Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Gifted children Identification Victoria'

This study addresses the issue of the identification of gifted children under formal school entry age. Case studies of the parents of thirteen gifted primary school children were used to retrospectively identify common characteristics of giftedness displayed by their children prior to formal schooling. Questionnaires and focused interviews were undertaken with parents of the thirteen children, and crosschecking of transcripts, coding criteria and analyses were used to ensure integrity. Common behavioural characteristics of early giftedness were identified, categorised and summarised according to frequencies, with specific examples provided. Recommendations for the early identification of young gifted children, implications for designing appropriate program provisions to meet the needs of young gifted children and suggestions for further research are provided.

Purpose. The major purpose of the study was to describe the procedures for identifying culturally-different gifted and talented children. Other goals were to: (a) identify how the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) programs are administered; (b) investigate the enrollment of GATE programs from the general and different cultures; (c) determine the similarities and differences of perceptions of GATE programs among administrators and teachers; and (d) contrast identification procedures and administration of the programs in the seven GATE districts that had the highest number of culturally-different gifted and talented students and the seven GATE districts that had the lowest number of such children. Procedures. Ten California counties with school districts offering GATE programs were selected as samples for the study. Two questionnaires were developed, the first sent to 124 administrators and teachers and the second to 14 districts that had the highest or lowest number of culturally-different gifted and talented students. Findings. Teacher recommendations were the key criteria during the identification process. Psychological services were contributors to the identification process. A school site study team was utilized and was the most unique feature of the districts that had the highest number of GATE culturally-different students. Tests and instruments most utilized were nationally-published which included Stanford-Binet and the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS). The elements of giftedness that were tested most often were intelligence and high achievement. The program approaches most often offered were acceleration, special day classes and cluster grouping. The percentage of White students in the GATE programs was higher than their percentage in the overall district enrollment. Conclusion. The identification processes of culturally-different gifted and talented students appear inadequate; thus they are underrepresented in GATE programs. Recommendations. Research is needed as to the means of increasing the participation of culturally-different gifted and talented students in GATE programs. The recommended areas for study include: increasing the use of elements of giftedness such as creativity, leadership, and visual and/or performing arts; raising funds or identifying the best use of limited funding; improving identification tests; identifying approaches to meet the needs of GATE culturally-different students; clarifying GATE teacher attitudes and promoting effective staff-development; and examining learning styles and cognitive strengths of students from different cultures.

Special classes for gifted students began in North America in the late 19th century. Since that time, educators have directed much attention towards the special needs of students with gifts and talents. Nevertheless, compared the education of children with disabilities, programs for the education of the gifted have been sprinkled throughout our country on a small scale at best. Funding has always been tenuous and gifted education has been, and is, considered margianl to mainstream education.
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This portfolio documents an investigation of the nature of giftedness during the early childhood period of birth to eight years. It provides an in-depth exploration of a number of developmental domains including social, emotional, spiritual and cognitive development. Aspects of play and learning for young gifted children are also investigated. The use of both child and parent voices provide insight to the realities of the lived experience of being young and gifted. The insights that emerged from the research are subsequently used to challenge aspects of early childhood pedagogy frequently evident within western approaches to early childhood education such as the developmentalist discourse traditionally used to inform early childhood policy and practice. The findings of the study suggest that to ensure responsive education for young gifted children early childhood educators need to reconceptualise the child and the relationship between the three protagonists of child, family and educator. Collaboration between the three protagonists can facilitate the provision of opportunities for in-depth investigation and abstraction within early childhood curricular that can empower young gifted children in their search for complexity and connection during the early childhood years.
Doctor of Education (D.Ed.)

This study examines whether pairs of same-sex siblings labeled differently (one "gifted", one "not gifted") deidentify more than pairs of same-sex siblings who are labeled the same (both "gifted"). It further investigates patterns of perceived similarity between the siblings and patterns of parent identification to establish how these influence parents' perceptions of their children as "gifted" or "not gifted".
Deidentification did not appear to vary depending on whether children were labeled the same or differently. However, females produced higher measures of deidentification than males--with girls labeled the same producing the highest scores of all.
All parents tended to see siblings as contrasting. They also showed a tendency to split parent identify with their children--each parent identified with a different child. In 39 out of 40 cases if parents perceived themselves as having been gifted students, then the children they identified with were labeled as "gifted". This parental labeling seemed to occur well before any formal identification and was maintained in the face of contrary evidence.
For this group different labeling was not associated with poor sibling interaction. Poor sibling relationships appear to co-occur with poor marital relationships.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of staff development on the nomination and identification of culturally diverse and/or economically disadvantaged students for gifted programs. Teachers kindergarten through fifth grade from ten districts (N = 100) received 30 hours of staff development in gifted education. The experimental group (n = 50) received a specialized version of the training. The control group (n = 50) received the standard training provided by the Education Service Center. Teachers in the experimental group completed three Stages of Concern questionnaires at the beginning and end of the training and in the fall. Two Levels of Use interviews were also conducted, one in the fall and one in the spring. Innovation configurations were developed utilizing interview results. A repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to determine differences in concerns of teachers over time. The results revealed growth, however, not of a significant level. A paired-samples t-test was conducted to determine differences in levels of use of the instructional strategies presented in the training. Again, results revealed growth in classroom application of strategies; however, the amount of growth was not significant. A paired-samples t-test was conducted on the components of the innovation configurations. Differentiated instruction was not significantly different, however, grouping strategies and student products showed significant growth in classroom application. Student nomination and identification data were analyzed across six ethnicities: White not economically disadvantaged, White economically disadvantaged, Hispanic not economically disadvantaged, Hispanic economically disadvantaged, African American not economically disadvantaged, and African American economically disadvantaged. Chi-square analyses determined statistical significance in nominations of Hispanic economically disadvantaged and African American not economically disadvantaged. Significant differences in placement of students occurred in White economically disadvantaged and Hispanic economically disadvantaged groups. No Hispanic not economically disadvantaged students met placement criteria.

The problem is children from low socioeconomic status households are often underrepresented in gifted and talented programs. Only a small percentage of these students is selected to participate in the district's gifted program. The purpose of the study was to help appropriately identify and include low SES children in the district's gifted program. The social constructivist foundation was applied for a better understanding of how the environment affects a child's learning and how social factors contribute to cognitive development, which could possibly alter the perceptions of how successful children can be. The guiding questions revolved around the teachers' perceptions of elementary (K-6) gifted and talented program's identification process in finding all children in need of advanced curriculum and instruction regardless of socioeconomic status level. A qualitative case study is designed to collect data from 6 elementary gifted and talented teachers from 1 district. Information was gathered through interviews, then transcribed and through the lens of the social constructivist framework, axial coding followed as well as use of open coding. Through the field notes some strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations were gathered about the gifted program. The identified the codes used supported answering the research question and subquestions. This project study has the potential to create social change by guiding teachers to understanding all children, regardless of their background, can learn through developing a stronger identification process and more locations to grow awareness of the opportunity.

The purpose of the study was to investigate factors influencing the selection of minority and majority school-aged children for gifted and talented programs. Factors explored included abstract thinking ability, achievement test scores, and parental social status (i.e., education, income, occupation) as academic and nonacademic variables that potentially influence the selection and/or placement process. Provided is performance data on 22 black and 23 white gifted children and 21 black and 24 white high achieving children (N=90) relative to their similar as well as unique traits on measures of abstract thinking ability, IQ, and achievement tests.FindingsH1. There are significant differences in abstract thinking ability among placement groups that vary with race.H2. It was found that students from higher social status backgrounds tended to be placed in programs for the gifted more often than were students from lower social status backgrounds.H3. Teachers tended to select (from a hypothetical group) children from higher income families rather than children from lower income families for placement in the gifted program. This finding was also true for children whose profiles indicated parent occupation (e.g., teacher, judge).Conclusions1. The selection of gifted students is influenced by race and social status of the parents.2. Parent education, occupation, and income are social class variables that influence children both in and out of school.3. Abstract thinking ability is not an academic variable that influences the selection of children for gifted program placement in the school corporation selected for this study.4. Numerous other variables (e.g., hi/lo socioeconomic background, values and beliefs, directed/mediated learning experiences, language and historical background) influence a child's capacity to learn and should be always considered.5. Testing instruments are not available in the school system used in this study to accurately assess the skills of minority children.
Department of Special Education

This research was an investigation of the relationship between the cognitive processes labeled successive, simultaneous, and planning proposed by Luria and Das (Das, Kirby & Jarman, 1979) and the solution of visual metaphors and the achievement of 6th grade elementary age students from metropolitan schools. A battery of information processing tasks based on previous research with the Luria-Das model was administered to 191 6th grade students, approximately half of whom were Anglo and half of whom were Hispanic. In addition, the Metaphoric Triads Task (MTT), a measure of comprehension of visual metaphors, was administered to the same group and achievement data from the Iowa Test of Basic Skills gathered on the same students. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to determine whether the Luria-Das model or another model fit the data; and how the information processing variables related to each other, to the Metaphoric Triads task, and to the measures of achievement. A three factor solution consistent with previous research was obtained when confirmatory factor analysis was used to fit the Luria-Das model to the data. For the Anglo group, the factor structures of all three factors were consistent with the Luria-Das model of successive, simultaneous, and planning processes. For the Hispanic group, the factor structure of the simultaneous and planning factors was consistent with previous research, but the factor structure of the successive factor was not the same as that obtained in previous research. The relationship between the academic achievement scores for the whole group and the factors was consistent with the results of previous research with the exception of Spelling. Results of the current research indicate that group administration of the battery can produce results consistent with the Luria-Das model, but further research that includes minority populations is needed. The analysis of the performance of the Anglo and Hispanic groups on the Metaphoric Triads Task indicated that the two groups performed approximately the same but may have employed different processes to solve the metaphors. The results of this study provide important data about information processing styles of 6th grade students that can be useful in educational planning.

The pupose of this study was to examine the validity of the Differential Abilities Scale with a gifted sample. Subjects consisted of 111 students identified as gifted by Indiana S-4. They were in grades 1 thru 6 and ranged in age from 6-8 to 12-11 with a mean age of 9-8. There were 60 females and 51 males who participated. Approximately, 1% of the population was minority which closely resembled the school population. Data from previously administered WISC-III and WIAT (The Psychological Corporation, 1992) were available for 21 of the 111 students.The first aspect of this study was to assess the construct validity of the DAS through investigation of the internal structure. Several different models were proposed. These analyses revealed that the proposed models were not good explanations of the relationships among obtained scores because convergence could not be obtained. A respecified two factor model was obtained where loadings on a Verbal Factor were constrained as recommended by Maxwell (1977). For this sample of gifted students a two-factor model with the first factor being primarily composed of Word Definitions was found to be a tenable one for the DAS.The second aspect of this study was to examine the convergent and predictive validity of the DAS by comparing these scores with the WISC-III and WIAT scores. Verbal factors for the two intelligence tests were the most highly correlated. Although there is overlap between the two intelligence measures, each test measures something unique. While one might expect these two instruments would not correlate perfectly, this correlation is lower than predicted.The DAS cognitive portion was more highly related to the other ability measure, the WISC-III, than it was to achievement as measured by the WIAT. In addition, achievement portions of both instruments were more highly related than they were to the ability measures.
Department of Educational Psychology

This study addresses the issue of identification of gifted ethnic minority children within the context of an Australian preschool. Case study method is used to describe the characteristics of three children, their parents, teachers and the pre-school environment. The children, from India, Iran and Vietnam, had all arrived in Australia within the last twelve months. Use of existing checklists, participant observation in the home and pre-school setting, unstructured interviews with parents and teachers, and collection of children's work were the main methods of data collection. Through the analytic process culture-specific behaviours have been identified. These descriptions have been used to develop a behavioral characteristics checklist which can be used by teachers as a framework during identification of gifted ethnic minority children. This forms part of a portfolio of assessment compiled using the study findings. Teacher awareness of giftedness, educational responses, theories and definitions of intelligence were also addressed through a workshop conducted as part of the study. The study reports on the effect of culture on manifestation of gifted behaviour, motivation, socioeconomic issues, teacher attitude and parent-teacher co-operation in the gifted ethnic minority child's learning outcomes. Suggestions for furtherresearch are also included.

Studies indicate the educational needs of highly gifted students are best met through accelerated learning. It is difficult to recognize very young children that are suited for an accelerated curriculum because younger students frequently lack school records or portfolios used to identify gifted students. This study examined the accuracy of cognitive ability and achievement tests in predicting academic achievement by the end of second grade, correlating test results and final grade averages collected from sixteen children ages five to six who entered a public school program for high-ability learners in kindergarten. A multiple regression analysis indicated the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence produced the highest mean IQ score and a strong correlation with reading achievement. The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test contributed in small part to the prediction of academic achievement. The Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test-Second Edition had negative correlations with final grade averages, indicating they are not predictors of academic achievement for these students.

The underrepresentation of minority students in gifted programs is well documented, and is due, in large part, to limited definitions of giftedness and inadequate identification techniques. New methods of locating and identifying gifted minority students must be developed. The peer referral procedure has been cited as one method for locating students who may be gifted but are overlooked by the most common referral source--classroom teachers, but researchers have not investigated directly the use of peer referral for locating minority students in any ethnic group. The subjects were the fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students (N = 1564) and their teachers in nine selected schools, divided into three groups: (a) schools with a Hispanic population of over 75%, (b) schools with an equal proportion of Hispanics and Anglos, and (c) schools with less than 25% Hispanic students. Students completed a peer referral form designed to reflect traits of gifted Hispanic students. Also, the number of teacher referrals using the traditional school district procedures was collected. Primary areas of investigation included the (a) relationship between the ethnicity of the nominator and nominee, (b) relationship between the gender of the nominator and nominee, (c) usefulness of peer referral to locate Hispanic students who may be gifted and (d) sensitivity of the peer referral instrument to Hispanic students. Qualitative and quantitative statistical techniques were used, including stepwise logistic regression, cluster analyses, odds ratios, and content analysis. Findings indicated that peer referral was a useful technique for locating Hispanic and Anglo students that teachers did not refer. Few differences were discovered between the Hispanics and Anglos on the instrument. Students referred peers who matched a stereotypical profile of the academically gifted student. In the balanced schools, Anglos tended to nominate other Anglos and Hispanics tended to nominate other Hispanics. Gender nomination patterns varied, depending on the question focus. Peer referral is a promising practice for locating some Hispanic students who may be gifted; however, if minority students who are different from the majority gifted student are going to be found, other methods of referral, besides teachers and peers, are needed. Researchers must continue to explore the differences and similarities between majority and minority children who are gifted.

In contemporary society we have become highly dependent on a technological, scientific and mathematically literate population. There has been considerable debate for many years about the lack of talented people entering professions associated with these literacies and about the level of understanding of science and technology in the general community. Since perceptions of and interest in mathematics, science and technology begin in early childhood, teachers of very young children play an important role in fostering and supporting these interests. There is considerable under-representation of females in mathematics, science and technology related careers and in positions of influence on policy in these areas. This is pertinent for this research in light of the current climate in which a backlash to gender equity for girls has emerged with a concern for 'what about the boys?'. It appears that, despite considerable initiatives to improve girls access and performance in these curriculum areas, that girls with high ability in mathematics, science and technqlogy do not translate their ability into careers in these fields. The research problem investigated in this thesis emerged when the researcher became aware that teachers in Brisbane, Australia, nominated as many as five times more boys than girls for a mathematics and science enrichment program for gifted children. Hence, teachers' conceptions of what it means to have high ability in mathematics and science in early childhood appeared to be influenced by gender. Thus the research investigates the following questions: - What are teachers' conceptions of giftedness in young children? - What are the gender dimensions of these conceptions? - What does this mean for early childhood teaching and learning? - What are the implications for the teaching profession? Single indepth interviews were conducted with sixteen early primary school teachers (14 female and two male). The teachers were drawn from state and private schools and were selected on the basis that they had nominated boys and girls for participation in the Enrichment Network for the Very Young, a program operating at Queensland University of Technology. In the first stage of the analysis, a phenomenographic framework was used to develop a model of teachers' conceptions of giftedness. This model comprises seven categories of description or ways that teachers see the phenomenon of giftedness in relation to young children. These categories describe the way teachers see gifted children as: • Possessing innate/natural or God-given ability, • Having potential, • Being rare, • Highly noticeable, • Having high levels of motivation, • Demonstrating excellence in one or more areas, and • Exhibiting asynchronous development in non-academic areas. In the second stage of the analysis an interpretive approach was used to understand the model of giftedness from a gender perspective. This latter analysis found that teachers' conceptions of giftedness are indeed gendered and that each of the seven categories of giftedness guides teacher behaviours or actions that directly disadvantage girls. This finding points to the significant impact teachers' _conceptions of giftedness have on the provision of appropriate programs for gifted boys and girls in early education. Therefore, in this thesis I argue that the construct 'giftedness' is itself masculinised and is therefore problematic for high achieving girls. Recommendations for addressing this in pre-service teacher education and professional development are made.

The purpose of this study was to determine if distinct subgroups of high achieving children could be identified using a recently redeveloped intelligence measure—The Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability, 3rd edition (WJ-III). Students were referred for further testing based on their scores on the Indiana State Test of Educational Progress (the ISTEP+). Students were included in the study if they scored at or above the 90th percentile on the ISTEP+ Cognitive Skills Index, or the reading and/or math portions. Using these criteria, 202 students were referred for further testing. These students were clustered with Ward's method of cluster analysis using their scores on the seven CHC factors of the WJ-III. Their individual scores on two other intelligence measures (the Stanford-Binet IV and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test), as well as other scores from the WJ-III were used to further describe the clusters that emerged. The following three subgroups were identified: (a) decidedly gifted, (b) problem solvers, and (c) slow-paced achievers. Not all subgroups obtained the gifted score ranges expected on the three measures employed. The clusters were better described as displaying a slight levels effect, in that the groups were most different from one another in terms of the overall intelligence quotient and mean CHC factor scores, with one group scoring in the superior to high average ranges, one in the high average to average ranges, and one in the average range overall. This study provided evidence for the use of intelligence measures in describing gifted individuals' specific strengths and weaknesses. It also has significant implications for the use of intelligence measures in assessing giftedness within an applied setting. This study is useful as a validation study for the three intelligence measures employed.
Department of Educational Psychology

This thesis reports data gathered through case studies of ten of the students who took part in a survey of secondary school students who had been invited to camps at which the New Zealand teams were chosen for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in the first five years of this country�s participation in the IMO. The case studies data gave individuals� narratives that were captivating yet complex, unique yet universal, clear yet not easily described all of apiece. I read widely in response to the information they offered and found that reflection and a narrative style of presentation assisted the grasping of nuances and implications of the students� narratives. Few of the parents of the students were particularly competent in mathematics or able to account for their child�s curiosity, concentration and skills in pursuing a fascination with number. In most of the families, all members were encouraged to follow their own inclinations and interests, to respect the maintenance of a balance of cultural and physical activities, to regard books and play as normal life supports, and to believe that discovery, enchantment and pleasure were both goals and accomplishments of everyday life. Most of the students experienced less encouragement at school than they might have expected, and unpleasant experiences could be linked with a teacher�s apparent lack of appreciation of a student�s mathematical ability. Both the case studies and the initial survey suggested that most teachers, at any level of formal education, were doing all they were capable of doing in mathematics, and that the students responded to opportunities to self-select subjects and topics that interested them and to the help and company offered by mentors and peers who had flair and competence in appropriate subject areas. Few of the case studies students were motivated by strategies dependent on a high level of competition or a 'sorting' of that offered in formal education (through attitudes and practical organisation such as timetabling) into either Arts or Science subjects. Most were attracted to the study of languages and/or philosophy and some to that of computer science. Most showed interest and some prowess in individual cultural and physical activities requiring perseverance. Largely, they were motivated by finding fresh or novel ways of integrating diverse knowledge, and by associating with peers. They enjoyed and valued self-awareness, intellectual independence, chances to empathise with ideas and people, and tasks that were in harmony with the dictates of their own volition. Evidence of differences among the case studies students - even though they had all been identified as very able in mathematics - led me to Vadim Krutetskii�s theories of the components of mathematical ability and their functioning and thus to new views, first, of the interplay between aptitude and languages of perception, inner comprehension and outer expression and, second, of the relationships between giftedness and other attributes of human abilities and endeavours. These appreciations suggested that the models of education and support commonly exhibited in the case studies students� families and in the environments of their extra-school activities had been more encouraging of their gifts, talents and personal growth than those often exhibited in the schools they attended.

This thesis explores the range of strategies used for educational provision for gifted children in mathematics in a group of schools in England. A review of literature relating to international theory and existing research in gifted education and empirical work into the teaching of gifted mathematicians were carried out. The literature review examined the dominant theories of intelligence and giftedness in general, including the historical background of definitions of giftedness and methods for its measurement, before specifically focusing on the concept of mathematical giftedness. The study was located in primary schools within Greater London, where schools are required to implement the ‘Gifted and Talented’ policy of the UK government. The research was conducted in two stages during the school years 2007-2008 and 2008-2009. The first stage involved a questionnaire survey sent to primary schools within five Local Educational Authorities. For the second stage of the research, which constituted the main study, a case study approach was used. The main methods of data collection employed within the case study were observations of mathematics lessons, semi-structured interviews with children nominated as able or gifted mathematicians and their teachers, as well as analysing documentary evidence (i.e., school policy, teacher’s planning, children’s assessment records and children’s written work). It was found that schools were responding to the policy in pragmatic terms, although no specific training was provided for practising teachers or school co-ordinators as part of the national training programme in making provision for mathematically gifted children. In practice, in classrooms, it was found that teachers’ level of confidence and expertise, the level of focused attention given to gifted children, the level of support and extension through higher-order questioning, as well as the size of the class and the nature of the work set were factors which affected the progress, perceptions and attitudes of children who were nominated to be able mathematicians. There is a paucity of research which has investigated aspects of provision for gifted and talented children, particularly in mathematics, in the UK. By specifically addressing this topic, this study makes a distinct contribution to current literature in both understanding aspects of mathematical giftedness and the range of provision used. This study makes a particular contribution to finding out how practising teachers in England are responding to a government initiative, which should be of interest to both policy-makers and practitioners. This thesis also presents examples for organising and teaching mathematics to gifted children at higher cognitive levels, within regular classrooms; this may be of interest to audiences internationally, including countries where there are no policies of provision for mathematically gifted children.

The present study sought to identify variables that predicted parental decision-making regarding their child's participation in a national gifted and talented identification program for middle school students and subsequent participation in recommended educational options. One hundred sixty-nine parents of students who qualified for either the 2001-2002 or 2002-2003 Duke Talent Identification Program participated in the study. The students were drawn from two large public school districts and six small private schools in a large metropolitan area in the southwestern United States. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to identify the variables predictive of parental decision-making regarding talent search participation. Each parent completed a questionnaire consisting of both multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Selected parents participated in structured follow-up interviews. The results of the study indicated that parental perception of the helpfulness of school personnel in explaining the purpose and process of the talent search was most predictive of participation in the talent search. The educational level of the father, parent's prior awareness of the purpose and process of talent search, and the number of enrichment activities in which the child had previously participated were also predictive of talent search participation. Qualitative data indicated that parents of both participants and nonparticipants had a limited understanding of the purpose, diagnostic power, and potential benefits of the talent search. Very few parents chose to seek extracurricular or curricular/instructional options following the talent search testing. Qualitative data indicated that parents did not choose these options due to cost, logistical concerns regarding the special programs, and reservations about the developmental appropriateness of such options for middle school students. Although talent searches are sponsored and administered by organizations outside the local school, this study suggests that parents mostly rely on their local school for notification of their child's nomination, information on the purpose and benefits of talent search, interpretation of test scores, and guidance in selecting appropriate curricular or extracurricular follow-up.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the inferences derived from the Kingore Observation Inventory as a screening device are sufficiently valid for the identification of potentially gifted youngsters. Differences in predicting the WISC-III Full Scale IQ scores and/or percentile ranks using the KOI were assessed. The value of screening procedures to identify potentially gifted youngsters is essential for accurate identification of gifted young students. The Kingore Observation Inventory is a screening procedure administered by educators within the classroom environment over a six-week period that furnishes a percentile rank of overall intellectual functioning. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition is a comprehensive assessment instrument of cognitive abilities that yields a standard score with a mean of 100 and standard deviation of 15. The WISC-III is time consuming and is an expensive assessment instrument in terms of professional resources required for administration and interpretation. A less costly and more easily administered instrument that will effectively predict the intellectual functioning of youngsters would be an invaluable tool. As part of a comprehensive assessment procedure to identify young gifted children within a school district in Oregon the KOI was administered to all primary students. A stratified sample that consisted of 89 second grade children previously assessed with the KOI in the first grade were administered the WISC-III. These children varied in age from 6.5 to 8.7 years. The sample included of 42 females and 47 males, of whom 6 were Asian, 1 was Black, 2 were Hispanic, and 80 were Caucasian/Not Hispanic. A correlational analysis, logistic regression analysis, discriminant analysis, and t-tests for paired differences were performed using SAS programs (SAS Institute Inc., 1990), version 6.07. Evidence was shown for the effects of Age on KOI Percentile scores for the target population. The study findings provide clear evidence that the KOI is not an adequate screening tool for the identification of intellectual giftedness for primary-aged students in the school district. This may indicate use of the KOI is not an adequate screening device for other populations as well.
Graduation date: 1994

In the modern dynamic mathematics classroom environment teachers often meet with a variety of abilities. Finding a balance between helping students with difficulties in mathematics and keeping gifted children on the right track of development is not an easy task. Our study aims to develop an operational model for the identification and fostering of mathematically gifted students at the elementary school. It reflects seven years of experience in the teaching of challenging mathematics curriculum to Kindergarten through Grade 6 children having various levels of abilities. In our analysis of lessons we are going to discuss two questions: (1) How to interpret children's mathematical work in terms of mathematical giftedness? (2) What kind of didactical situations are favourable in order to foster mathematical abilities? In order to develop efficient teaching strategy for the gifted students, we developed a theoretical framework based on the "challenging situations" approach. On the basis of classroom observations and examples of students' solutions of challenging mathematical tasks, we discovered several characteristics of mathematical giftedness, such as mathematical precocity, thinking in concepts and relationships, high motivation and perseverance, systematic and reflective mind.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the various categories of giftedness can be adequately identified in an under-resourced rural area. To supplement the literature, a focus group was held and informal interviews were conducted with people in the area of research. Giftedness was ultimately defined as both potential and product which cannot be separated from the community where the person lives. Apart from causes of underachievement such as poverty, illiteracy, lack of equipment, low motivation and difficult home circumstances, it was found that fear is a powerful hindrance in the actualisation of giftedness, as there is a strong belief that learners who stand out amongst their peers could fall prey to witchcraft. In order to adequately identify giftedness, an identification method which is used by the Faculty of Education at Unisa, was applied to 10 learners. Various talents additional to academic talent were found among the respondents. The identification method was finally evaluated according to certain identification criteria.
Psychology of Education
M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The objective of this dissertation is to offer a series of analyses that contribute to the validation of the Aurora Battery, a cognitive assessment based on Robert J. Sternberg's theory of Successful Intelligence that is currently under development. Convergent validity will be examined by exploring how objective and subjective measures of the battery converge, through the novel application of the Correlated Trait Correlated Method-1, a specialized confirmatory factor analysis model that allows subjective measures to be compared against an objective measure. The predictive validity of Aurora will be shown by highlighting Aurora's ability to help predict students' school grade point average through latent growth curve models that are extended into path models. Divergent validity will be demonstrated by establishing sensitivity and specificity between the Aurora Battery and the TerraNova tests. Finally, the current state of the field of giftedness and possible future directions will be discussed.

Die doel van hierdie studie is om riglyne daar te stel vir die vroeë identifisering van talent wat die totale funksionering en konteks van die leerder in ag neem. ‘n Literatuurstudie is onderneem om die navorsing en teorieë wat met die onderwerp verband hou, te ondersoek. Die denkverskuiwing van intelligensie as een konstruk na ‘n multikonstrukbenadering wat uit onderliggende intellektuele vermoëns voortvloei, is verken. Definisies van begaafdheid en talent wat oor ‘n tydperk onstaan het, is omskryf en die rasionaal vir die gebruik van talent in plaas van begaafdheid is gegee. Die bio-ekologiese teorie van Bronfenbrenner, die positiewe sielkunde en die bate-gebaseerde benadering dien as teoretiese begronding van die studie. Talentontwikkeling en -identifisering is aan die orde gestel deur die liggaamlike, kognitiewe, sosiale, persoonlikheids-, emosionele en morele ontwikkeling van die adolessent te bespreek. Verder is die stand van talentidentifisering in Suid-Afrikaanse skole ondersoek en is aangedui in watter mate dit deur amptelike beleid gerig en ondersteun word. Beginsels wat tydens talentidentifisering in ag geneem moet word asook enkele identifiseringsmodelle wat ‘n bydrae tot die kennis van begaafdheid en talentidentifisering lewer, is bespreek. Verder is ‘n verskeidenheid talente wat uit algemene intellektuele intelligensie ontwikkel, aangedui. Die literatuurstudie het getoon dat daar nie in die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse skoolbeleid direkte riglyne is vir die identifisering van adolessente leerders se talent nie. Die deurlopende klem op akademiese prestasie en die feit dat leerders teen ‘n graadgemiddeld geassesseer word, lei waarskynlik daartoe dat ander metodes van assessering nie altyd in Suid-Afrikaanse klaskamers tot hul reg kom nie. Ten einde ‘n verskeidenheid talent te identifiseer en terselfdertyd ‘n leerder se konteks in ag te neem, is afsonderlike talentskale vir leerders, ouers en onderwysers ontwikkel en toegepas. Riglyne vir die identifisering van adolessente leerders se talent is dus op ‘n nie-formele manier ontwikkel. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie dui daarop dat die talentidentifiseringsproses bewuswording van verskillende talente waaroor leerders beskik, kan bewerkstellig. Dit help leerders om hul selfkennis uit te brei en om ‘n denkverskuiwing van die erkenning van slegs akademiese talent na ‘n verskeidenheid van talentdomeine wat die uniekheid van elke leerder ontgin, te maak.
The purpose of this study was to formulate guidelines for the early identification of talent, taking into consideration the overall functioning and context of the learner. A literature review was done to investigate the research and theories on the topic. The mind shift from intelligence as one construct to a multiconstruct approach arising from underlying intellectual abilities was explored. The definitions of giftedness and talent, which have existing for some time, were presented and the rationale for using talent instead of giftedness was provided. Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological theory, positive psychology and the asset-based approach served as theoretical grounding for the study. Talent identification and development were established by discussing the physical, cognitive, social, personality, emotional and moral development of the adolescent. The state of talent identification in South African schools was also investigated, and an indication was given of the extent to which it is guided and supported by official policy. Principles to be considered in identifying talent and a few identification models that contribute to knowledge of giftedness and talent identification were discussed. A variety of talents developing from general intellectual intelligence were also highlighted. The literature review reveals that in the current South African school policy, there are no direct guidelines for identifying the talent of adolescent learners. The constant emphasis on academic performance and the fact that learners are assessed against a grade average probably lead to other methods of assessment not always coming into their own in South African classrooms. To identify a variety of talents and at the same time take into consideration a learner’s context, separate talent scales for learners, parents and educators were developed and applied. Guidelines for identifying the talent of adolescent learners have therefore been developed in a non-formal way. The findings of this study indicate that the talent identification process can lead to awareness of different talents of learners. This helps learners to expand their self-knowledge and to bring about a mind shift from the recognition of only academic talent to a variety of talent domains which reveal the uniqueness of each learner.
Injongo yalolu cwaningo ukwakha imihlahlandlela yokuhlonzwa kwekhono masinya, kubhekwa indlela umfundi ngamunye asebenza ngayo kanye nesimo angaphansi kwaso. Kwabhekwa imibhalo ukuze kuphenywe ngocwaningo nemibono yezinzululwazi ngaphansi kwalesi sihloko. Kwaphenywa ngokusuka endleleni yokubheka inhlakanipho njengendlela okuyiyona yodwa yokwakha kuyiwe ezindleleni ezihlukene kaningi zokwakha ezisukela emakhonweni obuhlakani acashe ngaphansi kwazo. Izincazelo zesiphiwo nekhono, esezibe khona isikhathi eside, zethulwa kwase kunikezwa izincazelo zokuthi kungani kusetshenziswa ikhono kunesiphiwo. Umbono kaBronfenbrenner wobudlelwano phakathi kwezinto eziphilayo kanye nendawo eziphila kuyo, izifundo zezengqondo zemiphumela emihle kanye nendlela yokubheka encike ekubeni nenani kwento konke kusebenza njengengqikithi yombono wenzululwazi yalolu cwaningo. Ukuhlonza kanye nokuthuthukiswa kwekhono kwasungulwa ngokubamba izingxoxo mayelana nokuthuthuka kwabantwana asebengena ezingeni lentsha ngokomzimba, ngokwengqondo, ngokwenhlalo, ngokwendlela yokuziphatha, ngokomoya nangokwesimilo. Isimo sokuhlonza ikhono ezikoleni zaseNingizimu Afrika naso sibhekiwe, kwanikezwa nesilinganiso sokuthi lingakanani izinga lokuholwa nokusingathwa yinqubomgomo esemthethweni. Imigomo okufanele ibhekwe ngesikhathi sokuhlonza ikhono kanye vii nezinye izibonelo ezingasiza olwazini lokuhlonza iziphiwo namakhono nayo yadingidwa. Izinhlobonhlobo zamakhono avela ebuhlakanini obujwayelekile obuhambisana nemicabango nazo zaqhakambiswa. Ucwaningo lwemibhalo luveze ukuthi kwinqubomgomo yamanje yaseNingizimu Afrika, ayikho imihlahlandlela eqondile yokuhlonza amakhono kubafundi asebengena ezingeni lentsha. Ukuqhubeka nokugcizelela ukwenza kahle kwezemfundo kanye nokuthi abafundi bahlolwa ngokwezilinganiso ezivamile zamabanga cishe kuholela kwezinye izindlela zokuhlola ezingafiki kwezifana nezabo emakilasini aseNingizimu Afrika. Ukuhlonza izinhlobonhlobo zamakhono kube futhi kubhekwa isimo somfundi, kwasungulwa futhi kwasetshenziswa izilinganiso ezihlukile zokukala amakhono abafundi, abazali nawothisha. Ngakho-ke, imihlahlandlela yokuhlonza ikhono labafundi asebengena ezingeni lentsha yakhiwe ngendlela engalandeli kakhulu umthetho kanye nokuhleleka. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo iveza ukuthi inqubo yokuhlonza amakhono ingaholela ekubonakaleni kwamakhono ahlukahlukene abafundi. Lokhu kusiza abafundi ukuba bakwazi ukwandisa ulwazi labo futhi benze kube khona ukucabanga ngokwahlukile ekwamukeleni kuphela ikhono lezemfundo kodwa kwamukelwe namakhono ahlukahlukene aveza ukwahluka komfundi ngamunye.
Department of Educational Psychology
D. Phil. (Educational Psychology)