Your search found 997 results.

Descriptors:
Talent; Gifted; Identification; Intervention; Small Group Instruction; Gender Differences; Academic Ability; Instructional Program Divisions; Talent Development; Acceleration (Education); Language Arts; Mathematics Education; Science Education; Student Attitudes; Individualized Instruction; Mathematics Instruction

Abstract:
Established in the early 1970s, the talent search model has garnered strong theoretical and programming support for addressing the academic needs of highly able students. The two main components of the talent search model are discovery (identification) and development (programming) of academic talent. Discovery of academically talented elementary and middle school students occurs via the process of above-level testing, usually offered through university-based centers. The essence of talent search program intervention is acceleration, which has robust research support as the most effective intervention for high-ability students. Whereas talent search identification and programming are university based, talent search participants receive nearly all of their instruction in K-12 settings, where academic acceleration is less likely to be implemented. In this investigation, a large sample of talent search participants (n = 5,844) were asked questions designed to measure the various ways in which the students study mathematics, science, and language arts (writing and reading) in the K-12 setting. More than two thirds of the study sample reported that they were taught in the regular classroom, learning the same material, at the same level and pace as nongifted peers. The type of curriculum differentiation or program delivery model (e.g., small-group instruction) reported by the students varied according to subject area, with the greatest percentage of reports of differentiated delivery in mathematics. Main effects were found for gender, grade, and ability. Implications for school-based accelerative interventions are presented. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

More Info:
Help | Tutorial Help Finding Full Text |  More Info:
Help Find in a Library |  Publisher's website

Descriptors:
Acceleration (Education); Rating Scales; Urban Schools; Academically Gifted; Rural Schools; Suburban Schools; Rural Urban Differences; Teacher Attitudes; Social Influences; Emotional Experience; Student Needs; Teachers; Longitudinal Studies; Extracurricular Activities; Teacher Surveys; School Policy; Parent Attitudes; Measures (Individuals); Focus Groups

Abstract:
Despite extensive research supporting its use, including the 2004 publication of "A Nation Deceived," acceleration is an underutilized strategy for meeting the academic needs of gifted and talented students. Parents' and educators' attitudes and beliefs about acceleration influence the extent to which it is implemented in schools. This study investigated gifted and talented educators' attitudes toward acceleration using a 7-point rating scale measuring concerns about acceleration, beliefs about acceleration, and support for specific acceleration strategies. Data indicated there were no differences in attitudes among teachers from rural, suburban, or urban school districts. Overall, the least popular acceleration strategies were also the easiest to implement, but caused the greatest change in students' environments (i.e., grade-skipping and early entrance to kindergarten). As expected, the educators were most troubled by social issues and least concerned about academic issues related to acceleration. (Contains 6 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

More Info:
Help | Tutorial Help Finding Full Text |  More Info:
Help Find in a Library |  Publisher's website

Descriptors:
Academically Gifted; Nontraditional Education; Teaching Methods; Student Needs; Acceleration (Education); Profiles; State Schools; Enrichment Activities; Educational Finance; Summer Programs; Art Education; Advanced Courses; Residential Programs; Special Schools

Abstract:
In this article, the authors discuss Governor's Schools as an alternative for gifted students. When the word school is used, people typically think about traditional schooling. But Governor's Schools are different in the type of schooling provided and the type of students served--they educate predominantly gifted children, teach a wide array of content, use acceleration and enrichment, and meet the needs of children academically and socially. Depending on the location and type, Governor's Schools may operate only in the summer or for an entire school year. The profiles of several Governor's Schools are included in this article to provide a better understanding of their purpose and operation. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

More Info:
Help | Tutorial Help Finding Full Text |  More Info:
Help Find in a Library |  Publisher's website

Descriptors:
Academically Gifted; Psychological Patterns; Teaching Experience; Foreign Countries; Birth Order; Measures (Individuals); Correlation; Comparative Analysis; Social Characteristics; Emotional Response; Self Concept; Acceleration (Education); Elementary Secondary Education; Higher Education; Children; Adolescents; Young Adults

Abstract:
Background: In the studies of acceleration conducted so far a multidimensional perspective has largely been neglected. No attempt has been made to relate social-emotional characteristics of accelerated versus non-accelerated students in perspective of environmental factors. Aims: In this study, social-emotional characteristics of accelerated gifted students in the Netherlands were examined in relation to personal and environmental factors. Samples: Self-concept and social contacts of accelerated (n = 148) and non-accelerated (n = 55) gifted students, aged 4 to 27 (M = 11.22, SD = 4.27) were measured. Method: Self-concept and social contacts of accelerated and non-accelerated gifted students were measured using a questionnaire and a diary, and parents of these students evaluated their behavioural characteristics. Gender and birth order were studied as personal factors and grade, classroom, teachers' gender, teaching experience, and the quality of parent-school contact as environmental factors. Results: The results showed minimal differences in the social-emotional characteristics of accelerated and non-accelerated gifted students. The few differences we found favoured the accelerated students. We also found that multiple grade skipping does not have negative effects on social-emotional characteristics, and that long-term effects of acceleration tend to be positive. As regards the possible modulation of personal and environmental factors, we merely found an impact of such factors in the non-accelerated group. Conclusions: The results of this study strongly suggest that social-emotional characteristics of accelerated gifted students and non-accelerated gifted students are largely similar. These results thus do not support worries expressed by teachers about the acceleration of gifted students. Our findings parallel the outcomes of earlier studies in the United States and Germany in that we observed that acceleration does not harm gifted students, not even in the case of multiple grade skipping. On the contrary, there is a suggestion in the data that accelerated students are more socially competent than non-accelerated students. The findings in this study can reassure those parents and teachers who worry about the social-emotional consequences of acceleration in school: If a student is gifted, acceleration seems to be a sound and, in many cases, appropriate measure in gifted education. (Contains 3 footnotes and 8 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

More Info:
Help | Tutorial Help Finding Full Text |  More Info:
Help Find in a Library |  Publisher's website

Descriptors:
High School Students; Disadvantaged; College Preparation; College Readiness; Acceleration (Education); Focus Groups; Interviews; Caring; Student Diversity; Cultural Pluralism; Learning Experience; Transformative Learning; Educational Facilities Design; Data Analysis; Student Attitudes; Identification; Self Concept; Academic Achievement; Social Support Groups; Goal Orientation; Futures (of Society); Delay of Gratification

Abstract:
Focus Group interviews with 31 disadvantaged students in an Early College High School (ECHS) program present insights to students' experience in the hybrid school, specifically regarding their perceptions of college readiness. Student "voice" in research can yield significant information when examining aspects of school design that potentially support postsecondary preparation. Three constructs of college readiness were investigated: academic preparedness, social preparedness, and personal preparedness. Themes and subthemes that emerged in data analysis include the following: "Readiness" with subthemes of Academic Assessment, Autonomy, Discipline, Responsibility, and Management of Time; "Learning Community" with subthemes of Social Acclimation, Corporate Accountability, and Caring Relationships; "Identity" with subthemes of Anonymity, Transitional Tensions and Triumphs, Scholarly "Self," and Mirrored Maturity; and "Productivity" with subthemes of Future Focus and Delayed Gratification. Findings indicate that the ECHS experience supported students' acclimation to college-level work and significantly affected their collegiate identity. (Contains 3 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

More Info:
Help | Tutorial Help Finding Full Text |  More Info:
Help Find in a Library |  Publisher's website

Descriptors:
Community Colleges; State Policy; Educational Policy; Partnerships in Education; Transfer Programs; Acceleration (Education); Educational Change

Abstract:
Completion by Design, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is a partnership between participating colleges and state-level policy organizations. The initiative's strong policy component seeks both to change policies in ways that support the colleges' change strategies and to spread the learning and ideas stemming from Completion by Design to the other community colleges in each state. Now that the colleges have settled upon their strategies, the critical next step is for the states to assess how they can best support the institutions and scale up their best innovations as they design and implement structured pathways. However, a robust focus on strengthening student pathways represents a new frontier for both community colleges and the state policy environments in which they operate. As a result, Jobs for the Future (JFF) has looked across the participating states to develop 10 high-leverage policies that can accelerate institutional change toward systemic, student-focused structured pathways. These recommendations are not meant to be prescriptive, nor do they comprise an exhaustive list of potential policies that states could implement to improve postsecondary completion rates. Rather, these policies align tightly to the goal of supporting colleges as they build structured pathways. The policy recommendations are organized by the four phases of the initiative's Preventing Loss, Creating Momentum Framework. This policy brief is designed to be a living document. JFF will vet the document with states, college representatives, and partners on the Completion by Design National Assistance Team, see which ideas gain traction, and revise and adapt it over time to reflect changes in the priorities and strategies of the initiative and its participating colleges and states. [For the full report, "Cornerstones of Completion: State Policy Support for Accelerated, Structured Pathways to College Credentials and Transfer," see ED539876.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (1185K)

Descriptors:
Community Colleges; State Policy; Educational Policy; Partnerships in Education; Educational Change; Transfer Programs; Acceleration (Education); Remedial Programs; Articulation (Education); Vocational Education; Education Work Relationship; Dual Enrollment; Educational Opportunities; Student Placement; Student Evaluation; Academic Advising; School Orientation; Faculty Development; College Faculty; Teacher Leadership; Technology Uses in Education; Student Financial Aid

Abstract:
In spring 2012, after a year of intensive data analysis and planning, the colleges participating in Completion by Design announced strategies for creating clear, structured routes through college for more students, often referred to as accelerated, structured pathways to completion. These strategies contain elements unique to each college, but all drive toward helping students enroll early in program streams that lead to a major, and keeping students engaged and progressing until they complete credentials with labor market value. To that end, the strategies include interventions such as strategic dual enrollment, mandatory orientation, improved advising, acceleration of developmental education, early enrollment in programs of study, and close monitoring of student progress. Now that the colleges have settled upon their strategies, the critical next step is for the states to assess how they can best support the institutions and scale up their best innovations as they design and implement structured pathways. However, a robust focus on strengthening student pathways represents a new frontier for both community colleges and the state policy environments in which they operate. As a result, Jobs for the Future (JFF) has looked across the participating states to develop 10 high-leverage policies that can accelerate institutional change toward systemic, student-focused structured pathways. These recommendations are not meant to be prescriptive, nor do they comprise an exhaustive list of potential policies that states could implement to improve postsecondary completion rates. Rather, these policies align tightly to the goal of supporting colleges as they build structured pathways. The policy recommendations, summarized in this paper, are organized by the four phases of the initiative's Preventing Loss, Creating Momentum Framework. This policy brief is designed to be a living document. JFF will vet the document with states, college representatives, and partners on the Completion by Design National Assistance Team, see which ideas gain traction, and revise and adapt it over time to reflect changes in the priorities and strategies of the initiative and its participating colleges and states. Alignment between the Completion by Design Pathway Design Principles and the Policy Recommendations is appended. (Contains 3 figures and 2 tables.) [For executive summary, "Cornerstones of Completion: State Policy Support for Accelerated, Structured Pathways to College Credentials and Transfer: Executive Summary," see ED539878.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (8299K)

Descriptors:
Adult Students; Community Colleges; Labor Force Development; Technical Education; Adult Vocational Education; Program Effectiveness; Acceleration (Education); Academic Support Services; Student Personnel Services; Alignment (Education); Education Work Relationship; Capacity Building; Educational Policy; Associate Degrees; State Surveys; Case Studies

Abstract:
The Michigan Center for Student Success commissioned this study to determine whether strategies employed to improve adult students' success at 41 Breaking Through colleges nationwide have taken root at Michigan's original colleges and spread beyond them. A statewide survey revisited four of the colleges profiled in previous publications, and the research looked more closely at two additional colleges that have experimented with Breaking Through-type programs. In this research, some themes emerged to guide future state investments: (1) The importance of scaling up from "boutique" programs to serve more students; (2) The need to create clear pathways between noncredit workforce training and credit programs leading to Associate's degrees in occupational disciplines; (3) The significance of investment in upfront program features such as skill assessments and career guidance; and (4) The role of workforce training programs in incubating student success strategies. Based on this research, the Center for Student Success has created a new initiative, Michigan Pathways to Credentials, to broaden the impact of Breaking Through strategies and support the development of career pathways across the state. Supported by a grant from the Kresge Foundation, six colleges will scale up their efforts to support adult students in obtaining credentials leading to family-sustaining careers. Appended are: (1) Breaking Through College Case Studies; and (2) Michigan Breaking Through Statewide Survey Template. [For executive summary, "Forging New Pathways: The Impact of the Breaking Through Initiative in Michigan. Executive Summary," see ED539873.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (1193K)

Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Acceleration (Education); Basic Writing; Writing Instruction; Developmental Studies Programs; Longitudinal Studies; Two Year College Students; Community Colleges; Outcomes of Education; Academic Persistence; College Readiness; Multivariate Analysis; Regression (Statistics); Racial Differences; Income; Cohort Analysis

Abstract:
This paper presents the findings from a follow-up quantitative analysis of the Community College of Baltimore County's Accelerated Learning Program (ALP). The results suggest that among students who enroll in the highest level developmental writing course, participation in ALP is associated with substantially better outcomes in terms of English 101 completion and English 102 completion (college-level English courses), which corroborates the results of a similar analysis completed in 2010. Moreover, using a larger number of cohorts and tracking students over a longer period of time, we also found that ALP students were more likely than non-ALP students to persist to the next year. In addition to specific subgroup analyses, we compared college-ready students enrolled in ALP sections of English 101 with their counterparts in wholly college-ready sections, and found that those in ALP sections had equivalent performance within English 101 itself, but slightly lower subsequent college-level course enrollment and completion. (Contains 2 figures, 8 tables, and 7 footnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

 ERIC Full Text (424K)

Descriptors:
Achievement Gap; Mathematics Education; Federal Legislation; Mathematics Achievement; College Graduates; Educational Change; Foreign Countries; Grade 8; Mathematics Skills; Educational Quality; Job Skills; Equal Education; Algebra; Educational Policy; Acceleration (Education); Scores

Abstract:
American students test poorly in mathematics compared to those in other developed--and in some cases, less developed--countries. While we have seen some signs of improved performance in recent years, these improvements are not yet evident among high school students. And the proportion of new college graduates who majored in math-intensive subjects has declined by nearly half over the past sixty years. Will the United States lose its edge in innovation as the math skills of our elite students atrophy? Will the average worker possess the training necessary to take advantage of technically demanding twenty-first-century job opportunities? Most important, why has the United States lost ground, and what course must we follow to gain it back? This report summarizes recent research that yields important insights into America's mathematics problem. Stated succinctly, the root of the problem is an excessive emphasis on equality in curriculum. Given the inherent variability in students' math aptitude, equity can be achieved only by delivering a suboptimal education to at least some students. A recent policy initiative undertaken by one of the nation's largest and most successful school districts, Charlotte-Mecklenburg (North Carolina), illustrates the hazards of math acceleration. In 2002, the district joined a growing number of education agencies in promoting eighth grade algebra for a larger proportion of students. The push to accelerate algebra was based on a naive interpretation of correlations between algebra timing and later success, ignoring the obvious counterargument that a propensity for future success drives early algebra taking, not the reverse. However ill-conceived the policy, though, the results are instructive: (1) In the span of two years, Charlotte-Mecklenburg students performing below average in math witnessed threefold increases in the likelihood of taking Algebra I by eighth grade; (2) Students subjected to algebra acceleration scored thirteen percentile points lower on a standardized end-of-course test than students permitted to take algebra on a regular schedule; (3) Accelerated students were less likely to pass an end-of-course test in geometry, despite receiving an extra year to do so. They were no more likely to pass an end-of-course test in algebra II. A more thorough review of curricular trends in high school mathematics over the twentieth century shows that the Charlotte-Mecklenburg experience is not a fluke. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, waves of reform, including the "new math" movement, have sought to improve the math achievement of moderate-performing students. The emphasis on the performance of lower-achieving students increased after the 1983 "A Nation At Risk" report and the 2001 passage of the No Child Left Behind Act. Recent studies have verified an obvious side effect of this focus: declining achievement among higher-performing students. The past thirty years have witnessed a 20-point increase in average math SAT scores but a 25 percent drop in the proportion of college students who major in math-intensive subjects. Altogether, the evidence suggests that America's math wounds have been self-inflicted, illustrating the hazards of a single-minded focus on relative rather than absolute performance. Closing the achievement gap by improving the performance of struggling students is hard; closing the gap by reducing the quality of education offered to high performers--for example, by eliminating tracking and promoting universal access to "rigorous" courses while reducing the definition of rigor--is easy. The thoughtless incentives often provided to close the gap make the path of least resistance even more tempting. This report concludes with a series of prescriptions for ensuring forthcoming generations of American workers will include both innovators who create jobs in technically demanding industries and workers qualified to hold them: (1) For several decades, the United States has counteracted its decline in math in part by importing highly talented immigrants. American immigration policy prioritizes family reunification over skills, in direct contrast with peer nations such as Australia and Canada. Any attempt at immigration reform should address this issue; (2) Curricular fads such as Singapore math hold promise in many circles but may not be readily adaptable to American cultural and educational settings. Experimentation is warranted, but we must be mindful that the net effect of our past curricular tinkering has been negative; and (3) Pursuing equity in curriculum must harm some students, and evidence suggests that some past reforms have managed to harm all of them. American students are heterogeneous, and a rational strategy to improve math performance must begin with that premise. (Contains 8 figures and 23 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

Related Items: Show Related Items

Full-Text Availability Options:

More Info:
Help | Tutorial Help Finding Full Text |  Publisher's website