Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemThe vertical curriculum meeting the needs of students of high intellectual potential( 2000)This pilot project investigated one Victorian Independent School's implementation of the vertical curriculum in Grades Five and Six in over a one-year period in 1998. The study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of the vertical curriculum model for students identified as intellectually Gifted, High (Gifted and Bright) and Mainstream (Average, Low Average and Low) students by reviewing the students' progress in mathematics. Using Progressive Achievement Tests in Mathematics at the beginning and end of the year the identified Gifted, Bright and Mainstream students' progress was monitored to track their mathematical development, consisting of - achievement or progress made. The cohort reviewed consisted of eighty eight students incorporating eleven identified intellectually Gifted students, thirty three Bright students and forty four Mainstream students, as identified by the Raven's Progressive Matrices. The findings indicated firstly that an advanced level of mathematical achievement was found for the identified Gifted students. Secondly, it was found that the vertical curriculum assisted the Mainstream students as they showed significant mathematical progress. The findings indicated that the vertical curriculum provided an equitable educational option for the identified intellectually Gifted, Bright and Mainstream students.
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ItemWhere are they now ? : an investigation into the vocations and lifestyles of the University High School Acceleration Program 1988 cohort( 2000)This study investigated the current vocational and lifestyle situations of the 1988 intake cohort of the University High School Acceleration Program (UHS AP) in Melbourne, Australia. There were three main. reasons: to ascertain whether the participants' current situations were predicted by the literature in gifted education; to ascertain whether the current outcomes were predicted by the stated aims of the UHS AP and to invite respondents to reflect on their secondary schooling. A target cohort of 22 from the 1988 AP intake was selected after consultation with the co-ordinator of the UHS AP. The investigation sought factual information such as current occupation and personal circumstances and also ascertained current attitudes to particular aspects of their accelerated secondary schooling. This was done using a self-administered questionnaire incorporating a variety of question formats. Seventeen members of the cohort completed the questionnaire, providing information about: their current vocational status and influential factors for this; their current personal circumstances and feelings about these; their proudest achievements; their plans for the future and their current feelings about their experience in the UHS AP. This study is a follow up based on Dr Betty Murphy's 1994 thesis, which studied the first ten cohorts of the UHS AP. Her findings were employed in the analysis of the results. Vocational and lifestyle circumstances varied, as predicted by the literature. Reported satisfaction with their experience of acceleration was high, although suggestions for improvement in both curriculum and counselling were made. An attempt was made to link matters raised in the responses with the initial aims and objectives of the UHS AP. While there was a good correspondence between these objectives and reported outcomes, the objectives do not emphasise the same aspects of acceleration which the participants valued - namely the strong friendships they developed and the chance to be themselves.
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ItemCurriculum and programme provisions for gifted and talented children in Victorian J.S.H.A.A. schools( 1992)This study has surveyed the provision of programmes for Children with High Intellectual Potential (C.H.I.P.) in Victorian member schools of the Junior Schools Heads Association Australia. Fifty-nine schools were surveyed; fifty-four responded, representing some 19,000 junior school children. The survey was divided into six sections covering staffing provisions, curriculum and programmes, definition of gifted children, identification procedures, changing perspectives and importance of C.H.I.P., and subscriptions to journals. The literature search was divided into two distinct sections. Within the Australian context the review was historical, marking the modern beginnings of education for C.H.I.P.. There is a dearth of literature with Australian origins on gifted and talented children. The late seventies and early eighties uncover some material, basically funded and inspired by the Commonwealth Schools Commission. The emphasis is on surveys of programmes. The conclusion is clear that what programmes were operating were ad hoc in nature. This was inevitable, as teacher training for C.H.I.P. was non-existent. In the early eighties, promising programmes in the Victorian Education Department and the Catholic Education system were quickly quashed by a change of government. Major writers such as Gallagher, Maker and Van Tassel-Bash identify three distinct curriculum models, the Content, the Process/Product and the Epistemological. There is no evidence at this stage to suggest that the Victorian C.H.I.P. programmes are anything more than ad hoc. They do not fit into the three identified curriculum models. In-class provision is the main methodology, with programmes based on Bloom's Taxonomy or the Sato/Kaplan Differentiated Curriculum. Many schools are not yet operating strongly founded theoretical based programmes, and are clearly moving without direction. There is lack of understanding of the concept of C.H.I.P., even though identification procedures are quite sophisticated. Interest in teacher in-service appears to be growing rapidly. There is clearly a crucial need to provide pre-service courses at teacher training institutions. The major need for C.H.I.P. is for the Commonwealth government and the Ministry of Education in Victoria to develop and implement a policy on gifted and talented children.
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ItemIntroducing a gifted program in a rural secondary school( 1996)The study reported here outlines the steps taken to address a problem in the field of Education in a rural, secondary school. The problem, "What can be done to cater for the needs of gifted students in Years 7 and 8?" was posed by a member of staff of this school. He recognised that there was a need for an interventionist, in this case an external consultant, to undertake research on the existing educational setting, with members of the school community. The external consultant had expertise in the area of gifted programming, and also the necessary time to devote to lead the research which needed to be carried out. Action Research was chosen as a methodology which would be appropriate in this real-life situation. It involved the process of problem-solving through cycles of planning, acting and reflecting. It was a means of identifying and implementing a practical solution to a practical problem and, it was a method of carefully examining a practice and bringing about change in that practice. The process of change involved the participation of people who were part of the problem, viz. a number of administrators and teachers. These staff members were prepared to become part of a planning team instrumental in bringing about change in the learning environment of the school. The external consultant was also part of the planning team. The planning team gathered relevant data relating to current provisions for highly-able students, reflected on the data, planned appropriate action, acted and reflected on the action. This cyclical process utilised the reflection component to modify any procedural steps, thereby commencing the next cycle with substantive issues arising from the reflective practice. Through the 'Action Research process, significant attitudinal and structural changes occurred in the school setting involving administrators, teachers, students and parents. A definition of giftedness was accepted and a Talent Pool of highly able students was identified. In addition, community involvement was initiated, a resource pool of mentor volunteers was compiled and a Mentor program commenced. One of the outcomes of the process of change was the acceptance of future directions for the school in the area of gifted education. A number of proposals was accepted into the school structure for 1997, viz. the blocking of English periods in Years 7, 8 and 9 for subject acceleration, the continuation of the Mentor program and the deployment of interested staff in the gifted program. Action Research provided the means of improving a practice by the undertaking of new action in the form of a Mentor program for Year 7 students. This was a provision which was envisaged as being part of an extended gifted program in 1997. New direction for the following cycle of action focused on the problem, "What can be done to establish a comprehensive gifted program throughout the school?" The emphasis had shifted from the Year 7 level to a total-school approach, leading to a new perception of the problem and a new cycle of planning and action.
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ItemIt isn't always about playing the right notes-- : meeting the needs of gifted secondary school students with jazz improvisation( 2007)The aim of this research is to examine what particular aspects of gifted education and gifted learning are evident within a secondary school based jazz combo. The curriculum content focussed on jazz improvisation: this curriculum and the combo setting are examined and analysed through the lens of a gifted learning pedagogy. The experience of the Jazz Combo is examined through the experiences of two students who form the case studies from which all data was created. Both students were interviewed at the beginning and end of ten week period and their responses were analysed for evidence of gifted learning. This study suggests that a jazz improvisation curriculum is a valid and beneficial learning area for gifted music students. Particular gifted learning processes including creative thinking, producing creative outcomes, ability based grouping, and small group learning were all evident and of value in this project. This research reveals creativity and freedom as potential motivating factors for gifted students while highlighting the need for gifted students to be involved in specialised learning environments that target their needs.
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ItemCognition and metacognition of gifted and average preadolescent males( 2000)Recent conceptions of giftedness as domain-based cognitive precocity have focused on superior processing speed and power, advanced abstract reasoning, and metacognitive insight as key factors in distinguishing gifted from average cognition. This empirical research studied sixteen matched pairs of gifted and average 10 and 12 year-old males to explore the extent to which these variables might explain differences between gifted and average cognitive and metacognitive development. Utilising Piaget's developmental theory of cognition as a theoretical foundation, and his Methode Clinique as procedural framework, it examined 1/ cognitive speed and ability during problem-solving in three domains: verbal, logical-mathematical and spatial, and 2/ general metacognitive awareness in gifted and average preadolescents. Results revealed statistically significant cognitive differences between gifted and average students, but findings were not consistent across domains. In general, gifted students solved problems faster in the verbal and logical-mathematical domains, but not in the spatial domain. They demonstrated superior performance and higher levels of abstract reasoning in all three. Notably, gifted 10 year-olds outperformed not only the average 10 year-olds (their chronological age peers) but also the average 12 year-olds (their mental age peers) in terms of speed in two domains, as well as accuracy and use of formal operations in all three. The gifted students used qualitatively different problem solving strategies from those used by average students. Metacognitive differences followed a similar pattern except for response time. Gifted students tended to solve metacognitive problems more slowly, possibly reflecting their more complex and varied metacognitive strategies, and their greater metacognitive awareness. Their generally higher level of metacognitive awareness was usually, but not invariably, associated with formal reasoning, particularly in the verbal and logical-mathematical domains. Conversely, average students with high metacognitive awareness were likely still to use concrete reasoning in verbal problem solving and transitional reasoning in the other two domains. The finding that gifted students as young as 10 years were using formal reasoning in up to three domains, while average students were still concrete or transitional problem solvers, supported the definition of giftedness as precocious cognitive development in preadolescence. Gifted students' early between-stage transition and subsequent rapid within-stage movement toward consolidated formal reasoning suggested that there might be a differentiated cognitive development for gifted, as distinct from average individuals. While results provided some evidence of domain-specific giftedness characterised by formal reasoning in only one domain, the more common use of formal reasoning in two or more domains by gifted students supported the hypothesis that their differentiated cognitive development promotes domain-general giftedness.
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ItemNight of the notables : a program for gifted and talented students intended to provide modelling for life from the lives of the eminent and famous for use as gifted education in schools( 1994)One of the continuing needs for the education of gifted and talented children is the provision of effective role models who are their intellectual peers. Being gifted brings special conditions and demands special provisions for a differentiated education. This thesis documents the development, implementation and evaluation of an educational Program intended to cater for the needs of gifted and talented children. It uses the lives of eminent personalities to provide gifted children with role models in life for coping with the phenomenon of giftedness. It argues that such studies provide real-world role modelling, mastery of life-long skills and a strong motivation to achieve. The theoretical base selected is George T. Betts' autonomous learner model, where longer and deeper personal research is supported by athome, in-class and in-school provisions to encourage students to develop higher level communication skills and better self concepts about themselves as gifted persons. The Program, entitled the Night of the Notables, is a flexible educational Program, being both user and teacher friendly, one that can be used as enrichment or extension in selected groups or in general ability classrooms, over shorter or longer time spans, for both gifted and talented, and across several age groups. The thesis documents the progress of the study with lower secondary students at a suburban independent school, analyses data supporting hypotheses about increased cognitive and affective skills, and provides original materials developed to run the Program. Implications for preferring similar methodologies for teaching gifted and talented are developed and explored. It is argued that Night of the Notables is a suitable new model for Australian gifted education. It is adaptable as a stand alone Program or as an infused one. It is multi layered so it can meet the needs of a wide variety of ability levels. It emphasises student choice and commitment and so is similar to the admirable Renzulli Type III Enrichment for gifted education.
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ItemCooperative learning : a viable teaching strategy for gifted students in heterogeneous classrooms?( 1998)In recent years, there has been a strong movement towards educational restructuring and reform. Cooperative learning is one instructional strategy which many supporters see as central to the goals of the reform movement. While these cooperative learning methods hold promise for many students, the research is concentrated on the average and low-ability students. Its impact on the gifted students remains inadequately assessed. The problem escalates when many educators view cooperative learning as a panacea to address the difficulties brought about by educational reform, such as teaching a class with mixed academic abilities. In addition, cooperative learning has also been used to justify the move to reduce differentiated programmes for the gifted population. This study addresses the controversy regarding the use of cooperative learning with the gifted students in a heterogeneous classroom. This is done by comparing gifted students learning cooperatively with those learning individually in a typical regular classroom. Viability of the teaching method is determined by investigating which learning environment better caters to the learning as well as affective needs of the gifted and talented students with the use of achievement tests and attitude measures. 19 gifted students were randomly assigned to a cooperative and individualistic learning condition. The students participated in a six X 55-minute instructional course based on social studies. The cooperative learning model used in this study was the Jigsaw method. The results indicate that cooperative learning experiences promoted higher achievement and the use of higher-order thinking skills among the gifted students. The results also suggest that the gifted students in a heterogeneous class felt more supported and accepted by their peers and teachers in the cooperative condition. It is concluded that cooperative learning can be beneficial to gifted students in a heterogeneous classroom if steps are taken to ensure that the students are suitably challenged. Well-trained teachers, appropriate structuring of the groups and differentiating the curriculum to suit the needs of the gifted students are identified as some of the factors crucial to the success of the cooperative learning strategy.
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ItemCurriculum differentiation for gifted pre-schoolers : a study of a professional development program( 1999)Curriculum differentiation has been shown to positively influence the way gifted children develop in educational settings, yet very few pre-school teachers have any training in gifted education and curriculum differentiation. This study examines the needs of young gifted children and whether a differentiated curriculum to meet these needs can be developed in a manner that is accessible to pre-school teachers who have had no formal training in the area of giftedness. The sample included a group of twelve pre-school teachers who participated in a series of workshops examining giftedness in early childhood, the learning needs of young gifted children and ways to respond to these needs. The study utilised a comparison of curriculum units developed by the teachers, both before and after the intervention of the workshops. The units were analysed according to criteria identifying specific characteristics of curriculum differentiation and their presence in the units of work developed by the teachers. This analysis showed that there was a substantial increase in the presence of the identified characteristics in the curriculum units developed at the conclusion of the workshops and that many of these characteristics were also evident in units of work developed eighteen months after the conclusion of the workshops. For example, variety of process, product and interaction were infrequent characteristics prior to the workshops, yet were evident in almost every unit both immediately after the conclusion of the workshops and eighteen months later. While the sample of this study is small, the findings suggest that specifically designed workshops can significantly influence the curriculum that teachers develop to respond to the needs of the gifted children in their care.