Identification of, and academic provision for high-ability science students: What does the literature say?

Matthew Burrell 1, Jenny Horsley 2, Azra Moeed 2 *
More Detail
1 Science Department, Newland's College, Wellington, New Zealand
2 School of Education, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
* Corresponding Author
EUR J SCI MATH ED, Volume 5, Issue 2, pp. 110-118. https://doi.org/10.30935/scimath/9501
OPEN ACCESS   1695 Views   1090 Downloads
Download Full Text (PDF)

ABSTRACT

Over the last two decades, education in Australia and New Zealand has focussed on improving student underachievement in schools. There is concern that this focus is having a negative impact on meeting the needs of high-ability students, including those who are potentially high-ability science students. It appears the freedom the national curriculum gives schools to identify and then provide for high-ability science students is problematic, and there is no clear picture emerging of how schools are identifying and providing for the learning needs of these students. This review of literature identifies tools teachers may choose to use to identify high-ability students in science such as using a range of characteristics combined with evidence of students’ substantive, procedural, and epistemological understandings of science ideas. The means of meeting these students’ needs is considered within the extant literature, with curriculum acceleration identifed as the preferable approach to making appropriate academic provision for high-ability science students.
Keywords: high-ability, science, gifted, identification of high-ability students, provision for high-ability science students, New Zealand

CITATION

Burrell, M., Horsley, J., & Moeed, A. (2017). Identification of, and academic provision for high-ability science students: What does the literature say?. European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 5(2), 110-118. https://doi.org/10.30935/scimath/9501

REFERENCES

  • Ackerman, P. L., Kanfer, R.,and Beier, M. E., (2013). Trait complex, cognitive ability, and domain knowledge predictors of baccalaureate success, STEM persistence, and gender differences. Journal of Educational Psychology,105(3), 911-927.doi.org/10.1037/a0032338
  • Anthony, G., Rawlins, P., Riley, T.,and Winsley, J., (2002). Accelerated learning in New Zealand secondary school mathematics. Australasian Journal of Gifted Education,11(2), 11-17.
  • Author., (2015).
  • Authors.,(2016).
  • Bryant, P., Nunes, T., Hillier, J., Gilroy, C., and Barros, R., (2013). The importance of being able to deal with variables in learning science. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education,13(1), 145-163. doi.org/10.1007/s10763-013-9469-x
  • Caygill, R., (2008). PISA 2006: How ready are our 15-year-olds for tomorrow’s world?Wellington: Ministry of Education.
  • Colangelo, N., Assouline, S. G., and Gross M. U. M., (2004). A nation deceived: How schools hold back America’s brightest students(Vol. 1).Iowa City, IA: The Connie Belin and Jacqueline N. Blank International Centre for Gifted Education and Talent Development.
  • Colangelo, N., Assouline, S. G., Marron, M. A., Castellano, J. A., Clinkenbeard, P. R., Rogers, K., and Smith, D., (2010). Guidelines for developing an academic acceleration policy. Journal of Advanced Academics, 21(1), 180-203.doi.org/10.1177/1932202X1002100202
  • Coll, R. K., (2007). Opportunities for gifted science provision in the context of a learner-centred national curriculum. In K. Taber (Ed.),Science education for gifted learners (pp. 15-31). Oxfordshire: Routledge.
  • Education Review Office., (2008). “Schools’ provision for gifted and talented students”.http://www.ero.govt.nz/National-Reports/Schools-Provision-for-Gifted-and-Talented-Students-Good-Practice-June-2008 (accessed).
  • Feldhusen, J. F., (2005). Educating gifted and talented youth for high-level expertise and creative achievement. Educational Research Journal, 20(1), 16-25.
  • Forster, J.,(2010). A school's success in providing challenge and engagement for gifted students in the middle school years.Australasian Journal of Gifted Education,19(1), 24-42.
  • Frost, P., (2006). The CTY summer school model: Evolvement, adaptation and extrapolation at the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (England). High-ability Studies, 16(1), 137-152. doi.org/10.1080/13598130500115379
  • Gilbert, J. K.and Newberry, M., (2007). The characteristics of the gifted and exceptionally able in science. In K. Taber (Ed.),Science education for gifted learners (pp. 15-31). Oxfordshire: Routledge.
  • Gluckman, P., (2011). Looking ahead: Science education for the twenty-first century(A report to the Prime Minister from the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor). Auckland: Office of the Prime Minister’s Science Advisory Committee.
  • Griffin, P., Care, E., Frances, M., Hutchinson, D.,and Pavlevic, M., (2012). The influence of teaching strategies on student achievement in higher order skills, school improvement: What does research tell us about effective strategies? In C. Glascodine, and K-A. Hoad (Eds.),Proceedings of the Australian Council of Educational Research p.48-60.
  • Hattie, J., (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. London: Routledge.
  • Huang, D.and Cho, J., (2009). Academic enrichment in high-functioning homeworkafterschool programs. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 23(3), 382-392.doi.org/10.1080/02568540909594668
  • Hume, A.and Coll, R., (2008). Student experiences of carrying out a practical science investigation under direction. InternationalJournal of Science Education, 30(9), 1201-1228. doi.org/10.1080/09500690701445052
  • Hume, A.and Coll, R., (2010). Authentic student inquiry: The mismatch between the intended curriculum and the student‐experienced curriculum. Research in Science and Technological Education, 28(1), 43-62. doi.org/10.1080/02635140903513565
  • Jarvis, J. M. and Henderson, L., (2015). Current practices in the education of gifted and advanced learners in South Australian schools [online]. Australasian Journal of Gifted Education,24(2), 70-86.
  • Jolly, J. L., (2015). The cost of high stakes testing for high-ability learners. The Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, 24(1), 30-36.
  • Kornmann, J., Zettler, I., Kammerer, Y., Gerjets, P., and Trautwein, U., (2015). What characterizes children nominated as gifted by teachers? A closer consideration of working memory and intelligence. High-ability Studies,26(1), 75-92. doi.org/10.1080/13598139.2015.1033513
  • Kronborg, L.and Plunkett, M., (2009). Curriculum differentiation: An innovative Australian secondary school program to extend academic talent.Australasian Journal of Gifted Education,17(1), 19-29.
  • Kulik, J., (2004). Meta-analytic studies of acceleration. In N. Colangelo, S. G. Assouline, and M. U. M. Gross (Eds.), A nation deceived: How schools hold back America’s brightest students(Vol. 2, pp. 13-22). Iowa City, IA: The Connie Belin and Jacqueline N. Blank International Centre for Gifted Education and Talent Development.
  • Megay-Nsepoli, K., (2001). Beliefs and attitudes on novice teachers regarding instruction of academically talented learners. Roeper Review, 23(3), 178-182.
  • Mephie, N.and Mark, V., (2014). Working with gifted science students in a public high school environment: One school's approach. Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 15(4), 141-147.
  • Ministry of Education.(NZ).,(1993). Science in the New Zealand curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.
  • Ministry of Education. (NZ)., (2000). Gifted and talented students: Meeting their needs in New Zealand schools. Wellington: Learning Media.
  • Ministry of Education. (NZ)., (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.
  • Ministry of Education. (NZ)., (2012). Gifted and talented students: Meeting their needs in New Zealand schools. Wellington: Learning Media.
  • Ministry of Education.(NZ).,(2015). “The national administration guidelines”. http://www.education.govt.nz/ministry-of-education/legislation/nags/ (accessed November 2016)
  • Moltzen, R., (2011). Historical perspectives.In R. Moltzen (Ed.), Gifted and talented: New Zealand perspectives (3rd ed., pp. 1-30). Auckland: Pearson.
  • Riley, T., Bevan-Brown, J., Bicknell, B., Carroll-Lind, J., and Kearney, A., (2004). The extent, nature and effectiveness of planned approaches in New Zealand schools for providing for gifted and talented students: Report to the Ministry of Education. Wellington: Ministry of Education.
  • Riley, T.and Bicknell, B., (2013). Gifted and talented education in New Zealand schools: A decade later. The New Zealand Journal of Gifted Education, 18(1), 1-16).
  • Riley, T.and Moltzen, R., (2011). Learning by doing: Action research to evaluate provisions for gifted and talented students. Kairaranga, 12(1), 23-31.
  • Robinson, A., Dailey, D., Hughes, G., and Cotabish, A., (2014). The effects of a science-focused STEM intervention on gifted and talented elementary students in science knowledge and skills. Journal of Advanced Academics, 25(1), 159-161.
  • Taber, K. S., (2007). Science education for gifted learners. Oxfordshire: Routledge.
  • Taber, K. S. and Riga, F., (2007). In K. Taber. (Ed.), Science education for gifted learners (pp. 15-31). Oxfordshire: Routledge.
  • Townsend, M. A. R., (2011). The need to balance acceleration with enrichment in gifted education. In R. Moltzen (Ed.), Gifted and talented: New Zealand perspectives (pp. 252-275). Auckland: Pearson.
  • Venville, G.and Oliver, M., (2015). The impact of a cognitive acceleration programme in science on students in an academically selective high school. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 15(1), 48-60. doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2014.11.004
  • Wardman, J., (2009). Secondary teachers', student teachers' and education students' attitudes to full year academic acceleration as a strategy for gifted students. Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, 18(1), 25.
  • Wardman, J.and Hattie, J., (2012). Administrators' perceptions of full-year acceleration at high school. Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, 21(1), 32.
  • Warmke, A., (2015). Identification and provisions for gifted and talented students at a boys' secondary school in New Zealand (Master’s thesis). Massey University, Palmerston North, NZ. 
  • Watts, G., (2006). Teacher attitudes to the acceleration of the gifted: A case study from New Zealand. Gifted and Talented, 10(1), 11-19.