A comparison of Dabrowski's overexcitabilities by gender for American and Korean high school gifted students

The differences between US (Ohio) gifted and talented high school students and South Korean gifted and talented high school students on the Overexcitabilities Questionnaire II (OEQ II) were investigated. The OEQ II was administered to 227 Ohio identified gifted and talented high school students (M = 88, F = 139) and to 341 high school students from four specialized high schools (one for science, one for foreign language, and two for the arts) in Seoul, Korea (M = 117; F = 224). Multiple analysis of variance by gender and country revealed that Korean males and females scored higher in psychomotor OE and that US males and females scored higher in imaginational OE. No differences were found in intellectual OE, emotional OE, or sensual OE.     

Factors influencing adaptation from university to employment in Portugal and Brazil

International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance - The career adaptation model helps to explain the process of transitioning from university to employment among college students. This...     

Differentiation of the Curriculum for the Highly Able

It is possible to distinguish between structural and integral forms of curriculum provision for highly able students. Both these forms offer advantages and disadvantages, while there are also particular problems associated with enrichment. Three common forms of differentiation under the integral umbrella are by inputs, by outputs, or by developmental differentiation. Of these, developmental differentiation is the most appropriate. Its theoretical context can be matched to the needs which able students are reported to have. Translated into a practical methodology for use in schools and colleges, six types of cognitive process pedagogies which provide the appropriate curriculum enrichment can be identified: Games and simulation, cognitive study skills, real problem solving and investigative learning, collaborative learning, experiential learning and language experience methods. These facilitate the development of higher order cognitive and metacognitive skills and offer challenge in all content areas.     

Children’s sibling relationships and gendered practices: talk,activity and dealing with change

This article addresses children’s sibling relationships as a site of social learning involving the (re)production of femininity and masculinity, drawing on in‐depth qualitative interviews with children aged 8–12. We begin by noting the lack of focus on gender in the majority of previous work on siblings. After introducing our own study, we look at the ways in which children understood their siblings in relation to themselves, highlighting points of closeness and division, and pointing to class distinctions around individuality and collectivity. We then explore how ‘talk’ and ‘activity’ are key gendered features of children’s relationships with their sisters and brothers, revealing versions of femininity and masculinity, and interplays of power. Finally, we consider how these gendered features of sibling practices have implications for children’s ability to deal with change in relationships with their sisters and brothers, especially living apart from each other, and we return to class as a feature of their understandings.     

美国留学300问（五）

留美一定要考托福吗？ 答：最好能在留美前考完托福，因为这代表你努力提升你的英文能力，这对申请签证有一定的帮助，而且从托福成绩中，也可以知道你英文最需要加强的是哪一部分。即使你的托福成绩没有达到学校的入学标准，也可以先进入学校的ESL课程学习。     

The use of mobile devices as means of data collection in supporting elementary school students’ conceptual understanding about plants

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of mobile learning among young learners. Specifically, we investigated whether the use of mobile devices for data collection during field trips outside the classroom could enhance fourth graders’ learning about the parts of the flower and their functions, flower pollinators and the process of pollination/fertilization, and the interrelationship between animals and plants, more than students’ use of traditional means of data collection. For this purpose, we designed a pre–post experimental design study with two conditions: one in which participants used a mobile device for data collection and another using traditional means (e.g. sketching and note-taking). The sample comprised 48 fourth graders (24 in each condition), who studied the flower, its parts, and their functions. A conceptual test was administered to assess students’ understanding before and after instruction. Moreover, the students’ science notebooks and accompanying artifacts were used as a data source for examining students’ progress during the study's intervention. The conceptual test and notebook data were analyzed statistically, whereas we used open coding for the artifacts. Findings revealed that using mobile devices for data collection enhanced students’ conceptual understanding more than using traditional means of data collection.     

The Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) programme: parental perceptions of its impact in school and at home

The Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) programme is an example of an individualised intervention to support pupils experiencing a range of social and emotional needs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore parents’ constructions of several aspects of the programme: its aims and how these are achieved; its impact on children, within school and home contexts; the function and value of parental contact with ELSAs; and ways in which the programme could be improved. A thematic analysis of the data indicated that a majority of parents perceived the programme to impact positively on social and emotional aspects of development, with skills learned within the ELSA sessions transferring to the home context. Parents also noted several ways in which the programme could be enhanced: improved home–school communication; agreed and measurable targets and outcomes; and plans for children’s next steps. Implications for developments and extensions of the ELSA programme are discussed and the role of educational psychologists within this process is highlighted.     

Conceptions of athletic excellence among children and adolescents

Youth in grades 3, 6, 9, and 12 were interviewed about their beliefs regarding athletic excellence. A set of open-ended questions assessed beliefs about the source of athletic ability and the differences between excellent athletes and others. Respondents also rated excellent athletes on a checklist containing various physical, cognitive, emotional, and interpersonal traits. Younger children were less likely than adolescents to differentiate excellent athletes. All participants, but especially adolescents, attributed greater physical skills to highly competent athletes. All but the third graders thought excellent athletes were different from others in terms of cognitive skills (e.g., attention, concentration), and adolescents believed excellent athletes also differed from others in terms of attitudes (e.g., motivation, determination). Older males were more likely to believe that athletic excellence was due to natural ability, whereas older females were more likely to attribute excellence to early social support and facilitation.