This is a brief research paper (10-12 references) that allows the student to begin to research a topic of interest. The paper will consist of three main parts: 1) Introduction (overview of the topic; 2) literature review; 3) description of how the student would proceed to conduct a study on this topic.
Part 1 should be complete enough that the reader gets a clear sense of the topic and the research question being asked or hypothesis being tested. Part 2, although a literature review that is brief, should show the representation of literature available to support the study. Part 3 will vary depending on the research, but there should be a clear sense of what methods might be used to systematically explore the question and why. There should also be some discussion of possible results. Please consult the evaluation rubric attached.
1. ABSTRACT: Online learning programs have the potential to provide gifted students expanded access to advanced courses, but little research has been conducted on how well or in what ways the online environment is a good match for gifted students. The study presented here is an in-depth qualitative and quantitative investigation of the perceptions and experiences of academically talented students and their teachers about courses offered through an online program designed specifically for gifted students. Participants in this study included 28 instructors currently teaching at least one online course and 65 students in grades 3-12 currently enrolled in at least one online course offered by a supplemental school offering both online and face-to-face programming for gifted students. According to the gifted students and teachers interviewed and surveyed in this study, the online format is conducive to a more individualized and differentiated learning experience than is often possible in a regular classroom. Students are able to work at a pace consistent with their rate of learning, have more time to reflect, to feel more in control of the learning process, and to engage in more self-directed and independent learning. These benefits and others indicate the online programming can be an effective means of meeting the needs of many gifted students.] http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie46bZMr6i3T7Gk63nn5Kx94um%2bUa2otEewpq9Jnqu4SK%2bwsUuexss%2b8ujfhvHX4Yzn5eyB4rO1Ta6vr0m3qrA%2b6tfsf7vb7D7i2Lt5t96kjN%2fdu1nMnN%2bGu6uzSbOos0u1nOSH8OPfjLvc84Tq6uOQ8gAA&hid=115
2. ABSTRACT:
Enrichment programs can provide various social and academic benefits for high-potential learners. However, students from low-income families receive fewer opportunities for academic enrichment than students from higher income backgrounds. This qualitative study examined the experiences and perceptions of high-potential students from low-income families who received financial support in order to attend an out-of-school enrichment program. Interviews and observations revealed four major benefits: positive experiences; new, above-grade-level concepts; interactive learning; and social support. In addition, descriptive results from student evaluations comparing students from low-income families to the rest of the participants indicated that both groups had similar perceptions of their classroom activities, concepts, and teachers. Findings suggested when they are provided with opportunities to participate in classes that interest them, high-potential students from low-income families can successfully perform in an out-of-school enrichment program and experience the same social and academic benefits as other gifted students. [ http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=5&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=55152535
3. ABSTRACT:
Despite the national, state, and local emphasis on academic progress and standards, the curricular needs of the 3 million highly talented and gifted youth in the U.S. generally have not been embraced as a priority. In many high schools, academically precocious students are expected to progress on their own. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Carl Perkins Act require schools to educate students with mild disabilities in general education classrooms to the greatest extent possible; this legislation has provided federal funding for services to these students. On the "other side of the coin," educational services for gifted and talented students do not yet have similar mandates or funding as those for individuals with disabilities. Educational services for gifted and talented students in the U.S. vary dramatically from state to state, ranging from none to special self-contained classes. In this article, the authors discuss the characteristics of gifted and talented students, present two models for addressing their needs, and suggest a variety of strategies for adapting instruction for gifted students in business classes. http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=5&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=eric&AN=EJ886644
4. ABSTRACT:
Part of a special issue on education for the gifted and talented. The writer describes flow theory, a theory devised by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi that provides a framework for understanding authentic engagement. The theory posits that the quality of experience of the individual learner should be a critical criterion by which to judge the efficacy of educational challenge. Moreover, the theory stresses that individuals' most powerful experiences of engagement are those that are shared, in that they attract people to activities that match their capabilities and interests and to other learners who share their interests and commitments. High schools that want to incorporate the flow theory must recognize the differences and the commonalities among students and must create an environment in which students are not afraid to excel and distinguish themselves. http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=5&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=qeh&AN=BEDI98003049
5. ABSTRACT:
The new Learner-centred Differentiation Model proposes that in order to differentiate learning experiences, the learning outcomes need to be differentiated first. Differentiated learner outcomes are the most essential part of learning experiences. They delineate student expectations. They guide the assessment process by indicating what learning is used and to what level of attainment students should aspire. Differentiated learner outcomes also guide the selection of key materials and strategies for use in classroom with gifted learners. The new paradigm illustrates how during planning stages, core and extended outcomes, core and complex content, basic and higher order processes and a variety of products need to be identified and developed in order to provide differentiated learning experiences. The new framework demonstrates creative use of cognitive technologies to enhance creative and critical thinking skills. The Learner-centred Differentiation Model allows flexibility to use an informed combination of frameworks rather than working from just one model. Using the new framework, the learner-centred units of work (both primary and secondary) encompass differentiated approaches to why students learn (outcomes), what students learn (content), how students learn (instructional and management strategies), how students demonstrate what they have learnt (evidence of learning) and where gifted students learn (learning environment). http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=6&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=edsihs&AN=985225022615818
6. ABSTRACT:
The purpose of this study was to learn about gifted adults' experiences in advanced classes and attitudes about advanced classes or gifted programs for their children. Participants were 88 adults (33 men and 55 women) who have been participating in a longitudinal study of academically talented individuals since their high-school graduation in 1988. Participants responded to open-ended questions via mailed surveys. Eighty-five percent of participants described their academic experiences in advanced classes as positive, whereas slightly fewer participants (59%) described their interpersonal experiences in advanced classes as positive. Seventy-five percent of participants with children described signs of giftedness in their children, and 88% of participants indicated that they would support advanced placement for their children if it were recommended by the school. Implications of the findings were discussed and directions for future research were provided http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=6&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=f5h&AN=49142591
7. ABSTRACT:
Curriculum and instruction for gifted learners should be a response to their learning capacities. Because gifted learners vary considerably as a population, there is no single formula or template for curriculum and instruction that will serve all of them well. In general, however, good curriculum and instruction for gifted learners begins with good curriculum and instruction--that is, curriculum and instruction that is meaning-making, rich, and high level. From that starting point, appropriate modifications for highly able learners typically involve adapting pacing, determining an appropriate degree of challenge, and providing supported opportunities to develop interests. Effective curriculum and instruction for gifted learners will respond to their individual readiness levels, interests, and modes of learning. http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=6&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=16805895
8. ABSTRACT:
The topic of underachievement and how to reverse it has received a great deal of attention in the gifted education literature. The present study sought to add to the knowledge base on this issue by investigating the occurrence of underachievement behaviors and their predictors in a population of highly gifted students attending a summer educational program based on the talent search model. A group of 440 students in Grades 8-10 were given the School Attitude Assessment Survey-Revised at the beginning of the program. Attitudes toward and grades obtained in students' regular schools had little to no predictive value on students' academic and behavioral performance during the summer program. Results support qualitative findings in the literature, suggesting that educational interventions can be extremely effective in reversing the expression of underachieving behaviors. http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=7&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=24638119
This is a brief research paper (10-12 references) that allows the student to begin to research a topic of interest. The paper will consist of three main parts: 1) Introduction (overview of the topic; 2) literature review; 3) description of how the student would proceed to conduct a study on this topic.
Part 1 should be complete enough that the reader gets a clear sense of the topic and the research question being asked or hypothesis being tested. Part 2, although a literature review that is brief, should show the representation of literature available to support the study. Part 3 will vary depending on the research, but there should be a clear sense of what methods might be used to systematically explore the question and why. There should also be some discussion of possible results. Please consult the evaluation rubric attached.
1. ABSTRACT: Online learning programs have the potential to provide gifted students expanded access to advanced courses, but little research has been conducted on how well or in what ways the online environment is a good match for gifted students. The study presented here is an in-depth qualitative and quantitative investigation of the perceptions and experiences of academically talented students and their teachers about courses offered through an online program designed specifically for gifted students. Participants in this study included 28 instructors currently teaching at least one online course and 65 students in grades 3-12 currently enrolled in at least one online course offered by a supplemental school offering both online and face-to-face programming for gifted students. According to the gifted students and teachers interviewed and surveyed in this study, the online format is conducive to a more individualized and differentiated learning experience than is often possible in a regular classroom. Students are able to work at a pace consistent with their rate of learning, have more time to reflect, to feel more in control of the learning process, and to engage in more self-directed and independent learning. These benefits and others indicate the online programming can be an effective means of meeting the needs of many gifted students.]
http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie46bZMr6i3T7Gk63nn5Kx94um%2bUa2otEewpq9Jnqu4SK%2bwsUuexss%2b8ujfhvHX4Yzn5eyB4rO1Ta6vr0m3qrA%2b6tfsf7vb7D7i2Lt5t96kjN%2fdu1nMnN%2bGu6uzSbOos0u1nOSH8OPfjLvc84Tq6uOQ8gAA&hid=115
2. ABSTRACT:
Enrichment programs can provide various social and academic benefits for high-potential learners. However, students from low-income families receive fewer opportunities for academic enrichment than students from higher income backgrounds. This qualitative study examined the experiences and perceptions of high-potential students from low-income families who received financial support in order to attend an out-of-school enrichment program. Interviews and observations revealed four major benefits: positive experiences; new, above-grade-level concepts; interactive learning; and social support. In addition, descriptive results from student evaluations comparing students from low-income families to the rest of the participants indicated that both groups had similar perceptions of their classroom activities, concepts, and teachers. Findings suggested when they are provided with opportunities to participate in classes that interest them, high-potential students from low-income families can successfully perform in an out-of-school enrichment program and experience the same social and academic benefits as other gifted students. [
http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=5&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=55152535
3. ABSTRACT:
Despite the national, state, and local emphasis on academic progress and standards, the curricular needs of the 3 million highly talented and gifted youth in the U.S. generally have not been embraced as a priority. In many high schools, academically precocious students are expected to progress on their own. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Carl Perkins Act require schools to educate students with mild disabilities in general education classrooms to the greatest extent possible; this legislation has provided federal funding for services to these students. On the "other side of the coin," educational services for gifted and talented students do not yet have similar mandates or funding as those for individuals with disabilities. Educational services for gifted and talented students in the U.S. vary dramatically from state to state, ranging from none to special self-contained classes. In this article, the authors discuss the characteristics of gifted and talented students, present two models for addressing their needs, and suggest a variety of strategies for adapting instruction for gifted students in business classes.
http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=5&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=eric&AN=EJ886644
4. ABSTRACT:
Part of a special issue on education for the gifted and talented. The writer describes flow theory, a theory devised by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi that provides a framework for understanding authentic engagement. The theory posits that the quality of experience of the individual learner should be a critical criterion by which to judge the efficacy of educational challenge. Moreover, the theory stresses that individuals' most powerful experiences of engagement are those that are shared, in that they attract people to activities that match their capabilities and interests and to other learners who share their interests and commitments. High schools that want to incorporate the flow theory must recognize the differences and the commonalities among students and must create an environment in which students are not afraid to excel and distinguish themselves.
http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=5&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=qeh&AN=BEDI98003049
5. ABSTRACT:
The new Learner-centred Differentiation Model proposes that in order to differentiate learning experiences, the learning outcomes need to be differentiated first. Differentiated learner outcomes are the most essential part of learning experiences. They delineate student expectations. They guide the assessment process by indicating what learning is used and to what level of attainment students should aspire. Differentiated learner outcomes also guide the selection of key materials and strategies for use in classroom with gifted learners. The new paradigm illustrates how during planning stages, core and extended outcomes, core and complex content, basic and higher order processes and a variety of products need to be identified and developed in order to provide differentiated learning experiences. The new framework demonstrates creative use of cognitive technologies to enhance creative and critical thinking skills. The Learner-centred Differentiation Model allows flexibility to use an informed combination of frameworks rather than working from just one model. Using the new framework, the learner-centred units of work (both primary and secondary) encompass differentiated approaches to why students learn (outcomes), what students learn (content), how students learn (instructional and management strategies), how students demonstrate what they have learnt (evidence of learning) and where gifted students learn (learning environment).
http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=6&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=edsihs&AN=985225022615818
6. ABSTRACT:
The purpose of this study was to learn about gifted adults' experiences in advanced classes and attitudes about advanced classes or gifted programs for their children. Participants were 88 adults (33 men and 55 women) who have been participating in a longitudinal study of academically talented individuals since their high-school graduation in 1988. Participants responded to open-ended questions via mailed surveys. Eighty-five percent of participants described their academic experiences in advanced classes as positive, whereas slightly fewer participants (59%) described their interpersonal experiences in advanced classes as positive. Seventy-five percent of participants with children described signs of giftedness in their children, and 88% of participants indicated that they would support advanced placement for their children if it were recommended by the school. Implications of the findings were discussed and directions for future research were provided
http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=6&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=f5h&AN=49142591
7. ABSTRACT:
Curriculum and instruction for gifted learners should be a response to their learning capacities. Because gifted learners vary considerably as a population, there is no single formula or template for curriculum and instruction that will serve all of them well. In general, however, good curriculum and instruction for gifted learners begins with good curriculum and instruction--that is, curriculum and instruction that is meaning-making, rich, and high level. From that starting point, appropriate modifications for highly able learners typically involve adapting pacing, determining an appropriate degree of challenge, and providing supported opportunities to develop interests. Effective curriculum and instruction for gifted learners will respond to their individual readiness levels, interests, and modes of learning.
http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=6&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=16805895
8. ABSTRACT:
The topic of underachievement and how to reverse it has received a great deal of attention in the gifted education literature. The present study sought to add to the knowledge base on this issue by investigating the occurrence of underachievement behaviors and their predictors in a population of highly gifted students attending a summer educational program based on the talent search model. A group of 440 students in Grades 8-10 were given the School Attitude Assessment Survey-Revised at the beginning of the program. Attitudes toward and grades obtained in students' regular schools had little to no predictive value on students' academic and behavioral performance during the summer program. Results support qualitative findings in the literature, suggesting that educational interventions can be extremely effective in reversing the expression of underachieving behaviors.
http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ilstu.edu/eds/detail?vid=7&hid=115&sid=6a3e52a8-db13-4157-9fac-ce7a8a8a0691%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=24638119
9. ABSTRACT: