Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 134-138).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1999. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-108). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 134-138). Also available in print.

Doctorat en sciences psychologiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

An anaerobic, cellulose decomposing bacterium was isolated in pure culture from the ingesta of a bovine rumen. The organia was a small, curved, Gram negative rod that occurred singly or in chains. The isolated bacterium was identified as a member of the genus Butyrivibrio because of its morphology and because of its production of certain volatile fatty acids in a rumen fluid-glucose medium fermentation. The characteristic fermentation waa the production of a large amount of butyric acid and some lactic acid or succinic acid, and the lack of production of propionic acid. It was found that when rumen fluid was omitted from the fermentation medium the production of butyric acid decreased markedly. The organism was found to have a relatively narrow pH tolerance for the initiation of growth, pH 6.3 to 7.2, with an optimum of pH 6.9 to 7.0. Growth stopped at about pH 6.4, and continued fermentation decreased the pH to 6.0. The organism was cultured continuously on a medium which vu chemically defined except that vitamin-free casein hydrolysate was included, when the hydrolysate was replaced by a mixture of pure L-isomers of amino acids similar in composition to the hydrolysate, good growth occurred. However, when each amino acid was supplied at a uniform weight concentration, much weaker growth was obtained. Evidence was obtained indicating that aadno acids were inhibitory, although the reason for the mild inhibition was not disclosed. The following amino acids were found to be critical nutrients, but in some cases their status, whether essential or stimulatory, was found to be dependent on the composition of the medium: - cysteine, histidine, isoleucine. methionine, lysine, tyrosine, asparagine and leucine. A medium containing only these amino acids supported only very weak growth. Aspartic acid was found to be mildly inhibitory to growth, and glutamic acid was found to reverse the inhibition. A mixture of the common purine and pyrimidine bases, and a mixture of volatile fatty acids, were each found to be inhibitory to growth. Biotin, folic acid, and pyridoxal were essential vitamins, but the other eight B-vitamins examined were found to be neither stimulatory nor essential. Carbon dioxide was found to be required in relatively high concentration in order for growth to start in a medium devoid of rumen fluid. Purines, pyrimidines, cobalamine, and Tween-80 in a mixture were found not to replace the carbon dioxide. Rumen fluid was found to contain material very stimulatory for growth of the Butyrivibrio. The stimulatory material was found to be possibly two compounds or types of compounds, one a peptide or peptide like substance, and the other an anionic substance which probably was polynucleotide-like. / Ed. D.

This qualitative investigation into differences between intellectually gifted sixth grade students and sixth grade students in regular education programs was conducted with two questions as the focus: 1. Are there differences other than IQ between these two groups of students on a selection of school-related variables? 2. Are there sixth grade students in the regular education program who exhibit the same profile on the selected variables as do the intellectually gifted sixth grade students? An analysis of forty variables held by each of the 129 students in three Gifted Center Classes and two regular education classes indicated differences exist between the two groups in some areas other than intelligence. Students in the Gifted Center obtained significantly higher scores on five of the six Biographical Inventory Form U subtests, which measured academic performance, creativity, artistic potential, leadership and educational orientation. The results of the subtest Vocational Maturity were not significant. Differences in performance were noted on the SRA Achievement Series with the gifted students achieving higher test scores than regular education students. Both groups, however, scored commensurate with measured abilities as indicated by the Educational Ability Score (EAS). Report card notations indicate that gifted students are more respectful of authority, more courteous, more respectful of property and exercise more self-control than students in regular education programs. On a Moreno sociogram, results were significant in only one category. Gifted students were more readily selected by peers as students preferred to study with than students in regular education programs. The discriminant analysis indicated that 100% of the intellectually gifted students were placed or identified properly. Six students or 10.5% of the population in the regular education program exhibited profiles similar to that of the intellectually gifted students. / Ed. D.

Children from divergent populations are not equitably represented in programs for the gifted. A commonly cited cause is over-reliance on standardized test scores. An equally important cause may be that children, who do not fit the profile of a "typical" gifted child created by Terman (1925), seldom are referred for assessment. Terman's research has been sharply criticized for bias in selection procedures, but his conclusions are still generalized to all gifted children. In traditional identification procedures, nomination is based, consciously or subconsciously, on a definition of giftedness and "typical" characteristics described by Terman. Expanded assessment procedures were implemented in targeted schools in a large southwestern school district to increase representation of children from minority populations. As other schools in the district continued to use traditional procedures, a unique opportunity arose to compare characteristics of families of gifted children from targeted and nontargeted schools. Data were collected from families (N = 150) of children placed in first or second grade classes for the gifted during the past two years. Questions were designed to elicit information in categories similar to those used by Terman in 1921-22 and compatible with statistics reported in the U.S. census. Four groups of variables were investigated and comparisons made (a) between the families of gifted children in Targeted and Nontargeted Groups, (b) between Targeted, Nontargeted, and Terman Groups, and (c) between families in Targeted and Nontargeted Groups and families in the community population. Results show the Targeted Group differs significantly from the Nontargeted Group in economic, ethnic/cultural, and educational experience variables. The groups do not differ in family constellation variables. Clear differences exist between the Targeted and Terman Groups in all variables; the Nontargeted and Terman Groups are similar in economic and educational attainment variables. With the exception of higher minority representation in the Targeted Group, that group and the community population are similar. The Nontargeted Group differs from the community population in all economic variables and educational attainment, a result that supports charges of bias in traditional identification procedures. Expanded assessment procedures are recommended for more equitable representation of children from all populations in programs for the gifted.

Gardner (1985) defines intelligence broadly as the ability to solve problems and create products as well as to find or create new problems. He also suggests that every normal individual has the capacity to develop abilities in seven different areas or types of intelligence. Maker (1992, in press) hypothesizes that gifted individuals competently solve problems of all types, that is, problems ranging from well-defined to ill-defined. In this study of spatial intelligence, the theories of both researchers were tested. The primary purpose of the study was to describe behaviors that could be observed, processes subjects reported using, and characteristics of products subjects created as they solved the series of spatial problems. A secondary purpose of the study was to determine if careful observation of processes subjects employed, combined with the subject's report of processes used and an evaluation of products produced could, indeed, paint a clear picture of the subject's spatial abilities. Six research questions guided the study. The three primary areas of investigation were (a) the similarities and/or differences of behaviors observed, processes reported, and characteristics of products across tasks for individual subjects, (b) the similarities and/or differences of behaviors observed, processes reported, and characteristics of products across subjects for each task, and (c) the similarities and/or differences of behaviors observed, processes reported, and characteristics of products to Gardner's description of spatial intelligence. The researcher delineated eight broad categories of observed behaviors, two broad categories of processes reported, and nine characteristics of finished products. She noted both similarities and differences in behaviors, processes, and products across subjects for tasks and across tasks for subjects. Subjects reported that they used processes similar to those described by Gardner (1985); Gardner does not establish behaviors that can be observed as subjects solve spatial problems, nor does he clearly establish characteristics that might be included in products subjects created. Therefore, the behaviors noted and the characteristics of products created by the subjects in this study allowed the researcher to further define spatial intelligence. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Edukologai gabių vaikų ugdymą nagrinėja įvairiais aspektais: identifikavimo, veiklos organizavimo, vertinimo ir įsivertinimo, tačiau stokojama edukologinių įžvalgų apie gabių vaikų ugdymo vadybą bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje. Problema. Kokia yra matematikai gabių vaikų ugdymo vadyba pagrindinėje mokykloje, kokios jos tobulinimo prielaidos? Darbo objektas. Matematikai gabių vaikų ugdymo vadyba pagrindinėje mokykloje. Darbo tikslas. Atskleisti matematikai gabių vaikų ugdymo vadybos pagrindinėje mokykloje ypatumus ir numatyti jos tobulinimo prielaidas. Darbo uždaviniai. Išanalizuoti mokslinę literatūrą apie matematikai gabių vaikų ugdymą, išryškinant vadybines šio proceso dimensijas. Atskleisti matematikai gabių vaikų atpažinimo proceso vadybinius aspektus. Ištirti mokytojų ir mokyklos vadovų požiūrį į matematikai gabių vaikų ugdymo organizavimą pagrindinėje mokykloje. Atskleisti mokyklų vadovų požiūrį į matematikai gabių vaikų ugdymo planavimą pagrindinėje mokykloje. Tyrimo teorinį naujumą sudaro tai, kad pirmą kartą matematikai gabių vaikų ugdymas nagrinėjamas vadybiniu aspektu. Ištirtos matematikai gabių vaikų ugdymo planavimo ir organizavimo prielaidos yra aktualios bendrojo lavinimo mokyklų vadovams ir tyrėjams. Tyrimo praktinį reikšmingumą sudaro tai, kad empiriškai ištirta matematikai gabių vaikų ugdymo vadyba pagrindinėje mokykloje. Tyrimo pagrindu suformuluotos išvados ir rekomendacijos matematikos mokytojams, ugdymo įstaigų vadovams ir švietimo politikams. Tyrimo... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The education of gifted children is being examined from various aspects: identification, organization of practical activities, assessment and self- evaluation. However, there is a lack of educational insight into the management of education of mathematically gifted children at secondary school. The results suggest that the concept of talent is quite complex and there is an obvious lack of precise definition of a talented student. There are quite many theories explaining the concept of talent however all of them emphasize only a key structural element of talent - the intellectual ability. In the modern definitions of gifted and creative students not only a high level of intellectual capacity is mentioned, but also the ability to solve problems, and creativity. The aim. To investigate and disclose the managerial aspects of education of gifted children at secondary school. Objectives: 1. To analyze the scientific literature on mathematically gifted students, highlighting the managerial dimensions of the process. 2. To reveal the managerial aspects of identification of mathematically gifted students. 3. To investigate the teachers’ and school principals’ approach to the organization of education of mathematically gifted students at secondary school. 4. To reveal the attitude of school principals to the planning of education of mathematically gifted students. Methods used: The investigation was carried out using questionnaires, the... [to full text]

When an educational change such as gifted child education is introduced into a school one of the key actors in its implementation on the micro-level is the teacher, whose attitude toward the change may be crucial as he is the ultimate user of that change. However, a teacher's workload is often heavy and this leaves him with little time or inclination to cope with the complexities of implementing a gifted child programme such as learning new skills and knowledge required by the programme. Implementation - the process of putting into practice an educational change or activity new to those expected to change - should occur in a supportive environment, and assistance and training should be provided by change agents both external and internal to the school. These change facilitators though, are often remote from the practical problems and concerns which may be experienced by teachers during the process of implementation. It is also unlikely that they will make the day-to-day interventions which are targeted directly at teachers. Consequently, a teacher who is in close contact with other teachers, who has knowledge and experience of their problems and who can gain easy access to their classrooms appears to be in a viable position to act as a facilitator during implementation. The literature indicates that a teacher regarded as a charismatic, credible leader by his peers may assume the role of teacher representative/facilitator, thereby enhancing the process of implementation. He may emerge as a 'second change facilitator' who complements the facilitative activities of the principal. He can also compensate for what the principal does not do. There is little formal recognition or training for this role - an experienced teacher with the potential for becoming a change facilitator may assume this role. He may then respond to the concerns of his colleagues, function as a representative/role model, consult with teachers and reinforce their implementation efforts, coach and train them, provide opportunities for discussion and problem-solving and provide feedback on a day-to-day basis. Unlike those of other change agents, his interventions may be targeted directly at teachers. The teacher's role as possible change facilitator during the process of implementation may be subject to limitations since it appears from this investigation that the degree to which he can make interventions is influenced by the change facilitative style of the principal. Principals, who emerge as key figures during the process of implementation, have been identified as managers, responders or initiators. The principal's style influences the type of interventions a teacher facilitator may make and the roles he can assume. From this study however it appears that the role of teacher-facilitator is a viable and an important one especially in the phase of teacher use. He is able to maintain close personal contact with his colleagues, he is always available for consul tat ion, he can provide direct, personal aid and he is able to target coaching and training activities directly at teachers. By providing a supportive environment and assistance at the classroom level a teacher can facilitate the implementation of a gifted child programme in a school. / Dissertation (MEd)--UPE, 1989