontrer l’efficacité du PEC pour améliorer la mémoire épisodique. Le deuxième module du PEC, composé d’exercices d’entrainement mnémonique tirés du Programme MEMO, vise tout particulièrement cette dimension mnésique. Le Programme MEMO a été originalement conçu et démontré comme étant efficace pour les personnes âgées présentant un déclin cognitif léger (ou mild cognitive impairment). Il s’agit de la première étude impliquant le Programme MEMO auprès de personnes ayant subi un TCC. Une ANCOVA a mis en évidence des améliorations significatives sur une mesure psychométrique de mémoire épisodique et d’une mesure auto-rapportée de généralisation dans la vie quotidienne des participants du groupe expérimental. De plus, une amélioration cliniquement significative a été constatée au niveau de leur perception de bien-être psychologique. La deuxième étude évaluait l’efficacité du PEC pour le fonctionnement exécutif des participants, tel que mesuré par des instruments psychométriques évaluant des composantes exécutives, ainsi que des mesures de généralisation à la vie quotidienne. Les résultats ont montré une amélioration significative dans le groupe expérimental pour des sous-tâches d’une épreuve de fonctionnement exécutif, ainsi qu’une réduction significative des différences entre les participants au PEC et leurs proches sur une échelle de fonctionnement exécutif dans la vie quotidienne. De plus, le nombre d’activités quotidiennes abandonnées était significativement réduit 6 mois plus tard dans le groupe expérimental. L’intégration de programmes de réadaptation cognitive comme le PEC dans les services de réadaptation nous paraît tout à fait nécessaire et hautement recommandée, tout comme la formation de neuropsychologues en méthodes et stratégies de réadaptation cognitive et neuropsychologiques afin d’améliorer significativement l’offre de services à la population vieillissante et générale. / Aging is a natural process that includes decline in higher cognitive functions. This decline doesn’t impede daily functioning but may render a person more vulnerable if they acquire a traumatic bran injury (TBI). The world’s demographic aging has motivated a rise of the interest for the study of normal and neuropathological cognitive decline. Despite this fact, there is a gap in terms of validated neurocognitive training programs specifically conceived for ageing persons who sustain a TBI, even though the main causes of TBI are falls from one’s own height, which become more frequent with age. These facts point to an expected rise of TBI among older people, creating a burden on the already overloaded public health system. This clinical research project aimed to compensate this gap by evaluating the efficacy of a cognitive training program specifically developed by the author of this thesis for people who suffered a TBI at the age of 55 years old or more. This program is named Cognitive Enrichment Program (CEP). The CEP is composed of three modules integrating rehabilitation methods of cognitive functions frequently disturbed during aging and in TBI: self-awareness, episodic memory, and executive functions. Two studies evaluating the efficacy of the CEP, using a controlled semi-randomized single-blind design, are reported in this thesis. The first study aimed to demonstrate the CEP’s efficacy in improving episodic memory. The CEP’s second module is composed of the training mnemonic exercises of the MEMO Program, which focuses mainly on this memory dimension. The MEMO program was originally conceived and demonstrated to be effective for people suffering from mild cognitive impairment. This is the first study to use the MEMO Program with individuals having sustained a TBI. ANCOVA showed significant improvements in a psychometric episodic memory measure, and on a daily-life generalisation self-reported measure in experimental group participants. In addition, they showed clinically significant improvement in self-perceived psychological well-being. The second study assessed CEP efficacy on participants’ executive functioning using psychometric measures of executive functions, and on daily-life generalization measures. Results showed significant improvement in the experimental group on subtasks of a psychometric executive function measure, as well as a significant reduction in CEP participant-significant other differences on a self-reported scale assessing executive functioning in daily life. Also, the number of forsaken daily activities was significantly reduced 6 months later in the experimental group. Integration of cognitive rehabilitation programs such as the CEP into holistic rehabilitation programs is necessary and highly recommended, as is training neuropsychologists on cognitive and neuropsychological rehabilitation methods and strategies, to improve services offered to the aging and general population.