This study addresses the problem of: Are there identifiable differences between learning styles and personality characteristics of a group of achieving gifted elementary students and those of a group of underachieving gifted elementary students? / From a population of 636 gifted elementary students as identified by Florida State criteria as a mental development of two standard deviations or more above the mean, a group of 97 underachieving gifted elementary students was identified as part of a rural North Florida community's gifted program for grades four to six. The criteria for underachievement were falling eight months below expected attainment on two of the four major sub-categories of the California Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) as prescribed by national norms. Differences among learning style characteristics and personality characteristics were determined by administering two instruments to both sample groups: The Learning Style Inventories of Dr. J. S. Renzulli and Linda Smith, and the Children's Personality Scales of Karyn B. Coisol, Thomas J. Jones, and Stanley R. Cohen. / The scores from these two instruments were analyzed with three two-way analysis of variance according to performance level, sex, grade level and economic levels. The personality inventory showed these significances: personality type T (Thinking) shows significance due to performance level; there were significances due to sex for personality types T (Thinking) and F (Feeling); there were significances due to grade level for personality types E (Extrovert) and I (Introvert); and there were significances due to economic levels and performance levels for personality type S (Sensing) and N (Intuitive). / Significant findings of the Learning Style Inventory were: there were significances due to sex and performance level for learning styles 2 (Simulation), 4 (Peer Teaching), and 7 (Independent Study); there were significances due to grade level for learning style 5 (Discussion). With reference to learning styles, additional findings showed that a definite ranked preference for certain learning styles appeared to exist for both achieving and underachieving gifted students which may be used to improve curriculum planning for gifted elementary students. / No dominant differences were identified which produce a complete profile of an underachieving gifted student. Further research and development of refined instruments may achieve the desired results. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-09, Section: A, page: 3993. / Thesis (Educat.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_74293 |
| Contributors | WASSON, FRANCES REEVES., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 129 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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