Recent doctoral dissertation research on gifted

The objective of this study was to determine whether electrophysiologic techniques can be used to identify central auditory processing difficulties in low‐achieving gifted adolescents. The electrophysiologic measures utilized included the middle latency response and the P300 response. These measures were obtained from four groups: achieving‐gifted, low‐achieving gifted, learning disabled, and non‐gifted non‐disabled. It was found that P300 wave morphology was significantly poorer for the low‐achieving gifted group compared to the achieving gifted and the non‐gifted non‐disabled groups. There was no significant difference between the low‐achieving gifted group and the learning disabled group.     

Recent doctoral dissertation research on teachers for gifted

In the Mind's Eye: Visual Thinkers, Gifted People with Learning Disabilities, Computer Images, and the Ironies of Creativity Thomas G. West Prometheus Books, 1991 700 East Amherst St. Buffalo, NY 14215 359 pages, cloth, $24.95

The Challenge of Art to Psychology Seymour B. Sarason Yale University Press, 1990 New Haven CT and London 92 A Yale Station Cloth, $25.00     

Exceptionality and gifted education: a re-examination of its hard core

The commentaries to our target article Towards a systemic theory of gifted education differed in their assessments of the various arguments we put forward. Of the more than 40 responses to our target article, 27 responses were chosen as being representative of all commentaries. We grouped the responses according to the main points in our target article, including our claims that current approaches to gifted education are ineffective, current models of giftedness are generally flawed, and systemic models of giftedness represent an advancement in the way that giftedness can be understood. Next, we outlined a systems approach to gifted education, based on the actiotope model of giftedness as its theoretical foundation. Finally, we argued that the systemic theory of gifted education represents a paradigm shift in the way we view the development of exceptionality.     

Parent's views on education for the gifted

A survey was sent to parents of children enrolled in two public and three private school programs for the gifted to ascertain their educational philosophical positions and conceptions of giftedness. In general, the results showed that the parents preferred an eclectic, child‐centered instructional approach. Their conception of gifted intelligence was broad and complex, integrating many aspects of creativity, motivation, and mental power (IQ).     

Conceptualizations of Creativity: Comparing Theories and Models of Giftedness

This article reviews seven different theories of giftedness that include creativity as a component, comparing and contrasting how each one conceptualizes creativity as a part of giftedness. The functions of creativity vary across the models, suggesting that while the field of gifted education often cites the importance of creativity, the conceptualizations of creativity differ depending on the particular theory. The various models of giftedness can be interpreted from the context of current creativity research because certain elements of these conceptualizations can be found in social models, the evolving systems approach, and the domain-generality debate. An integrative perspective of creativity research reveals that some models of giftedness are more comprehensive and consistent in terms of the creativity literature.     

Talents and type IIIs: The effects of the talents unlimited model on creative productivity in gifted youngsters

This study examined a set of lessons that integrate the Talents Unlimited Model (TU; C. L. Schlichter, 1986) with the 10 steps of completing a Type III activity (J. S. Renzulli & S. M. Reis, 1985) to determine the effects of these lessons on the quality of students’ creative products and on the number of students who completed their products. Treatment group students showed a statistically significant difference in finishing their independent or small‐group projects, as opposed to students in the control group. In addition, treatment group students’ products were of significantly higher quality as measured by the Student Product Assessment Form (SPAF; S. M. Reis, 1981) than products completed by students in the control group.     

Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on gifted and non-gifted primary school students' well-being and motivation from a self-determination perspective

This study examined the impact of the COVID-19-induced school lockdown on need satisfaction, well-being and motivation in both gifted and non-gifted primary school students in the Netherlands. A total of 312 parents (122 from gifted children) participated. The lockdown had mainly negative effects on students' need satisfaction, well-being and motivation. However, the impact of the lockdown was less negative for gifted students. There was also a levelling effect: Before the lockdown, gifted students had lower need satisfaction, well-being and motivation than their non-gifted peers, but these differences decreased during the lockdown due to (stronger) declines in the non-gifted. Changes in non-gifted students' well-being and motivation, because of the lockdown, were negatively mediated by autonomy and relatedness with classmates. Among the gifted, this was positively mediated by competence. Only before the lockdown, the effects of giftedness on well-being and motivation were mediated by autonomy and relatedness satisfaction.     

美国英才教育研究评析——以美国国家英才研究中心为例

美国国家英才研究中心（NRC）是美国目前最大、最有影响力的英才教育研究机构。本文通过美国国家英才研究中心及其近年最具代表性研究成果的介绍与考察，旨在使读者对美国目前英才教育及研究现状有一个总体的了解，并为我国的教育工作者提供参考与借鉴。     

Teachers’ perspectives on innovations: Implications for educational design

Educational designers often develop a ‘powerful learning environment’ that is subsequently implemented by teachers. Due to a lack of cooperation with teachers they may receive limited feedback on the quality of their design and the way it is implemented. This study focuses on teachers’ perceptions of a Dutch innovative learning environment called the “Second Phase”, as well as their desires and their dis/satisfaction with this environment. The results show that teachers are reserved about student autonomy and productive learning. Perceptions and desires are related to their individual approaches to teaching. The findings provide useful feedback for designers and a starting point to intensify their cooperation with teachers.     

Longitudinal research on beginning teacher development: Complexity as a challenge to concerns-based stage theory

Stage theory represents a concise explanation for change in teacher professional development with gained experience in the classroom. This study examines the self-task-impact   stage chronology proposed by concerns-based theory within the framework of longitudinal research on beginning teaching. The study investigated developmental change in a panel (N=79$N=79$) of beginning teachers across two years utilizing the Teacher Concerns Checklist, a concerns inventory, at six application points. Analysis of variance with Scheffé post hoc tests was utilized to rank categories of concerns and to test whether teacher and school contextual variables would affect these rankings. The results confirm findings of similar longitudinal studies, indicating teachers’ concerns for impact consistently rank highest across time. Additionally, the ranking of concerns categories was not affected by the contextual variables. Two aspects of impact, one academic in orientation and the second consisting of personal and individual concerns for students, emerged as distinct dimensions across time. The author proposes a reconsideration of concerns-based theory for its limited ability to comprehensively explain the complex nature of teacher development. Rather than chronological, concerns are recurring and indicate the need to scaffold linkages between student learning, learning theory, and instructional practices early in teaching careers in lieu of singularly focused managerial aspects of teaching.