This qualitative study was designed to explore the experiences and perceptions of a group of mothers whose elementary school-aged children met the criteria for intellectual giftedness in an Ontario school board. Guided by Beach and Mitchell’s image theory and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, the study sought to identify (a) the meanings mothers ascribed to the concept of giftedness, (b) their experiences of the assessment, identification and placement process, and (c) the factors deemed important to educational decision making. A postpositivist orientation and rigorous qualitative research methods were employed. Data were collected in two phases: an internet-based survey comprised of demographic items and open ended questions, followed by in-depth interviews with five purposefully selected participants. Resultant data from 45 surveys and 15 interviews were coded and organized according to the survey questions and central elements of the theoretical framework. Eight research findings revealed that the experience of mothering gifted children was complex, challenging, emotional, and at times, isolating. Many mothers struggled with the concept of giftedness and how it pertained to their children. As mothers navigated the assessment, identification and placement process, the lack of accessible, timely, and consistent information from the school board posed a considerable barrier, prompting many to reach out to other parents of gifted children for information and support. Factors deemed important to decision making about educational placement included maternal perceptions related to the various options, child specific and practical considerations, and the attainability of specialized gifted programming. Educational decision making was identified as the most difficult aspect of the maternal experience. Given that the study participants were unusually well educated and well resourced, the findings were particularly revealing. The study findings add to a small but growing body of research that furthers our understanding of image theory in real life decision making. In addition, the findings give voice to the experience of mothering children identified as gifted, thus making a valuable and original contribution to the literature.

Studien syftar till att undersöka hur särbegåvade elever i matematik upplever sig inkluderade i matematikundervisningen. Inkludering har i studien betraktats ur tre aspekter, rumslig, social och didaktisk. Undersökningen har genomförts genom att sex lärare har intervjuats och därefter tretton av deras elever. Det är elever som lärarna uppfattat som särbegåvade i matematik. Lärarna har motiverat sina urval av elever med hjälp av egna kriterier, som till stor del kan kännas igen i Krutetskiis förmågor, med vilka han beskriver de särbegåvade eleverna. Eleverna upplever att de är rumsligt och socialt inkluderade i den matematikundervisning som de varit del av under sin tid i grundskolan. Däremot finns det indikationer på att flera elever inte alltid känt sig inkluderade didaktiskt, de upplever inte att de fått arbeta med uppgifter som är avpassade för dem. / The study aims to investigate to what extent gifted students in mathematics feel included in mathematics education. Inclusion has in the study been considered in three dimensions: spatial, social and didactical. The survey was conducted by interviewing six teachers and thirteen of their students. These students are by their teachers perceived as gifted in maths. The teachers have explained their choice of students using their own criteria, which are largely recognizable in Krutetskiis abilities with which he describes the gifted students. The students feel they are spatially and socially included in the teaching of mathematics they have been part of during their time in elementary and low secondary school. However, there are indications that many students have not always felt included didactically, and they do not feel that they have been able to work with tasks appropriate for them.

This qualitative study was designed to explore the experiences and perceptions of a group of mothers whose elementary school-aged children met the criteria for intellectual giftedness in an Ontario school board. Guided by Beach and Mitchell’s image theory and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, the study sought to identify (a) the meanings mothers ascribed to the concept of giftedness, (b) their experiences of the assessment, identification and placement process, and (c) the factors deemed important to educational decision making. A postpositivist orientation and rigorous qualitative research methods were employed. Data were collected in two phases: an internet-based survey comprised of demographic items and open ended questions, followed by in-depth interviews with five purposefully selected participants. Resultant data from 45 surveys and 15 interviews were coded and organized according to the survey questions and central elements of the theoretical framework. Eight research findings revealed that the experience of mothering gifted children was complex, challenging, emotional, and at times, isolating. Many mothers struggled with the concept of giftedness and how it pertained to their children. As mothers navigated the assessment, identification and placement process, the lack of accessible, timely, and consistent information from the school board posed a considerable barrier, prompting many to reach out to other parents of gifted children for information and support. Factors deemed important to decision making about educational placement included maternal perceptions related to the various options, child specific and practical considerations, and the attainability of specialized gifted programming. Educational decision making was identified as the most difficult aspect of the maternal experience. Given that the study participants were unusually well educated and well resourced, the findings were particularly revealing. The study findings add to a small but growing body of research that furthers our understanding of image theory in real life decision making. In addition, the findings give voice to the experience of mothering children identified as gifted, thus making a valuable and original contribution to the literature.

Läromedlet spelar en stor roll i matematikundervisningen i den svenska skolan. På grund av att de har en sådan betydande roll för elevernas möjlighet att träna och befästa deras matematiska kunskaper och förmågor finns det höga krav på att läromedlet ska kunna tillgodose alla elevers behov i klassrummet. Trots detta finns det inte längre någon statlig läromedelsgranskning, något som innebär att det jobbet är upp till lärarna istället. Enligt skollagen ska undervisningen i skolan bidra till kunskapsutveckling för samtliga elever, oavsett tidigare kunskapsnivå. För matematiken innebär det att de uppgifter och problem som eleverna jobbar med måste kunna tillgodose behoven hos elever med svårigheter så väl som med begåvning. Denna studie har undersökt i vilken utsträckning fyra läromedel i matematik för gymnasieskolan kan ge stöd åt matematiskt begåvade elever. Resultatet av studien visar att läromedlen täcker något eller några av de kriterier som forskning visat ger stöd åt matematiskt begåvade elever. På samma gång är det viktigt att understryka att resultatet av studien endast visar potentialen läromedlen har, det är fortfarande upp till lärare att ta tillvara på det material som finns dem tillhanda och använda det på ett sådant sätt att det bidrar till begåvade elevers kunskapsutveckling. / The coursebook plays a key role in the mathematics education in the Swedish school. Because it has such an important role in the students’ abilities to practice and fortify their mathematical knowledge and abilities, there are high standards to be met for the coursebook to accommodate all of the students’ needs in the classroom. Despite this, there is no national review of coursebooks, which means that it is up to the teachers themselves to review them. According to the law, the education in schools should contribute to knowledge development to all students, regardless of their prior level of knowledge. For the subject mathematics, this means that the exercises and tasks being worked on by the students need to meet the needs of students with difficulties as well as giftedness. This study has examined to what extent four coursebooks in mathematics at the upper secondary level can support the knowledge development of gifted students. The results of the study show that the coursebooks meet one or some of the criteria research has shown supports mathematically gifted students. At the same time it is important to stress that the results of this study only show the potential that the coursebooks have, it is still up to the teacher to use the materials available to them and use them in such a way that they can contribute to the gifted students’ knowledge development.

This qualitative study was designed to explore the experiences and perceptions of a group of mothers whose elementary school-aged children met the criteria for intellectual giftedness in an Ontario school board. Guided by Beach and Mitchell’s image theory and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, the study sought to identify (a) the meanings mothers ascribed to the concept of giftedness, (b) their experiences of the assessment, identification and placement process, and (c) the factors deemed important to educational decision making. A postpositivist orientation and rigorous qualitative research methods were employed. Data were collected in two phases: an internet-based survey comprised of demographic items and open ended questions, followed by in-depth interviews with five purposefully selected participants. Resultant data from 45 surveys and 15 interviews were coded and organized according to the survey questions and central elements of the theoretical framework. Eight research findings revealed that the experience of mothering gifted children was complex, challenging, emotional, and at times, isolating. Many mothers struggled with the concept of giftedness and how it pertained to their children. As mothers navigated the assessment, identification and placement process, the lack of accessible, timely, and consistent information from the school board posed a considerable barrier, prompting many to reach out to other parents of gifted children for information and support. Factors deemed important to decision making about educational placement included maternal perceptions related to the various options, child specific and practical considerations, and the attainability of specialized gifted programming. Educational decision making was identified as the most difficult aspect of the maternal experience. Given that the study participants were unusually well educated and well resourced, the findings were particularly revealing. The study findings add to a small but growing body of research that furthers our understanding of image theory in real life decision making. In addition, the findings give voice to the experience of mothering children identified as gifted, thus making a valuable and original contribution to the literature.

Detta examensarbete är en explorativ fallstudie som utgår från intervjuer med fyra naturvetenskapligt högpresterande gymnasieelever. Eleverna uppvisar ”särskild begåvning” enligt en definition av Bruhner (2018b). Syftet med arbetet är att ge förslag på hur framtida forskning om särskilt begåvade elever kan tänkas fortlöpa, för att fördjupa kunskapen kring hur särskilt begåvade elever samspelar med andra elever, i klassrumssammanhang där stora skillnader i motivation och prestation föreligger. Uppsatsen begränsar sig till att undersöka matematisk-logisk intelligens. Intervjuerna tar upp vad eleverna själva tycker är ”bra” undervisning i naturvetenskapliga ämnen genom att lyssna till berättelser då de tyckt att skolan har undervisat dem väl, men undersöker även vissa karaktärsdrag hos eleverna som är av betydelse för inom vilka områden framtida forskning, om hur särskilt begåvade elever bäst bör undervisas, hade kunnat tänkas fokuseras. / This thesis is an explorative case-study that emanates from interviews with four Swedish secondary education students, highly proficient in the natural sciences. The students are ”gifted” according to a definition from Bruhner (2018b). The aim of the study is to give suggestions on how future research in the field of such gifted students could proceed, in order to deepen our knowledge of how such gifted students interact in classroom situations where there are big differences in motivation and performance. The study is limited to investigate mathematical-logicical intelligence. The interviews are centered around what the students themselves think is ”good” education, by listening to the students’ testimonies of in which situations they believe that the educational system has been capable of educating them, but it also explores certain traits found in these students, that are important to take into account, in order to establish in which areas future research on teaching gifted students best can be focused.

Denna studie är en läromedelsanalys med inriktning för elever med fallenhet för matematik. Studien syftar till att undersöka hur väl läromedel i matematik utmanar elever med fallenhet inom ämnet problemlösning. Syftet var även att bidra till mer kunskap rörande undervisning för elever med fallenhet.    Läromedelsanalyserna gjordes utifrån Chamberlins modell och i analysen har stor vikt lagts på att undersöka vilken utsträckning som problemlösningsuppgifter återfinns i läromedlen samt inom vilka nivåer inom Chamberlins modell som finns representerade i elevböckerna. I resultatet framgår det att elevböckerna behöver stöd av lärarhandledningen för att ge elever med fallenhet maximala möjligheter till utveckling. Resultatet har sedan analyserats utifrån Sheffields teori om elever med fallenhet. I analysen konstateras lärarhandledningarnas betydelse för elevbokens helhet. I diskussionen av läromedlen har brister och möjligheter till kompletterande undervisning framkommit och diskussioner rörande hur väl läromedlen utmanar elever med fallenhet framkommer.

The aim of this qualitative study is to investigate how upper secondary school teachers in Sweden identify and, if they do, support gifted students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from seven upper secondary school English teachers in Sweden. The results show that the teachers are able to identify gifted students after they perform certain tests or tasks. All teachers state that it is important to give gifted students the necessary help and attention they need. The methods that were used to support the gifted students were to have flexible assignments that could be adjusted to the individuals’ needs or to provide the gifted students with extra assignments. The teachers state that they find it difficult to meet the needs of the gifted students due to lack of time and because the needs of struggling students are prioritized by the system. In conclusion, the teachers agree that education should be adjusted to all of the students’ different needs, including the ones of the gifted students. It has been reported by the participating teachers that they try to achieve this, yet they are concerned with the availability of their resources and time.

No description available.

Syftet med den här studien är att fördjupa kunskapen om särskilt begåvade elevers behov avanpassningar, och att, genom att läsa tidigare forskning, hitta metoder och strategier för attanpassa undervisningen för särskilt begåvade elever i högstadiet, genom användning avexempelvis differentiering, berikning och/eller acceleration, främst i ämnet moderna språk.Resultatet av mina sökningar visar att det finns många beprövade sätt att differentieraundervisning på som gynnar särskilt begåvade elevers inlärningssätt, bland annat genomindividuella instruktioner, nivågrupperingar av olika slag samt anpassad- och/ellerkomprimerad/utökad läroplan. Ett annat sätt att differentiera undervisningen på är genomberikning och fördjupning i form av mer avancerat material, möjlighet att välja mellanenklare och mer komplext material, högre nivå av frågeställningar, möjligheter tillanvändning av kritiskt och/eller kreativt tänkande och så kallat högre ordningens tänkande.Ytterligare sätt är multidiciplinära arbetsuppgifter och möjlighet att skriva och läsa på en meravancerad nivå. Acceleration kan användas dels genom att elever får accelerera inom ett ellerflera ämnen, eller genom att elever får möjlighet att flytta upp en eller flera årskurser och påså sätt gå igenom grundskolan i en snabbare takt. Metoden som har använts i denna studie ären systematisk litteraturstudie, som innefattar att systematiskt söka, granska ochsammanställa litteratur inom ett valt ämne eller problemområde.