This qualitative dissertation study examined the ways that nine gifted, bilingual Mexican/Mexican-American students negotiated paradoxes in their academic, linguistic, and cultural identities in a public high school in a large, south central Texas city. One theoretical lens, Critical Race Theory/Latino Critical Race Theory (CRT/LatCrit) was combined with phenomenological research methods to privilege the students' perspectives during the data collection process. An additional theoretical lens, the concept of Figured Worlds, was used to contextualize the setting, Chase High School. Both CRT/LatCrit and Figured Worlds were used to analyze interview, classroom and field observation, participant, school, and district artifacts, federal, state and local data collected over ten months of study. The investigation revealed that the participants braided the domains of community cultural wealth -- aspirational, navigational, linguistic, social, resistance, and familial capital -- into practices that grounded them in their bilingual, bicultural Mexican/Mexican-American identities as successful students. / text

Consent for the research study was obtained from the divisional executive of the financial services division being researched and all ethical factors were clarified. All potential participants were engaged in a divisional communication session where participation was advised to be voluntary and anonymity and confidentiality was assured. The results of the study revealed that there was no statically significant relationship between intention to quit and organisational commitment but a statically significant relationship between organisational commitment and age, tenure, marital status and staff with dependants respectively were revealed. Further to that, a statistically significant relationship between intention to quit and age, tenure, marital status was also revealed. Therefore, based on the understanding gained, and the relationship it had with respect to the biographical factors used in the study, it presents organisations with the insight and opportunity to better retain staff. Clear understandings of the limitations of the findings presented are also discussed and additional recommendations for future research are also provided.

Content analyses of research in the literature of gifted education (Coleman, 2006; Rogers, 1999, 2006) has shown a consistent absence of research investigating methodology for instructing gifted students and for the development of expertise using new technologies. In this study, utilising electronic instructional delivery, an investigation was undertaken of the differential effects and appropriateness of matching the prior knowledge of the learner to the instructional method. Underpinned with a theoretical understanding of gifted education and cognitive load theory, a series of three experiments was designed and implemented to determine whether gifted students learn more effectively under guided discovery design than with example based instruction, while not identified as gifted ability students perform significantly better under direct example based instruction than with guided discovery. Data were collected and analysed in three stages. Experiment 1 was conducted in the novel domain of Boolean switching equations. Experiments 2 and 3 used identical test instruments with novel tasks in the semi-familiar domain of geometry. A total of 155 Years 7, 8 and 9 students at three metropolitan secondary schools participated. The study explored whether the presence of schemas, that facilitated greater problem-solving ability in gifted students, would generate clear evidence of instructional efficiency and preference for either mode of instruction. As students advanced from novice state to expert in particular domains of learning, it was anticipated that gifted students would progress from benefiting from worked example instruction to more efficient learning in guided discovery mode. This hypothesis was rejected as the results from each of the experiments did not confirm the hypothesised outcomes. There was no manifested expertise-reversal effect. The absence of any clear delineation of enhanced learning proficiency mode of instruction for gifted students does, however, contribute to the advancement and understanding of cognitive load theory and the complexity of learning strategies necessary for gifted learners.

Thesis (Ed. S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Educational Psychology, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 41-45).

School inclusion has been a challenge for many teachers who work on regular school classrooms. A number of factors hinder the pedagogical practice of these teachers in their teaching with students who are the target audience of special education. Besides, it is observed that, when dealing with school inclusion of gifted and talented students (G/T), there is resistance from some teachers. This fact lies on the lack of knowledge about the theme of G/T, which may occur due to the wrong conceptions socially widespread, adding to that an incipient initial education in relation to G/T students. Accordingly, it is necessary to create support networks so that school inclusion of G/T students becomes effective. In this sense, the family could be a support network and set up a partnership with the school. Thus, both can articulate and organize a collaborative work on behalf of school inclusion of the G/T child. After reflecting about the situation exposed, this study proposes the following thesis: school inclusion of the G/T child can be effective when family and school act in conjunction in this process, eliminating/diminishing the barriers that hinder this partnership, since the family can influence the school inclusion of the G/T child. This study included 12 families with children identified as G/T more than a year ago, and regularly attended the Giftedness Incentive Program (GIP) during the year of 2014, seven special educators, six teachers from early grades and five counseling teachers that, in the year of 2015, worked with G/T students. Regarding the method, the study case within the qualitative approach was chosen. The instruments of data collection selected were: narrative interview, Questionnaire of Family System Characterization Version – Parents or Guardians (DESSEN, 2011), Checklist of Shared Routine and Engagement between Family-school, Version for Teachers, and Checklist of Shared Routine and Engagement between Family-school, Version for Parents (mother, father, or guardian), both validated by Dessen and Polonia (2011). The interviews were analyzed qualitatively and from the analysis of frequency, through categories already defined by the authors of the instrument. The final considerations point to a relation between family and school that is still incipient, due to the fact that some barriers/constraints were identified, having prevailed an accusative relationship, which may be hindering the construction of a partnership relation. There were specific cases in which there was conjunction between both institutions, and that result in greater influence/participation of the family in the school life of the G/T child. Therefore, the study raises the need to offer continuous education for both the family and the school, aiming at broadening the debate regarding the importance that both have in creating a support network so that, together, they can articulate actions on behalf of school inclusion of the child who is also a G/T student. / A inclusão escolar tem sido um desafio para muitos professores que atuam nas classes regulares de ensino. Diversos fatores dificultam a prática pedagógica desses em sua atuação com os alunos que constituem o público-alvo da educação especial. Além disso, observa-se que, quando se trata da inclusão escolar dos alunos com altas habilidades/superdotação (AH/SD), há resistência por parte de alguns professores. Esse fato reside no desconhecimento da temática das AH/SD, decorrente, possivelmente, das concepções equivocadas difundidas socialmente, somado a uma formação inicial incipiente no que se refere aos alunos com AH/SD. Sendo assim, é necessário formar redes de apoio para que se efetive a inclusão escolar do aluno com AH/SD. Nesse sentido, a família pode ser uma rede de apoio e tornar-se parceira da escola. Assim, ambas podem se articular e organizar um trabalho colaborativo em prol da inclusão escolar do filho/aluno com AH/SD. Após refletir sobre as situações expostas, propõem-se a seguinte tese: a inclusão escolar do filho/aluno com AH/SD será efetivada quando a família e a escola atuarem de forma articulada nesse processo, eliminando as barreiras que dificultam essa parceria, uma vez que a família constitui-se como influente na inclusão escolar do filho com AH/SD. Para verificar a tese, o objetivo geral foi compreender a articulação entre família e escola, verificando as barreiras que dificultam essa parceria, além de visualizar possíveis influências da família no processo de inclusão escolar do filho/aluno com AH/SD. Participaram da pesquisa 12 famílias com filhos identificados com AH/SD há mais de um ano e que foram assíduos durante o ano de 2014 no Programa de Incentivo ao Talento (PIT), sete educadores especiais, seis professores dos anos iniciais e cinco professoras conselheiras que, no ano de 2015, atuaram com os alunos com AH/SD. Em relação ao método, optou-se pela abordagem qualitativa, do tipo estudo de caso. Os instrumentos de coleta de dados selecionados foram: entrevista narrativa, Questionário de Caracterização do Sistema Familiar Versão – Pais ou Responsável (DESSEN, 2011), Checklist da Rotina Compartilhada e Envolvimento entre Família-escola, Versão para Professores e Checklist da Rotina Compartilhada e Envolvimento entre Família-escola Versão Pais (mãe, pai ou responsável), ambos validados por Dessen e Polonia (2011). As entrevistas foram analisadas de forma qualitativa/descritiva articulada com o referencial teórico que subsidiou a tese. Os Checklists foram analisados qualitativamente e a partir da análise de frequência, por meio de categorias já determinadas pelas autoras dos instrumentos. As considerações finais apontam para uma relação entre família e escola ainda incipiente, pois algumas barreiras/entraves foram identificadas, tendo prevalecido uma relação acusativa, o que pode estar dificultando a construção de uma relação de parceria. Foram pontuais os casos em que houve uma articulação entre ambas as instituições e que tenham como resultado maior influência/participação da família na vida escolar do filho com AH/SD. Portanto, sinaliza-se a necessidade de ofertar uma formação continuada tanto para a escola quanto para a família, visando ampliar o debate para a importância de ambas formarem uma rede de apoio para que juntas articulem ações em prol da inclusão escolar do filho que também é aluno com AH/SD.

Magister Commercii - MCom / Consent for the research study was obtained from the divisional executive of the financial services division being researched and all ethical factors were clarified. All potential participants were engaged in a divisional communication session where participation was advised to be voluntary and anonymity and confidentiality was assured. The results of the study revealed that there was no statically significant relationship between intention to quit and organisational commitment but a statically significant relationship between organisational commitment and age, tenure, marital status and staff with dependants respectively were revealed. Further to that, a statistically significant relationship between intention to quit and age, tenure, marital status was also revealed. Therefore, based on the understanding gained, and the relationship it had with respect to the biographical factors used in the study, it presents organisations with the insight and opportunity to better retain staff. Clear understandings of the limitations of the findings presented are also discussed and additional recommendations for future research are also provided. / South Africa

Depuis une dizaine d’années, on assiste à une sensibilisation grandissante à l’égard des caractéristiques et des besoins des élèves doués. Étant donné le faible nombre de recherches empiriques sur le sujet, on en sait actuellement très peu sur le vécu scolaire des jeunes doués québécois et sur ce qu’on peut faire pour les aider à atteindre leur plein potentiel. Cette recherche a pour objectif de mieux comprendre la perception d’adolescents doués québécois quant à leur vécu scolaire, plus particulièrement de (1) décrire le vécu scolaire d’adolescents doués québécois et de (2) mieux comprendre les facteurs qui influencent positivement ou négativement leur vécu scolaire. Cette recherche descriptive interprétative est basée sur des entretiens non directifs effectués auprès de huit adolescents âgés de 12 à 18 ans qui ont préalablement reçu une évaluation de douance et qui ont passé plusieurs années dans le système scolaire québécois. Les résultats indiquent que le vécu scolaire des jeunes doués est constitué de neuf dimensions : (1) la relation avec les enseignants, (2) le rapport aux pairs, (3) les résultats scolaires, (4) les difficultés vécues à l’école, (5) les troubles associés, (6) les mesures d’adaptation et de flexibilité, (7) les habiletés, (8) les programmes particuliers et (9) les déménagements et changements d’école. Les facteurs ayant un impact positif sur le vécu scolaire des participants incluent l’évaluation de douance, les mesures d’adaptation, la médication reliée à un trouble associé, les enseignants, les programmes particuliers et la prise en compte des intérêts de l’élève. À l’inverse, la fermeture à leurs besoins d’apprentissage, le jugement des pairs et des enseignants, l’ennui, la répétition et l’isolement laissent une trace négative sur leur vécu scolaire. Les résultats obtenus dans cette recherche, bien qu’insuffisants pour dresser un portrait complet de la réalité des jeunes doués, offrent néanmoins des éclairages intéressants quant à cette dernière et peuvent contribuer à mieux les accompagner. / Over the last ten years, there has been increased awareness of the characteristics and educational needs of gifted students in Quebec. Because of the lack of empirical studies, very little is known about the perceptions and experience of gifted students regarding their schooling and how to support them to achieve their full potential at school. This research aims to better understand how gifted students view their schooling in Quebec, more specifically to: (1) describe how gifted students experience school, and (2) better understand what positively and negatively impact their experience. This is an interpretive descriptive research based on open-ended interviews with eight teenagers, aged between 12 and 18, who previously tested for giftedness and spent several years in the Quebec education system. Results show that their schooling experience is made up of nine dimensions: (1) relationship with teachers, (2) peer-to-peer relationship, (3) academic results, (4) school problems, (5) associated disorders, (6) flexibility and adaptation measures, (7) personal skills, (8) enriched academic programs, and (9) student mobility. Factors positively impacting gifted students’ views on schooling include giftedness testing, adaptation measures, medication for associated disorders, teachers’ perception and support, enriched academic programs and the level of involvement of students in school. Conversely, factors negatively impacting gifted students’ views on schooling include close-mindedness, negative perception from peers and teachers, boredom, repetition and isolation. Findings from this research are far from enough to gain a broad understanding of gifted students but still offer interesting insights into the reality of Quebec gifted students and on what can be done to support the growth and development of gifted children.

Syftet med studien är att bidra med kunskap om förutsättningar i skolan för elever med särskild begåvning och andraspråk utifrån några lärares uppfattningar och erfarenheter. Fem semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med två lärare i svenska som andraspråk och tre specialpedagoger. Båda grupperna hade lång erfarenhet av andraspråkselever. Studien visade att synsättet att ”smarta” elever klarade sig på egen hand levde kvar i svensk skola. Elever som ansågs att ha hög och särskild begåvning lämnades ofta till självstudier utanför det sociala samspelet i klassrummet. Elever med svenska som andraspråk och speciellt elever utan god skolbakgrund missgynnades i hög grad av det arbetssättet. Andraspråkselever riskerade att bli felbedömda samt under- och överdiagnostiserade på grund av svårigheter med bedömning när elevens svenska hade brister. Studien synliggjorde följande framgångsfaktorer för att öka medvetenheten om andraspråkselever med särskild begåvning: tydligare process för identifiering av begåvning exempelvis med hjälp av kartläggningar i litteracitet och numeracitet; olika typer av bedömning och dynamisk bedömning; samarbete med studiehandledare och modersmålslärare; mer kunskap om särskild begåvning och om andraspråksinlärning; samarbete med och vägledning från elevhälsan; mer flexibilitet inom organisationen samt öppna diskussioner om vad som gynnar den specifika eleven bäst. Utan de åtgärderna riskerade elever med särskild begåvning och andraspråk att förbli ”vår mest dolda behovsgrupp”. / The purpose of the present study was to contribute with knowledge about the school conditions for gifted pupils with Swedish as a second language based on some teachers’ perceptions and experiences. Five semi-structured interviews were conducted with two teachers of Swedish as a second language and three special education teachers. Both groups had long experience of teaching second language pupils. The study showed that the tradition that smart students were supposed to manage on their own still existed in the Swedish school. Pupils, who were considered to have higher intellectual abilities, were often left on their own for self-studies, outside the social interaction in the classroom. Swedish learners, especially those without good school background, were greatly disadvantaged by this working method. Besides, Swedish learners risked being incorrectly assessed as well as misdiagnosed because of the assessment difficulties when their second language was under development. The results showed the following success factors for gifted second language pupils: clearer process for identifying giftedness, for example, using tests in literacy and numeracy; different types of assessment and dynamic assessment; more cooperation with native language; more knowledge about giftedness and about second language acquisition among the school staff; cooperation with and guidance from the student health service; more flexible organisation structure; open discussions about what would benefit the specific student in the best way. Without these measures, gifted students with Swedish as a second language risk remaining “our most hidden pupil category”.

This article describes ‘Kidumatica’ – a highly successful project for the promotion of talented students from underprivileged backgrounds. In its 11 year run, Kidumatica has evolved into a way of life for its many students, allowing them opportunities to realize their potential, enter advanced academic studies, and successfully enter a society rich in knowledge and achievement. Kidumatica is based on academic research in the fields of excellence, cognition and mathematics education, and on the social principle of equal opportunity for all and one’s right to self-realization and aspiration, regardless of ethnic background and socio-economic status. Beyond these social/educational purposes, Kidumatica is also a research model and laboratory for testing new programs and teaching methods for gifted students. The following are the basic premises of the Kidumatica model, its goals and how they are achieved, including the recruitment of club members and the mathematical content.

Syftet med uppsatsen var att bidra med kunskap om särskilt begåvade elevers skolsituation utifrån deras och vårdnadshavarnas upplevelser och erfarenheter av bemötandet under skoltiden. För att uppnå syftet valdes fyra elever som var bedömda som särskilt begåvade samt deras vårdnadshavare. Fokus var att hitta betydelsefulla erfarenheter från tidigare skolgång, från tiden innan eleverna hade bedömts som särskilt begåvade.Empirin speglas delvis utifrån sociokulturella perspektivet, kognitivistiska perspektivet samt relationella perspektivet. I sociokulturella perspektivet är psykologiska processerna resultat av social aktivitet. Kognitivismen har människors intellekt i fokus. Relationella pedagogiken omfattar tre sammanhängande aspekter: relationer som huvudsakliga analysenheter, sociala verkligheten som dynamisk och föränderlig och sociala fenomen som en del av och influerade av sociala sammanhang. Samspelet mellan gruppen och individen är en sammanfattning av dessa teorier. Metoden är kvalitativ, resultatinsamlingsmetoden är halvstrukturerade intervjuer som delvis är inspirerade av fenomenologin. Fenomenologin har ett filosofiskt perspektiv med fokus på undersökningspersonens livsvärld. Som analysmetod har kvalitativ innehållsanalys använts, inspirerad av Graneheim och Lundman (2004).Resultatet presenteras utifrån de fyra dominerande teman som har kunnat urskiljas: Mer av samma sak; Bristande förutsättningar hindrar viljan att utmana; Högstadiet utmanar och stimulerar samt Stödet hemifrån. Alla fyra teman finns beskrivna utifrån elevernas erfarenheter samt utifrån vårdnadshavarnas erfarenheter. En mycket kort sammanfattning av erfarenheterna är att eleverna inte uppmanades att fortsätta vidare med nästa arbetsområde, utan fick invänta klasskompisar. Det fanns dock ett undantag då en av eleverna fick stöttning tidigt under lågstadiet och fick utmaningar. Annan erfarenhet var att lärarna hade en intention att stötta och använde uppkopierat material (stenciler) som oftast var mer av samma sak dvs. fler uppgifter inom ett område. Alla fyra elever i studien kom till sin rätt under högstadiet och alla hade ett gott stöd från sina föräldrar. Stödet hade olika karaktär, ibland stöd för att förstå och komma vidare och ibland för att utmana och underhålla elevernas begåvning. Slutsatsen blir att utbildning och fortbildning av pedagoger behövs för att synliggöra och uppmärksamma särskilt begåvade elever samt sprida kunskaper om de metoder som finns om hur man uppmärksammar dessa elever. Dock är den viktigaste slutsatsen är bygga på ett gott bemötande, en bärande relation och rikta fokus på den relationella pedagogiken. / The purpose of this essay was to contribute with knowledge about gifted students’ situation in school, based on their and their guardians’ experiences in general as well as of their received treatment in school in particular. To achieve said purpose, four students estimated to be especially talented, were chosen together with their guardians. The focus was to find relevant and essential experiences from previous years in school, from the time before the students had been labeled gifted. The empirical material is partially reflected by the socio-cultural perspective, the cognitivist perspective as well as the relational perspective. According to the socio-cultural perspective, the psychological processes are a direct result of social activity. Cognitivism focuses on human intellect. The relational perspective consists of three coherent aspects: relations as main units of analysis, the social reality as dynamic and changing, and social phenomenons as a part of and influenced by different social contexts. The interaction between group and individual is a summary of these three theories. The method is qualitative, and the method of gathering results are semistructured interviews partly inspired by phenomenology. Phenomenology has a philosophical perspective with great focus on the life worlds of the study subjects. As method of analysis qualitative content analysis has been used, inspired by Graneheim and Lundman (2004). The result is presented on the basis of four dominant themes that have been distinguished: ‘More of the same’, ‘Inadequate conditions prevent the will to challenge’, ‘Secondary school challenges and stimulates’ and ‘The support from home’. All four themes are described based on the students’ experiences as well as their guardians’. A very brief summary of these experiences is that the students weren’t encouraged to continue working with the next subject area, but instead had to wait for their classmates to finish their studies. There was though one exception where one of the students received support early on during primary school and received challenges based on her abilities. Another experience was that the teachers had the intention to support and used copied material (such as stencils and handouts) which were often more of the same thing, i.e. additional tasks from the same subject area. All four students found their place during secondary school and received a good amount of support from home. This support varied between the different homes; sometimes directed towards understanding and helping the student to move on, sometimes through challenging and feeding the student’s abilities. The conclusion is that education and further training of pedagogues is needed in order to recognize gifted students and to spread knowledge about the methods available to pay adequate attention to these students. However, the most important conclusion is that building on a positive way of treating students, on a durable relation and to focus on the relational pedagogy should be a great matter of interest.