{"title":"Teachers’ Perceptions of Differentiated Instruction for Academically High-Achieving Secondary School Students in Tanzania","authors":"J. Milinga, Jaquiline Amani, S. Lyakurwa","doi":"10.1177/1932202X221129970","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X221129970","url":null,"abstract":"Previous research supporting differentiated instruction (DI) has led to its adoption in different countries as a promising pedagogical framework for addressing diverse learners’ needs. To date, there exists little information on DI from Tanzania especially when competence-based education and inclusion are being embraced. To address this gap, this study explored how Tanzanian teachers perceived DI in their working with academically high-achieving secondary school students. The study was strongly informed by a constructivist research tradition, adopting a multiple case study design. Focus group discussions and interviews were used as data sources and thematically analyzed. The analysis revealed teachers’ limited perceptions of DI, although consonance with the existing literature on DI practices for high-ability learners. After discussing the findings, as conclusion, the article stresses the importance of training teachers on DI to enhance their instructional practices for high-ability learners in Tanzania, along with setting the grounds for future research.","PeriodicalId":46535,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Advanced Academics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42708585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Qualitative Evaluation of the Science Curriculum Applied in Science and Art Centers (SACs) for Gifted Students in Turkey Within the Framework of the CIPP Approach","authors":"Nurettin Can Bodur, Cengiz Tuysuz, I. Ugulu","doi":"10.1177/1932202X221119535","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X221119535","url":null,"abstract":"This study was conducted using a qualitative approach as it aimed to evaluate the Science and Art Center Science Curriculum (SACSC), which was updated in 2020, within the framework of the context, input, process, and product (CIPP) approach by taking the opinions of science teachers working in Science and Art Centers (SACs) in Turkey. The data were collected according to the qualitative data collection method and a structured interview form was used as a data collection tool. The findings showed that science teachers working in SACs have generally negative views on SACSC based on the context dimension of the CIPP Model, while their views are generally positive based on input, process, and product dimensions. Based on the results of the research, it is recommended to conduct other comparative studies between the SACSC and similar curricula in other countries in order to reveal the relationship between the program components and the needs of children and society.","PeriodicalId":46535,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Advanced Academics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44984879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Gender Disparities in AP Computer Science Exams: Analysis of Trends in Participation and top Achievement","authors":"A. Bahar, Erdogan Kaya, Xiaolu Zhang","doi":"10.1177/1932202X221119499","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X221119499","url":null,"abstract":"Using the test scores of more than 1,000,000 students who participated in the Advanced Placement Computer Science (AP CS) exams from 1997 to 2020, this study examined the direction and magnitude of the trends in gender disparity in participation and top achievement in advanced exams. The findings indicated that the male-to-female ratio (MFR) among AP Computer Science (CS) exam participants declined from 4.87 to 2.26 between 1997 and 2020. Similarly, the MFR among top scorers (students who scored 5 out of 5) in any type of AP CS exams declined rapidly, in favor of female students, from 8.00 to 2.14 during the same period. Possible implications of these findings for educators, particularly for AP CS teachers and school counselors, were also discussed in the context of the underrepresentation of females in computing fields.","PeriodicalId":46535,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Advanced Academics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42506613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Talented Teachers’ Perceptions of an Intensive Summer Symposium and the Need for Differentiated Professional Learning","authors":"Cindy M. Gilson, Drew Polly, Kellan Strong","doi":"10.1177/1932202X221119493","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X221119493","url":null,"abstract":"Effective professional learning (PL) practices are essential for promoting experienced and talented teachers’ continued growth, and ultimately, supporting student achievement, including gifted students. In this qualitative case study, we interviewed and surveyed 32 public and private school PK-12 teachers, an Executive Director, and a Board Member about their experiences while participating in a week-long summer symposium designed to enhance talented teachers' expertise and leadership skills. Teachers were identified as talented and nominated to participate through a selection process. The topics, delivered by education experts through lecture, small group work, and large group discussion, focused on executive functioning research, professional self-reflection, and leadership. Data analysis illuminated teachers' critiques and suggestions for improvement of the symposium and a preference for more differentiated PL approaches. We discuss key implications for future research and applications of our research to the growing need for differentiated PL in the field of gifted education.","PeriodicalId":46535,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Advanced Academics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41730999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Promoting High-Achieving Students Through Differentiated Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms—A Systematic Review","authors":"Lisa Ziernwald, Delia Hillmayr, D. Holzberger","doi":"10.1177/1932202X221112931","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X221112931","url":null,"abstract":"Promoting high-achieving students plays an important role in the school context. Hence, one promising support measure within the mixed-ability classroom is differentiated instruction (DI). The current systematic review examined (1) the impact of DI on high-achieving students’ outcomes, (2) to what extent DI is used, (3) how useful teachers and high-achieving students perceive DI, and (4) which barriers and facilitators are encountered in DI’s implementation. Forty-nine studies from 2000 to 2019 were included. Differentiated instruction impacted high-achieving students’ academic achievement and motivational-affective characteristics predominantly positive. However, there was considerable heterogeneity between and within studies. Teachers typically did not use DI for high-achieving students proactively nor on a regular basis. However, teachers and high-achieving students perceived DI as valuable for encouraging high-achieving students. The barriers found might help to explain discrepancies between the extent of usage and the perceived utility, whereas the identified facilitators suggest how to overcome these barriers.","PeriodicalId":46535,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Advanced Academics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43321201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Factors That Help or Hinder the Development of Talent in Physics: A Qualitative Study of Gifted Finnish Upper Secondary School Students","authors":"Taina Makkonen, J. Lavonen, K. Tirri","doi":"10.1177/1932202X221111828","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X221111828","url":null,"abstract":"This qualitative study examined factors that gifted Finnish upper secondary school physics students (N = 24) identified as helping or hindering their talent development in physics. In-depth interviews captured students’ descriptions of critical incidents regarding their physics talent development at home, school, and in leisure time. The results show that most of the critical experiences the students identified were related to fostering talent development. Parental physics-specific support, motivated and gifted peers, digital and traditional physics-related media, certain teacher characteristics, and some instruction- and curriculum-based opportunities were among the factors the students considered supportive. The results also reveal several factors relating to family, school, and leisure time that hinder talent development. Moreover, the analysis highlights the students’ low interest in physics competitions. The findings can be used by administrators, teachers, and parents to identify the opportunities that best support the talent development of gifted physics students.","PeriodicalId":46535,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Advanced Academics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47360180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Janet Rocha, Brian Cabral, Judith Landeros, C. Yancy
{"title":"Why Continuity of STEM-Medicine Participation Matters: Exploring a Culture of Transformation and the Optimization of College Socialization","authors":"Janet Rocha, Brian Cabral, Judith Landeros, C. Yancy","doi":"10.1177/1932202X221098008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X221098008","url":null,"abstract":"This study examined the impact of an out-of-school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-medicine (STEM-M) program in a large U.S. metropolitan area designed to support the learning, development, and educational resilience of high-achieving high school students of color. Students highlighted that a key aspect of the program was the cultivation of what we termed a “culture of transformation.” Using a multi-year study (2016–2019), we completed 72 interviews and conducted in-depth qualitative analysis across six cohorts of students (n = 37). In this article, we propose an expanded conceptual model of college socialization for students of color that leverages their engagement with (1) equitable resources, (2) relevant opportunities, (3) diverse knowledge, and (4) meaningful relationships. The relationship between early STEM-M career interest and youth socialization in related out-of-school activities that address larger societal inequities in school success and life and career outcomes warrants further study.","PeriodicalId":46535,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Advanced Academics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48203205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Equitable Identification of Underrepresented Gifted Students: The Relationship Between Students’ Academic Achievement and a Teacher-Rating Scale","authors":"Hyeseong Lee, Kristen Seward, Marcia Gentry","doi":"10.1177/1932202X221088816","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X221088816","url":null,"abstract":"Underrepresentation of students from low-income families and/or certain ethnic groups has been a persistent worldwide problem in the field of gifted education. Because teachers frequently serve as gatekeepers for students’ participation in gifted programming, their roles in the identification process are critical. In this study, 55 elementary school teachers in South Korea completed a teacher-rating scale (HOPE Scale; Peters & Gentry, 2012a) for all students (n = 1,157) in their classrooms, including their evaluation of each students’ reading and mathematics talents. Their ratings and talent evaluations were then compared to students’ reading and mathematics achievement scores to determine whether teachers’ ratings promoted more equitable identification of students from underrepresented groups. In addition, we explored the effects of combining various cut-off scores for each assessment for the identification of students from low-income and/or culturally diverse families.","PeriodicalId":46535,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Advanced Academics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45887063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reconsidering Achievement Goal Orientation for Undergraduate Honors Students","authors":"Angie L. Miller","doi":"10.1177/1932202X221086139","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X221086139","url":null,"abstract":"Previous research has suggested mixed results concerning gifted populations and achievement goal orientation. This study investigated achievement goal orientation in honors and general education undergraduate students, exploring the factor structure of a commonly used assessment and looking at ability level differences using two types of statistical analyses. Responses from 8,530 students across 15 different universities indicated that the Achievement Goal Questionnaire – Revised (AGQ-R) is an adequate measure of the construct for honors and general education students. While independent samples t-tests showed that honors students are higher for several orientations, these differences disappeared in follow-up regression analyses that controlled for demographic characteristics. These results support the importance of appropriate assessment tools and inclusion of control variables when looking for differences between gifted and non-gifted populations.","PeriodicalId":46535,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Advanced Academics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43280923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The State of Knowledge in Rural Gifted Education: A Systematic Literature Review","authors":"J. Y. Jung, G. Townend, Peta K. Hay, Susen Smith","doi":"10.1177/1932202X221076385","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X221076385","url":null,"abstract":"To outline the current state of empirical knowledge in rural gifted education, a systematic review of the international empirical literature was conducted with peer-reviewed journal articles published from 2000 to 2020. Six inclusion/exclusion criteria guided the searches that were undertaken of the ERIC and PsycINFO databases, six peer-reviewed journals in gifted education, and three peer-reviewed journals in rural education, along with the reference lists of the journal articles identified from the database and journal searches. The 103 journal articles that were eventually identified as meeting search criteria were thereafter analyzed to document key details, including the countries/regions of origin, publication outlets, authorship, approaches to data collection and analyses, and the major findings. A discussion of the key issues and trends in the identified studies, along with areas for focus in future investigations, concludes the review.","PeriodicalId":46535,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Advanced Academics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42634069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}