Samples derived from a mailed questionnaire were compared. The sample represented high school, community college and university instructors of mathematics and English. The Kentucky public schools sampled were equally represented among high school, community colleges and universities. The research indicated that of those instructors sampled a very high percentage (97.7%) feel that those high school students shown to be academically gifted would benefit from a college experience before high school graduation. The attitudes of those instructors sampled indicated that multiple criteria – grades, recommendations, standardized test scores and personal interview – were considered the preferred method of selection (82.5%). The attitudes sampled suggested that the high school personnel were better suited to make these eligibility decisions (67.4%). The sampled attitudes concerning the setting of this experience suggest the community college was the preference over the university. By use of Chi-square tabulations, no significant difference between mathematics or English instructor’s attitudes was shown. Using this method of measurement significant attitude differences were shown depending on the group sampled. The attitudes of the three sampled groups did show variation depending upon the question involved. Issues such as eligibility of the students, location of experience, use of credit earned, choice of instructor, distance to the experience and responsibility for administrative costs were considered. The collected attitudes suggested that an academically gifted high school student would benefit from a college level experience before graduation and that there is a real need for change in our educational system to accommodate our most precious resource – the gifted student.

This thesis’s purpose is twofold. The first purpose is to present both information about what twice-exceptionality is and to make recommendations based on the existing research as to how parents or guardians can become more effective advocates and advocate for effective programming and services for their children who are twice-exceptional. While this thesis focuses on a specific subset of twice-exceptional students, those who are both gifted and have autism, a good deal of the material presented will be applicable to children who are gifted with learning disabilities. Effective parent advocacy looks the same across exceptionalities: producing the best educational experience based on the child’s unique needs. Strengths-based programming has been demonstrated to benefit twice-exceptional students no matter the disability, however the areas of deficit will vary depending on the specific disability a child has and his/her unique learning profile. The resources for information on special education law and twice-exceptionality will be useful to parents regardless of the twice-exceptional child’s disability. The second, and I feel most important, purpose of the thesis is to provide those parents/guardians with a “Quick Start Guide to Advocacy” to help them get started on the path to becoming the most effective advocate they can be for their child(ren). While educators and school administrators are expected to have a solid understanding of the rights and responsibilities of all stakeholders, many times parents are thrust into the world of special and gifted education with no preexisting knowledge. The aim of this thesis is to help bridge this gap for parents and guardians of this unique subset of students.

The purpose of this research was to explore how teachers described, recognized, and would potentially influence leadership behaviors in children aged 4 to 6 years. One hundred thirty-three early childhood teachers and teachers of the gifted were surveyed using a researcher-designed instrument called the Recognizing Leadership in Children (RLIC) Survey to assess if teachers could recognize leadership from classroom scenarios that were based on actual classroom observations. As part of the survey, teachers wrote how they thought they might respond to the leadership scenarios. As there is a scarcity of literature concerning children’s leadership, the results from this study contribute information to the field. Data from this study indicate that teachers describe child leaders most often as helpful and self-confident with good communication skills. Teachers generally recognize child leadership but recognize obvious leadership behaviors more often than subtle ones. Teachers are more likely to encourage child leadership when they recognize behaviors as leadership; they are more likely to respond to child leadership in a discouraging manner when they do not recognize the behaviors as leadership. Therefore, if teachers learn to recognize child leadership, they could be more supportive, thus creating more developmentally appropriate early childhood classrooms. Keywords: child leadership, early childhood education, gifted, leaders, prosocial behaviors, social skills, teacher expectations, young children

No description available.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether variations in student achievement in college courses exist between high school students who took the courses as dual enrollment (DE) courses and academically comparable high school students (AIMS scholars) who took the courses upon matriculation to college. Additionally, the researcher explored whether differences exist in DE course grade for students by course environment (online, face-to-face at a high school, or face-to-face at a college.) The researcher used final course grades as determinants of student achievement. The study focused on DE student and AIMS scholar grades in English 111, Biology 101, Math 163, and History 101 courses that were taken between the 2009-2010 and 2013-2014 school years at a community college in Southwest Virginia. The population consisted of 429 AIMS scholars and 2,015 DE students. For this study 3,639 DE student grades and 706 AIMS student grades were used in calculations. The dependent variables in this study were final course grades; the independent variables were DE participation and course delivery environment. Welch’s t tests were used to examine the variations in final grades for DE and non-DE students; ANOVA procedures were used to examine variations in final course grades for DE courses based on delivery environment. The quantitative findings revealed that students who took English 111, Biology 101, Math 163, and History 101 as DE courses performed significantly better than academically comparable peers who had not taken the courses as DE. Additionally, findings indicated that students who took English 111 as a DE course on a college campus performed significantly lower than students who took English 111 as a DE course either online or face-to-face at high school. Similarly, students who took Math 163 as a DE course on a college campus performed significantly lower than students who took the DE course online or face-to-face at a high school. History 101 students who took the course online performed better than students who took the same course face-to-face at a high school. There were no significant differences in student achievement in Biology 101 based on DE course environment.

Kindergarten - Grade 12 (K-12) students identified as gifted in mathematics in the United States are not being appropriately challenged. Teachers are the most important school-related factor that contributes to student success; however, researchers have not explored the experiences of teachers who work with gifted students in inclusive mathematics classrooms. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of K-12 teachers who provide instruction for gifted students in inclusive mathematics classrooms. Bandura's social cognitive theory framed the study. Interview data were collected from 12 teachers who provide mathematics instruction for gifted students in inclusive classrooms and analyzed using a modification of the Van Kaam method of analysis for phenomenological data. Several themes emerged from the interview data that may positively or negatively impact teacher self-efficacy. Based on those themes, recommendations were made that include utilizing a common gifted identification process, providing gifted-specific training opportunities for educators, promoting collaboration among educators of gifted students, providing opportunities for teachers to reflect on the impact of their instructional practices on gifted students, and creating libraries of math-specific gifted resources at each school site. This study has the potential to contribute to positive social change by advancing knowledge in the field of gifted instruction, improving teacher preparation programs, improving teacher job satisfaction, and improving the mathematics learning of gifted students in inclusive mathematics classrooms.

This paper explores educator perceptions of gifted and talented (GT) English language (ELL) students. This study identifies barriers for identification and service for GT/ELL students and highlights ways to support students through current efforts for students who fit these criteria. Educators from two elementary schools were interviewed in this qualitative study. The schools were chosen due to their high population of ELL students. The roles of professional development (PD) and best practices for identification of underrepresented students are discussed. Five main themes emerged from interviews of educators that work with GT/ELL students. The themes are obstacles, perception, referral, professional development, and, modification.

Parenting stress (PS) is a phenomenon experienced by all parents to varying degrees due to the demands of meeting a child's needs. This distinct type of stress is caused by an imbalance between the perceived demands of parenting and the perceived coping resources available to parents. The construct of twice-exceptionality (2E) is defined as the co-occurrence of giftedness and disability or possessing both high cognitive abilities and at least 1 of 13 potential disabilities identified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004. The purpose of this study was to understand how PS is experienced by parents of children who have been identified with 2E. The theoretical perspectives of stress appraisal, coping, and attribution guided this study and provided a framework for understanding the lived experiences of parents and the meaning they ascribe to these experiences. The goals of the study were accomplished through in-depth interviews with 13 participants, an extensive literature review, and reflective journaling. Interview data were analyzed using the phenomenological techniques of epoche, bracketing, horizontalization, and imaginative variation, and several relevant themes and subthemes were developed. High levels of PS described by the parents in this study indicate that further research is indicated for better understanding and serving the significant needs of this population. The social implications of this research include raising awareness of PS and 2E; increasing the potential for positive outcomes for children and families; and addressing misconceptions concerning giftedness, gender bias in the perceptions of parental roles, and the impact of PS on family systems.

Though a primary purpose of K-12 education in the United States is to prepare students to meet the economic demands of the country, there is currently a major shortage of workers to fill the open positions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This shortage is only expected to grow in the coming decade unless a significant number of students choose to pursue STEM careers. Some authors have identified the approximately 1.5 million underserved rural, high-potential students as an untapped population representing future STEM workers. However, school counselors, who oversee most of the career development in K-12 education, currently lack a strong understanding of how to promote STEM college and career readiness with rural, gifted students. This paper shares the results of a study that examined whether factors such as academic potential, personal traits, or social engagement have an impact on the early career development of gifted students from under-served rural schools. Particularly, the study examined whether a STEM extra-curricular program – STEM Excellence and Leadership – influenced the career development of the rural, gifted middle school student participants. Results indicate that perceived social engagement had the most significant impact on the career development of rural, gifted middle school students, and that the extra-curricular program was helpful in developing their career expectations and goals. The final section of this paper shares important lessons for practicing school counselors and school counseling preparation programs.