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The impact of grouping gifted primary school students on self concept, motivation and achievement

The purpose of this research was to determine the interrelationship of self-concept, motivation and achievement in gifted and talented primary school children in a variety of groupings. An initial study of two groups was used. The experimental group consisted of 24 gifted and talented students in a homogenous class of gifted and talented students in a primary school in Metropolitan area of Sydney. The group consisted of 13 boys and 11 girls aged between 9-12 years. The comparison group was matched for age, gender and IQ and attended mixed ability classes in four local primary schools. Each group completed a Self Description Questionnaire at the start of the school year and six months later. The SDQ was administered 12 months later to both groups. The academic self-concept of the experimental group was diminished after six months and remained diminished for the 12 month follow-up study. There was no difference in non-academic self-concept between the experimental and comparison groups. Study 2 was a qualitative study of each parent’s response to their child’s experience in the gifted and talented class by asking them for their perception of the special class placement on their child using an open ended structured interview. Study 3 analysed data from a wider group of gifted and talented students in a Metropolitan area of Sydney, on an academic self-concept and motivation, reading and mathematics achievement. From this analysis the interrelationship of motivation, academic self-concept and achievement was observed and conclusions drawn for best practice for gifted and talented students. Academic achievement was enhanced by selective class placement. All motivational goal orientations and academic self-concept were diminished for both the experimental and control groups / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/182070
Date January 2004
CreatorsChessor, Danuta, University of Western Sydney, College of Arts, Education and Social Sciences, School of Education
Source SetsAustraliasian Digital Theses Program
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
SourceTHESIS_CAESS_EDU_Chessor_D.xml

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