<p>Despite decades of research attention given to academic underachievement, longitudinal and developmental investigation of this phenomenon has been sparse. To address this shortcoming, the current study used a longitudinal, person-centered approach to identify latent subgroups of growth in the joint development of underachievement and four motivational beliefs (self-concept, task importance, psychological cost value, and self-worth) from first through sixth grade. Two types of underachievement latent classes emerged: one characterized by sustained underachievement and the other by growing underachievement (an Achievement class was also consistently found). Sustained, chronic underachievement was not associated with declines in self-concept or task importance, but was related to moderately lower levels of psychological cost value and self-worth, and was also related to lower middle school academic achievement. Growing underachievement was associated with lower and declining self-concept and task importance. Although differential class membership by gifted status was hypothesized, no such effects were found. Gender effects were found for the Task Importance and Self-Worth models in the hypothesized direction, but this effect was not as robust as in prior research. Findings from the current study build on prior research highlighting heterogeneity among underachieving students.</p> / Dissertation

The purpose of this study was to determine differences in patterns and underlying practices between fathers of gifted and fathers of non-gifted children. The study included 10 fathers of gifted (FG) children and 10 fathers of non-gifted (FN) children. The children were preschoolers, ages 5-6 years old. Giftedness of the children was determined by scoring at or above the 97th percentile on the Weschler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised. Fathers in both groups were interviewed by the researcher using a 119 item protocol, which covered 16 categories. Data analysis revealed differences in parenting patterns between FG and FN in all 16 categories which included: 1. FG read more to their children and chose a greater variety of reading material, and read a higher proportion of non-fiction. 2. FG were more actively involved doing activities and interacting with their children such as building with blocks and Legos and making up nonsense songs, stories, and riddles. 3. More non-gifted children than gifted children frequently watched television. The non-gifted child watched 11 solid days of television more than the gifted child in the course of a year. Cartoons and comedy programs were the typical pattern chosen by children in the non-gifted household; whereas educational programs chosen jointly by the parent and child was the typical pattern in the gifted household. 4. Both groups of fathers used different strategies for helping the child develop interpersonal problem solving techniques for academic, behavior, and discipline problems. 5. FG mentioned that children were encouraged to fulfill household responsibilities because it was their duty. None of the FN encouraged their children to accomplish their household duties because it was their duty. 6. FG frequently took their children to arts activities an often provided their children access to art reproductions, record players, tape recorders, and CD players that FN. / Graduation date: 1992

The purpose of this study is to illustrate how teachers, in a private school in Thailand, organize and plan their mathematic teaching, what material they use and how the teachers challenge the students. In the background, we report briefly about Thailand and the school's history. Then a presentation follows of previous research that has been made within our chosen subject. The theories are linked to our research questions, such as mathematic teaching, mathematic material and gifted students, according to Western literature. You can also find a short summary of the curriculum for mathematics, from the government in Thailand. Trough a qualitative method five interviews with mathematic teachers and observations in their classes have been conducted and this result have been analyzed and discussed. Interview and observation guides were used with the purpose to give the respondents room to develop their reasoning with the help of our follow- up questions. Trough our interviews and observations we have come to a result that shows that the teachers organized their teaching according to a Brain based learning pattern and after the governments curriculum. The mathematic material consisted of mathematic books, laminated sticks, bars, number cards and also of computer programs. The mathematic books were not individualized but played a significant part of the teaching. The plastic material was used to concretize the mathematics. The school had the idea that separating the gifted students from the others in the group was positive for their development. The gifted students were challenged by more difficult mathematics meant for older students and had to work at a higher pace than their peers. The results can not be generalized for all schools in Thailand. When the study is relatively small, it only shows how a part of the mathematics teaching is implemented at the school where the study was conducted.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-131). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2008. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 195-208). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR38747

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University, 1930. / Vita. Published also as Teachers college. Columbia university. Contributions to education, no. 437. Bibliography: p. 62-66.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Curriculum and Instruction. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-131). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M. Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes special report study entitled: Behavioral patterns of gifted learners. Includes bibliographical references.

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