Thesis (Ph. D.)--York University, 1999. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-155). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ43437.

Thesis supervisor: Sam V. Cochran, III. Thesis supervisor: Megan Foley Nicpon. Includes bibliographic references (p. 98-103).

Thesis (M.A.)--West Virginia University, 2003. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 106 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 65-76).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 220-233). Print copy also available.

Not available / text

published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Master / Master of Education

The defensibility of special classes and programs for gifted students is an issue with academic, social, and political ramifications. Critical components of programs for the gifted include the curriculum and service delivery model. This author examined the effect of two teaching/learning models, the Parnes Creative Problem Solving model and the Hilda Taba Teaching Strategies on the higher cognitive processes of gifted students in grades 5 through 8. Three service delivery models were included. The design of the study was the 3 x 3 x 2 analysis of variance with repeated measures on the last factor. The between subjects factors were experimental condition--Parnes, Taba, and Control--and service delivery model--Daily, One Day per Week, and Self-Contained. The within factor was the time of testing, the pre and posttest scores. Fourteen classes of gifted students in grades 5 through 8 were included: a total of 213 students took both the pretest and the posttest. The analysis of variance with repeated measures revealed two significant between subjects effects: interaction of treatment with service delivery model (p < .0001) and treatment effect (p < .02). The analysis of variance within factors indicated no significant effects (p < .05) except difference between the pretest and the posttest scores. Since the period of time between the pre and posttest was about seven months, this growth is expected and is not informative. Post hoc tests, using the Scheffe formula, showed significant (p < .10) differences in favor of both the Parnes and the Taba Daily groups when compared to the Control group, and a significant (p < .10) difference favoring the Taba Self-Contained when compared to the Taba One Day per Week group. The supporting data gathered indicated that three teachers did not implement their teaching/learning model effectively and two additional teachers used the model infrequently. The posttest cell means appear to be related not only to correct model implementation, but to frequency as well. Those cells with the highest frequencies of correct model use had the highest posttest mean scores. Therefore, it was concluded that process models offer a powerful method of teaching the higher cognitive processes to gifted students, but that such models must be used correctly and frequently.

Views of giftedness have evolved from unilateral notions to multilateral conceptions. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological validity of the three-mathematical minds model (M3) developed by the author. The M3 is based on multilateral conceptions of giftedness to identify mathematically gifted students. Teachings of Poincare and Polya about mathematical ability as well as the theory of successful intelligence proposed by Sternberg (1997) provided the initial framework in the development of the M3. A secondary purpose was to examine the psychological validity of the three-level cognitive complexity model (C3) developed by the author. The C3 is based on studies about expertise to differentiate among gifted, above-average and average-below-average students at three levels.The author developed a test of mathematical ability based on the M3 and C3 with the collaboration of mathematicians. The test was administered to 291 middle school students from four different schools. The reliability analysis indicated that the M3 had a .72 coefficient as a consistency of scores. Exploratory factor analysis yielded three separate components explaining 55% of the total variance. The convergent validity analysis showed that the M3 had medium to high-medium correlations with teachers' ratings of students' mathematical ability (r = .45) and students' ratings of their own ability (r = .36) and their liking of mathematics (r = .35). Item-subtest-total score correlations ranged from low to high. Some M3 items were found to be homogenous measuring only one aspect of mathematical ability, such as creative mathematical ability, whereas some items were found to be good measures of more than one facet of mathematical ability.The C3 accounted for 41% of variance in item difficulty (R square = .408, p < .001). Item difficulty ranged from .02 to .93 with a mean of .29. The analysis of the discrimination power of the three levels of the C3 revealed that level-two and level-three problems differentiated significantly among three ability levels, but level-one problems did not differentiate between gifted and above average students. The findings provide partial evidence for the psychological validity of both the M3 and C3 for the identification of mathematically gifted students.

<p> Who are talented and gifted (TAG) students and how do we meet their unique needs in the elementary school setting? The body of literature clearly articulates the unique intellectual, social and emotional needs and characteristics of TAG students. Additionally, the literature supports the implementation of differentiated teaching strategies and affective curriculum to help meet these unique needs. This descriptive phenomenological study allowed gifted children, in fifth grade from a Pacific Northwest suburban elementary school, to share their lived experiences through reflective narratives and art. The data collected generated a central theme of Friends and general themes of Awareness, Feelings, Learning, and TAG Programming. Experiences that included friends were, by far, the most commonly shared; however, the participants also shared stories of wanting to be challenged and how they appreciated teachers who were more creative in curriculum delivery. Delisle (2012), Jessiman (2001) and Bergmark (2008) assert that in order to make progress in school reform and/or improvement we need to listen to our consumers and by consumers they are referring to our students. This study captures the gifted child's experience in elementary school and allows their voice to be heard.</p>

<p> Gifted programs in the United States under-represent African American (Black) children (Phi Delta Kappan, 1992). In 1993, African-American students were under-represented by 50% in gifted education, and 60% in 1998 (Grantham &amp; Ford, 2003). Further, some speculate that gifted education programs are the most segregated educational programs in the nation (Ford, 1995). This proves especially true for Black gifted girl in urban educational arenas, where gifted Black girls are rarely recognized. The purpose of this research was to examine the circumstances surrounding how urban black girls&mdash;identified as showing academic promise&mdash;come either to be overlooked as qualified for gifted education or seem not to take up a sense of themselves as gifted, that is they see themselves as not fitting among those who are in gifted education. Three scholarly arenas frame this study: Feminist thought and theory, with an emphasis on Black feminist thought, notions of "giftedness" and gifted education, and policies and processes for identification of gifted Black girls. Eight gifted Black girls were individually interviewed twice, three teachers were individually interviewed, and three parents were interviewed in a focus group session. Four interview guides were constructed to focus on students' perspectives of GS1 (pseudonym) and gifted education, parent strategies, and teachers' roles in the identification of these gifted Black girls. Qualitative analysis strategies (Spradley1980) were utilized for data analysis. The curriculum of the gifted programming at GS1 (pseudonym) ultimately contributed greatly not only to how girls saw themselves as gifted, but also how they understood stereotypes about young Black women. The feminist curriculum and the "feminist lens" provided in the gifted programming at GS1 provided outlets for girls' voices. Teachers interviewed not only understood the gifted Black girls' culture, but also strengthened their relationships with the girls and with their parents by presenting and enforcing clear expectations for the gifted programming. Parents interviewed not only understood their gifted daughters' uniqueness, but also the importance of their independence and security as young Black women.</p>