The purpose of the study is to study child differentiations in their relation to educational growth; to emphasize a greater need, on the part of today's teachers, for constant study of the atypical child in order to determine his developmental needs; to emphasize the importance and desirability of utilizing the talents of the highly endowed pupil; to consider current educational practices in their relation to the added capabilities of superior children; and to emphasize the importance of developing whatever desirable social qualities the mentally retarded child may possess.

Little research has been conducted on the learning styles of very young children and on the planning of specific instructional strategies to incorporate those styles. This is especially true regarding the learning styles of gifted primary grade students. Incorporating learning style information into the curriculum for the gifted is a means of providing differentiated instruction to identified children. The purpose of this study was to determine whether first grade students identified as gifted display different learning style preferences and modality strengths from nongifted first grade students. Two instruments, the Learning Style Inventory: Primary (LSI:P) and the Swassing-Barbe Hodality Index (SBMI), were administered to two groups of first grade students, gifted and nongifted. The findings of this study indicated that first grade students identified as gifted differed from nongifted students on the following variables: mobility, perception, structure, and short term memory. The groups were similar on the following variables: intake, time, motivation, responsibility and persistence, and modality strength. The study also indicated no relationship between perceptual modality preference and strength for first grade students. / Ed. D.

The lack of academic achievement at the high school level among some gifted students has long been a concern of educators. This research had two purposes: First, to determine if there was a relationship among learning style, academic self-concept and academic achievement with gifted high school students; and second, to understand an individual who was representative of these characteristics identified in part one and determine what life experiences have affected this student’s underachievement. A quasi-experimental design was selected for the quantitative portion of this study to accomplish the first purpose. The design began with the hypothesis that there was a relationship among these variables and employed the use of two self-report instruments, the Learning Style Inventory by Dunn, Dunn, and Price (1989) and the Student Attitude Measure by Wick (1991). Participants for this portion of the study were taken from a population of 93 gifted students at one suburban high school. A parent meeting was held to explain the purpose of the testing; then permission letters were sent to the parents. Seventy-four parents responded, establishing the sample size. The results were compiled using the SYSTAT statistical program. Academic achievement was high for gifted students who showed a preference for studying in a quiet, warm place, were persistent and parent/teacher motivated, and who preferred to learn in several ways but did not prefer to learn through auditory methods or to move around while studying. This finding was the same regardless of the academic self-concept. The selection of the qualitative portion of the study was based on the relationship among learning style, academic self-concept, and low academic achievement. The selected student had a low academic self-concept score, a learning style different from the one stated above, and low academic achievement based on the grades during the year in which the testing took place. This study identified a number of factors which had an impact upon this individual and highlighted the importance of professionals’ awareness of each individual’s unique perceptions and life situations that affect underachievement rather than looking for a panacea. / Ed. D.

Research findings emphasize the need for programs for the gifted reader, particularly the need to determine which methods or programs best benefit the gifted student. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the Junior Great Books (JGB) literature program on reading comprehension achievement of gifted fifth grade students due to the factors of a) discussion/non-discussion and b) levels of students' experience in the JGB program. This study was replicated to determine if similar results in reading comprehension achievement occurred by using different JGB stories. In addition, the study explored methodological issues of cross-level inferences to determine if different results were obtained when applying the General Linear Model to individual-level and aggregate-level data. The research was experimental in design. Seventy-eight fifth grade gifted students were randomly assigned to eight groups in two schools, four treatment groups with discussion and four control groups without discussion. Students in one school had no prior JGB experience; students in the other school had a range of one to three years JGB experience. Two different JGB literature stories, randomly selected, were read by all groups. Reading comprehension was measured, pre and post, by an instrument that emerged from the JGB stories using the cloze procedure. Additional data to measure students' achievement in the form of responses to openended questions about the JGB literature stories were collected. Observations of groups featuring discussions/non-discussions were taped and rated to determine whether appropriate formats were followed by the leaders. Individual-level data and aggregate—level data were analyzed using a two—way ANOVA with nesting using the General Linear Model of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). lt was found, and supported by study replication, that there were no significant differences between those fifth grade gifted students who participated in the JGB s program with discussion and those who did not. Nor were there differences due to level of experience in the JGB program. Similar results were obtained when applying the General Linear Model to individual—level and aggregate-level data. Further investigation of the JGB program and related methods and procedures involved in the study were suggested. / Ph. D.

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.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The VSB/UBC Transition Program is a Ministry of Education Provincial Resource Program for highly academically gifted young adolescents. Unique to British Columbia and Canada since its inception in 1993, the two-year program is currently housed on the UBC campus and affiliated with University Hill Secondary School. Despite an extraordinary range of hurdles - which are fully discussed and analyzed in this study - the eventual establishment of an early entrance to university program is seen as a remarkable accomplishment of educational leadership and organizational learning involving institutional partnerships, flexible governance and a shared commitment to academically gifted young people. The study examined the complexities of implementing a unique educational innovation for academically highly gifted young students in a university setting and in a provincial context which has not traditionally favored support for the highly gifted. The study had two phases. An historical narrative traced the development of this innovation and described how the current program model evolved in response to student needs. Documentary evidence based on original documents and interviews with program developers, implementers, and participants provided a multi-faceted perspective of the program's complex history and highlighted factors contributing to program success for students, as well as problems encountered along the way. Building upon this narrative, the second phase surveyed and then analyzed the views and expectations of students, parents, and staff as well as program planners at different stages of the program. These various perspectives were used to advance an understanding of how and why this unique program developed as it did, and how its participants variously responded to a wide range of expectations and needs to arrive at the current delivery model. The study concludes with a discussion of critical issues and documents the strengths and unmet needs of academically gifted students that have emerged over the course of the program's development. It culminates by providing an understanding of key elements related to program success for gifted youth together with recommendations for future program development and a broader array of programs and services for academically gifted students in secondary schools and post-secondary institutions in BC. The study ends by encouraging more support for educational innovations that respond to the developmentally unique needs of all students, and a commitment to on-going short term as well as longitudinal research on the Transition Program and its graduates.

This thesis responds to the specific educational and social needs of gifted children within the context of online applications. Online enrichment activities and social opportunities are only successful if they are able to attract and sustain attention of the advanced interests of gifted children. The aim of the research is to design an online application that appeals to gifted children and recognises the identified intellectual and social needs within the New Zealand context. This was achieved through research through design by establishing a design strategy that uses the findings of investigations and applies them to a prototype application. Developers of online content for gifted children may benefit from this research. As an initial investigation a survey was conducted about how gifted New Zealand primary school children are using online applications. It was assumed following the literature review that online applications would appeal to gifted children if they teach a new skill, have multiplayer functionality and address higher order thinking skills. Basic design characteristics of the most popular gaming websites amongst gifted children (from the survey) were then used to inform the design strategy and to develop the prototype online application typozilla. Key findings were retrieved through observation of gifted children using typozilla. The majority of children observed were especially enthusiastic seeing other players’ avatars within multiplayer areas and competing against each other. They enjoyed learning a new skill (which was touch-typing) and engaging in creative tasks. In interviews all gifted children confirmed that they perceived the typozilla design as appealing.