bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the First Year Experience: Students' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors
Authors: Schrader P. G. , Brown Scott W.
Published: June 2009

First Year Experience (FYE) programs have been implemented in universities and colleges to address the emergent needs of matriculating students. It is well documented that many students are not prepared for the rigors of postsecondary education and FYE programs are designed to supplement the necessary academic and life skills. These academic and life skills range from knowing the location of the library to seeking out appropriate personnel when personal issues arise. Evaluating programs developed to address such a wide range of knowledge and skills is an obvious challenge, especially when each FYE is customized for each corresponding university or college.

In the case of one FYE program at a large university, evaluation of student Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors (KAB) provided a conceptual model to examine the program as a whole. This particular study revealed the following about the FYE program: The KAB approach is pragmatic and efficient. FYE programs are capable of increasing knowledge, which is a principle objective of the courses. The FYE program impacted attitudes associated with academic and life skills. Males and females participate and respond to the FYE differently. For example, females reported significantly higher attitudes than males. The study of FYE Programs overall is highly complex. Further longitudinal studies focusing on retention and attrition are needed.
Academic Achievement, Academic Self-Concept, and Academic Motivation of Immigrant Adolescents in the Greater Toronto Area Secondary Schools
Authors: Areepattamannil Shaljan , Freeman John G.
Published: June 2009

The pattern of immigration in the last few decades coupled with the tendency for ethnic differences in educational attainment that persist over subsequent immigrant generations has led to an increasing gap in academic achievement between immigrant children, who have received little or none of their education in Canada, and nonimmigrant children, who have received all of their education in Canada. Educators tend to stress the socioeconomic and cultural factors affecting immigrant adolescents' academic achievement to the exclusion of the psychological factors that are also at play in the lives of immigrant adolescents. Therefore, this study examined the impact of psychological indicators, such as academic self-concept and academic motivation, on the academic achievement of immigrant and nonimmigrant adolescents in the Greater Toronto Area secondary schools. The immigrant adolescents in this study performed as well as their nonimmigrant counterparts in English and overall school performance. The immigrant adolescents outperformed their nonimmigrant counterparts in mathematics. The immigrant adolescents had higher levels of math and school self-concepts as well as higher intrinsic and extrinsic motivation than their nonimmigrant counterparts. Math self-concept was the only predictor of math GPA for both immigrant and nonimmigrant adolescents. However, both verbal self-concept and school self-concept were the best predictors of English GPA for both immigrant and nonimmigrant adolescents. While school self-concept was the only predictor of overall GPA for nonimmigrant adolescents, the additional factors of math self-concept and extrinsic motivation-external regulation were the best predictors for immigrant adolescents.
A Voice of Reason in the Wilderness
Authors: Rogers Karen B.
Published: June 2009

In this response to Dr. Robinson's essay, the arguments set forth are supported and elaborated upon from this author's personal experiences. Robinson has helped educators reconsider political correctness in order to reshape their vision of what the focus of the field should be. The argument is made that gifted educators must begin once again to lead with their heads instead of their hearts and emotions if the best services are to be provided to the heart of this field: the children themselves. Case studies that illustrate Robinson's statements, both in acknowledgement of the issues on which she has expounded and in trying to arrive at some solution for these issues, are provided.
Gifted Potential and Poverty: A Call for Extraordinary Action
Authors: Kitano Margie K.
Published: June 2009

Dr. Robinson's proposed action plan will serve the needs of highly achieving gifted students. However, defining giftedness as high academic performance based on traditional assessment procedures could reverse the field's fledgling success in supporting culturally diverse gifted children and youth. Changing the focus of equity in gifted education to economic representation will not decrease educators' responsibility to understand the learning needs of racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse students. Nevertheless, a focus on children of poverty with high potential is a worthy and achievable goal and will require extraordinary commitment.
Two Wrongs Do Not Make a Right: Sacrificing the Needs of Gifted Students Does Not Solve Society's Unsolved Problems
Authors: Robinson Nancy M.
Published: June 2009

Gifted students in our nation's schools are being denied needed services because enrollment of underserved minorities in special classes is typically disproportionate. This disproportionality is a direct result of long-standing social inequities and the consequences of poverty. We are punishing the innocent for the sins of a society that has been unable to conquer these problems. A number of well-intentioned remedies have been attempted, but we need to take care that we do not, in the name of fairness, detract from the availability or effectiveness of the programs we have. An action agenda is proposed that may improve matters; but, in the meantime, the author urges that we not abandon rigorous efforts to serve academically advanced children, whatever their backgrounds.
Interpreting Successes and Failures: The Influence of Perfectionism on Perspective
Authors: Neumeister Kristie L. Speirs
Published: June 2009

The findings reported in this article are part of a larger study investigating perfectionism in gifted college students. This qualitative interview study examined differences in the interpretation of successes and failures between gifted college students scoring high on either socially prescribed or self-oriented perfectionism. Findings indicated that socially prescribed perfectionists tended to minimize their successes. They made internal attributions for failure, and they overgeneralized and inflated its ramifications. In contrast, self-oriented perfectionists took pride in their successes and made internal attributions for them. With regard to their failures, they made attributions that were situation-specific, and they were able to keep them in perspective. However, they did report frustration and anger when confronting a failure in a situation where they had applied their greatest effort. Based on these findings, implications for future research and recommendations for parents and educators of gifted children are suggested.
What the Savant Syndrome Can Tell Us about the Nature and Nurture of Talent
Authors: Miller Leon K.
Published: June 2009

Recent research has begun to illuminate the composition and development of exceptional skills in those with intellectual disability. I argue that this research is relevant to more general discussions of talent. First, it provides a special opportunity to deconstruct talent in different domains. Because savants typically lack the general intellectual skills usually present in those with more domain-restricted achievement, this analysis helps to delineate both the core components of talent in those domains and how more general skills affect the expression and development of that talent. Second, savants often have disabilities that can modify the direction of development in unusual ways. Examining these conditions suggests new ways of thinking about how talent may be nurtured.
The Nature and Nurture of Talent: A Bioecological Perspective on the Ontogeny of Exceptional Abilities
Authors: Papierno Paul B. , Ceci Stephen J. , Makel Matthew C. , Williams Wendy M.
Published: June 2009

Despite extensive research, questions underlying the nature and nurture of talent remain both numerous and diverse. In the current paper, we present an account that addresses 2 of the primary questions inspired by this debate: (a) the very existence of innate talents and (b) how exceptional abilities are developed. The development of exceptional performance is addressed through a synthesis of recent models that invoke multiplier effects to explain how differences in initial conditions (e.g., different levels of innate abilities), coupled with gene-environment interactions, determine ranges of phenotypic outcomes.
The Fullerton Longitudinal Study: A Long-Term Investigation of Intellectual and Motivational Giftedness
Authors: Gottfried Allen W. , Gottfried Adele Eskeles , Guerin Diana Wright
Published: June 2009

The Fullerton Longitudinal Study is a contemporary prospective investigation that spans approximately a quarter of a century. Commencing at age 1, children and their families were systematically followed every 6 months from infancy through preschool and annually at ages 5 through 17. They were again assessed at age 24. The course of development for intellectually and motivationally gifted children was studied across a. breadth of developmental domains including academic, cognitive, self-perceptions, temperament, behavioral, social, family/environmental processes, and adult educational achievement. Presented are the methodology and unique aspects of this research that contribute to the study of giftedness. Major findings regarding these two distinct dimensions of giftedness are presented, with some implications for practice and directions for future research.
Gifted Today but Not Tomorrow? Longitudinal Changes in Ability and Achievement during Elementary School
Authors: Lohman David F. , Korb Katrina A.
Published: June 2009

The term gifted implies a permanent superiority. However, the majority of children who score in the top few percentiles on ability and achievement tests in 1 grade do not retain their status for more than a year or 2. The tendency of those with high scores on one occasion to obtain somewhat lower scores on a later occasion is one example of regression to the mean. We first summarize some of the basic facts about regression to the mean. We then discuss major causes of regression: errors of measurement, individual differences in growth, changes in the content of the developmental score scale, and changes in the norming population across age or grade cohorts. We then show that year-to-year regression is substantial, even for highly reliable test scores. Different ways of combining achievement and ability test scores to reduce regression effects are illustrated. Implications for selection policies and research on giftedness are also discussed.
Exceptionally Gifted Children: Long-Term Outcomes of Academic Acceleration and Nonacceleration
Authors: Gross Miraca U. M.
Published: June 2009

A 20-year longitudinal study has traced the academic, social, and emotional development of 60 young Australians with IQs of 160 and above. Significant differences have been noted in the young people's educational status and direction, life satisfaction, social relationships, and self-esteem as a function of the degree of academic acceleration their schools permitted them in childhood and adolescence. The considerable majority of young people who have been radically accelerated, or who accelerated by 2 years, report high degrees of life satisfaction, have taken research degrees at leading universities, have professional careers, and report facilitative social and love relationships. Young people of equal abilities who accelerated by only 1 year or who have not been permitted acceleration have tended to enter less academically rigorous college courses, report lower levels of life satisfaction, and in many cases, experience significant difficulties with socialization. Several did not graduate from college or high school. Without exception, these young people possess multiple talents; however, for some, the extent and direction of talent development has been dictated by their schools' academic priorities or their teachers' willingness or unwillingness to assist in the development of particular talent areas.
Recognition of Giftedness in the Early Years of School: Perspectives of Teachers, Parents, and Children
Authors: Hodge Kerry A. , Kemp Coral R.
Published: June 2009

Although teacher underestimation of ability can have a detrimental effect on children's achievement and motivation, the accuracy of Australian teachers in identifying intellectual giftedness in young children has not been investigated. This study followed 14 children, identified as potentially gifted while preschoolers, for up to 3 of their early years of school, collecting questionnaire data from 26 teachers and the parents, as well as interview and norm-referenced test data from the children. Teachers rated more highly the children whose test scores were more consistently in the gifted range, but more than half of the children were underestimated by at least 1 teacher, especially where nonverbal ability was higher than verbal ability. Strengths in reading were more readily recognized than strengths in spelling and mathematics. Child attitudes and behaviors, as well as some mutual parent-teacher distrust, may have contributed to teacher underestimation. Implications for practice and further research are discussed.
Creativity: The Essence of Mathematics
Authors: Mann Eric L.
Published: June 2009

For the gifted mathematics student, early mastery of concepts and skills in the mathematics curriculum usually results in getting more of the same work and/or moving through the curriculum at a faster pace. Testing, grades, and pacing overshadow the essential role of creativity involved in doing mathematics. Talent development requires creative applications in the exploration of mathematics problems. Traditional teaching methods involving demonstration and practice using closed problems with predetermined answers insufficiently prepare students in mathematics. Students leave school with adequate computational skills but lack the ability to apply these skills in meaningful ways. Teaching mathematics without providing for creativity denies all students, especially gifted and talented students, the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of mathematics and fails to provide the gifted student an opportunity to fully develop his or her talents. In this article, a review of literature defines mathematical creativity, develops an understanding of the creative student of mathematics, and discusses the issues and implications for the teaching of mathematics.
Serving Children Who are Gifted: Perceptions of Undergraduates Planning to Become Teachers
Authors: Bain Sherry K. , Bliss Stacy L. , Choate Stephani M. , Brown Katherine Sager
Published: June 2009

Seeking information about preconceived notions of the educational needs of children who are gifted, we asked 285 undergraduates in prerequisite classes for teacher education to complete questionnaires. Topics addressed included the need for special services for children who are gifted, perceptions of forms of service delivery in elementary schools, and egalitarian versus elitist issues in gifted education. Preferences among our respondents fell in favor of services carried out in general classroom settings at elementary schools, reflecting egalitarian attitudes. We found misconceptions, compared to empirical evidence, for notions about tutoring practices and academic acceleration. In their response rates to items, undergraduates previously served as gifted differed only occasionally from those not served as gifted. We discuss implications of our findings in terms of the need for proponents of gifted programs to address some misconceptions that appear to be related to school reform and appropriate services for children who are gifted.
Construct Validity of the Social Coping Questionnaire
Authors: Swiatek Mary Ann , Cross Tracy L.
Published: June 2009

The Social Coping Questionnaire (SCQ) measures strategies used by gifted adolescents to minimize the negative effect they believe their high ability has on their social interactions. Previous studies have supported the factor structure, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of the SCQ The current study provides construct validity evidence for the SCQ by comparing it with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Upon entrance to a residential academy, 339 gifted adolescents completed the SCQ and the MBTI. Results were similar to previous research with gifted adolescents in terms of the factor structure of the SCQ, a high frequency of Intuitive (N) and Intuitive/Perceiving (NP) codes on the MBTI, and gender differences on both measures. Participants were most likely to use social interaction and least likely to focus on popularity/conformity in their social coping. Correlations between the SCQ and MBTI were in expected directions, but were not large in magnitude; they provided evidence for the construct validity of the SCQ
Policy and Practice: A Case Study of Gifted Education Policy Implementation
Authors: Swanson Julie Dingle
Published: June 2009

In this case study, South Carolina's gifted education policy development, changes, and implementation are explored from three perspectives: policymakers, linkers, and adopters. Document review and individual and focus group interviews with policymakers, those who develop statute, regulation, and policy; linkers, district persons who implement policy; and adopters, school-based persons, comprised data sources. Research questions include how did general education reform create change in gifted education between 1984 and 2004? What were the primary influences? Locally, how was meaning made? General education reform produced a nonlinear process of gifted policy implementation, resources to develop gifted programs, and attention to equity and access issues. Primary change influences were leadership and political relationships. Required teacher endorsement created local impact. Need exists for curriculum policy development.
Gender Differences in Gifted Adolescents' Math/Verbal Self-Concepts and Math/Verbal Achievement: Implications for the STEM Fields
Authors: Rinn Anne N. , McQueen Kand S , Clark Gina L. , Rumsey Jessica L.
Published: June 2009

The current study investigated the gender differences of gifted adolescents' math/verbal self-concept and math/verbal ability by examining the Internal/External Frame of Reference Model (I/E model; Marsh, 1986). The sample consisted of 181 gifted adolescents, ranging in age from 12 to 16 years old. Gifted adolescents' math/verbal ability was measured using their SAT/ACT scores, and math/verbal self-concepts were measured by the Mathematics and Verbal subscales of the Self Description Questionnaire II (SDQ II; Marsh, 1990). Using path analysis, results partially support the I/E model, although no gender differences with regard to the I/E model were found. Implications with regard to the STEM fields are discussed.
An Examination of Articles in Gifted Education and Multicultural Education Journals
Authors: Chamberlin Scott A.
Published: June 2009

An analysis of gifted education and multicultural education journals was performed to identify the number of multicultural education articles in gifted education journals and the number of gifted education articles in multicultural education journals. Journals reviewed were Multicultural Education, Multicultural Perspectives, Urban Education, Gifted Child Quarterly, Journal for the Education of the Gifted, and Roeper Review (1995 to 2004). Issues related to multicultural education are discussed in gifted education journals, but issues related to gifted education are largely neglected in multicultural education journals. Implications are that policy makers in the two fields need to discuss ways to infuse issues related to gifted education into the discourse on multicultural education.
Grouping the Gifted and Talented: Are Gifted Girls Most Likely to Suffer the Consequences?
Authors: Precke Franzis , Brüll Matthias
Published: June 2009

This study analyzes the effects of ability grouping on self-concept measures in a sample of 211 German students in their 1st year at the top track of secondary school (grade level 5; mean age: 10.46 years). 156 students, 55% of whom were female, attended regular classes, while 46 students, of whom 33% were female, attended special classes for the gifted. Students in both groups were assessed repeatedly, 3 times via self-report questionnaires and once by applying a standardized IQ test. In line with our hypotheses, we found that the students in the gifted classes reported a comparable decrease in general academic self-concept, math academic self-concept, and German academic self-concept over time. Decreases were largest early in the academic year. There was no decrease in social self-concept but instead an increase for the students in the gifted group. However, this increase did not persist, so that by the time of the last measurement the gifted reported lower social self-concept than the nongifted. Also in line with our expectations, the decrease in academic self-concept was largest for girls attending special gifted classes. It is worth noting that the largest decrease in academic self-concept of gifted girls occurred before students received any teacher-assigned school grades. As one possible explanation for this finding, the minority status of girls in gifted classes is discussed.
A Study of Reward Preference in Taiwanese Gifted and Nongifted Students with Differential Locus of Control
Authors: Wu Su Chen , Elliott Robert T.
Published: June 2009

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether gifted and nongifted students' preferences for different types of reward were affected by differential locus of control. In total, 181 gifted and 107 nongifted junior high school students in Taiwan participated. The Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale was used as a measure of locus of control. A survey of reward preference was designed to look at students' evaluations of the reward systems. The results showed that the gifted students tended to evaluate competition rewards significantly higher when compared to the nongifted students; the nongifted students tended to evaluate chance rewards significantly higher than the gifted students. However, there was no significant difference between the gifted students and nongifted students in their evaluation of performance rewards. An interaction effect between ability and locus of control for chance rewards indicated that the nongifted/moderate and nongifted/external students preferred chance rewards more than the other groups. Irrespective of ability level, however, the findings indicated that the higher the internality, the higher were the students' preferences for the contingent (competition and performance) rewards.
Validity Study of the Thinking Styles Inventory
Authors: Black Anne C. , McCoach D. Betsy
Published: June 2009

This article examines the psychometric properties of the 104-item Thinking Styles Inventory (TSI; Sternberg & Wagner, 1992) using responses from 789 students from 4 high schools in Connecticut. Twelve of the 13 subscales identified in mental self-government (MSG) theory (Sternberg, 1988, 1997) were included in all analyses. Both subscale- and item-level confirmatory factor analysis failed to confirm the theory-proposed 5-factor structure as well as 3 other structural models identified in previous studies. Post hoc item-level exploratory factory analysis and subscale score reliability analysis resulted in the omission of 64 original items due to weak psychometric properties. Thirty-two original items were retained, comprising 5 subscales, Liberal/Progressive, External, Hierarchic, Judicial, and Legislative/Self-Reliant, largely consistent with those identified in MSG theory. Implications of the results are discussed.
Distance Learning for Gifted Students: Outcomes for Elementary, Middle, and High School Aged Students
Authors: Wallace Patricia
Published: June 2009

Although distance learning often is cited as a potentially useful strategy to provide appropriately challenging academic coursework to gifted students, little research has been conducted on its use or effectiveness with this population, particularly with younger students in elementary school. In this study, distance learning outcomes for gifted students from age 5 to 17 were examined, drawing on student and parent evaluations and final grades, and comparing results by age group. Overall, the students and their parents found the course an effective learning experience. Elementary school age students reported different reasons for enrolling, rated their instructors significantly more favorably, and found their course to be slightly less demanding compared to older students. However, they rated software usability somewhat lower. The findings point to the potential for distance learning for gifted students, even those in elementary school, and suggest issues that should be considered to ensure success.
Examining the Fears of Gifted Children
Authors: Tippey Jacalyn G. , Burnham Joy J.
Published: June 2009

Few studies have considered the fears of gifted children. Using the American Fear Survey Schedule for Children (FSSC-AM; Burnham, 1995), a modified version of the Australian Fear Survey Schedule for Children-II (Gullone & King, 1992, 1993), this study focused on the fears of 287 gifted children ages 7–10. This study is a first step in developing contemporary normative data in fears of gifted children. Two a priori discriminant analyses were used to investigate which factor scores discriminated between gender and ethnicity. Additionally, 2 item analyses were completed to examine which fear items on the FSSC-AM discriminated between gender and ethnicity. Results are reported and compared to previous studies. Implications and recommendations for future fear research with gifted children also are discussed. Further research is necessary to discern differences in fears of gifted children and their peers.
The Dilemma of Gifted Programming in the Secondary School: One District's Response
Authors: Kulieke Marilynn J. , Hillary John C. , Person Dick , Wagner Wayne , Meriam Schnabl
Published: June 2009

Township High School District 214 in Arlington Heights, IL, has developed a program for gifted and talented students that is developmentally oriented and consistent with current research. The program focuses on two goals: to provide curricular options that meet the needs of students in their talent areas and to support life and career planning. This article describes how these goals are operationalized through a variety of different programs and activities. The program philosophy, identification of students, curricular and co-curricular programs, life and career planning efforts, and counseling components are described.
Options for Middle School and Secondary Level Gifted Students
Authors: Olszewski-Kubilius Paula , Limburg-Weber Lisa
Published: June 2009

The research on talent development demonstrates both the importance of outside-of-school experiences and the contribution of specific kinds of experiences to the development of high levels of academic talent. Currently, secondary school programs for the gifted are not built on this research. It is critical that schools coordinate with and utilize other institutions in their talent development programs for gifted children, develop the means by which students can readily partake of outside programs, and create policies and remove obstacles in order to facilitate children's participation in outside-of-school programs.
Evaluating the Chinese University Summer Gifted Program for Junior Secondary Students in Hong Kong
Authors: Chan David W. , Cheung Ping Chung , Chan Annie S. K. , Leung Winnie Wing-man , Leung Ka-wai
Published: June 2009

The design and operation of the 1998 Chinese University Summer Gifted Program organized for junior secondary students in Hong Kong are described. This one-week residential program provided enrichment courses, workshops, and special activities intended to enhance creativity and leadership abilities in students. Evaluative ratings on various aspects of the program indicated that program participants, program instructors, residential counselors, and parents of students expressed overall satisfaction with the program. Students also had higher ratings on self-perceived leadership ability and creativity in postprogram, as compared with preprogram, assessments. Implications of the findings for future program development are discussed.
Guided Viewing of Film: A Strategy for Counseling Gifted Teenagers
Authors: Hébert Thomas P. , Neumeister Kristie L. Speirs
Published: June 2009

Counselors and teachers of gifted students seek strategies appropriate for addressing important social and emotional issues affecting the lives of the young people with whom they work. The authors propose guided viewing of film as a counseling strategy through which middle and high school counselors and educators may assist gifted students in gaining helpful insights to deal with the problems they face. This article presents a theoretical foundation for this approach, a variety of strategies for implementation, and three sample plans for guided viewing sessions.
Assessment of Gifted Student Learning in the Language Arts
Authors: VanTassel-Baska Joyce
Published: June 2009

This paper discusses important principles for assessing language arts instruction for gifted learners in classrooms. It stresses the importance of multiple measures and approaches being employed at formative and summative stages of the instructional process. Examples of rubrics, portfolios, and performance-based models are provided. The article concludes with ideas for constructing an assessment model that incorporates all of these features.
Critical Incidents in the Lives of Gifted Female Finnish Scientists
Authors: Tirri Kirsi , Koro-Ljungberg Mirka
Published: June 2009

This study investigated the critical incidents in the professional and personal lives of gifted female scientists in Finnish society. Finland represents a European country where gender equity has been widely acknowledged. The data include 11 life stories of female Finnish scientists from diverse fields of science. All participants have been able to actualize their academic talents and build their careers successfully. This qualitative, multiple-case study utilizes the critical incident method in the data analysis process. The results show that all these women have made important life choices that have promoted their talent and career development. These choices include important decisions concerning work, family, and beliefs and values. The majority of the women have also made some compromises related to their scientific interests and careers, as well as personal compromises. The results of the analyses demonstrate some common themes in critical incidents among female scientists. However, no picture of a uniform academic woman was found. All of the gifted female scientists were different in their multiple roles and identities. Our study also reveals some issues related to country and society that need to be acknowledged in tracing how women actualize their talent.
The Effects of Peers on the Academic and Creative Talent Development of a Gifted Adolescent Male
Authors: Lee Seon-Young
Published: June 2009

Psychologists have long recognized that there are critical periods in a person's life in which some specific person or agency serves as a driving force toward a higher level of human development. For example, Benjamin Bloom and Erik Erikson, two researchers concerned with individual development, noted that peers play particularly a critical role in children's development during adolescence, a period in which children tend to be more actively involved outside their home environments with nonfamily members. This study was concerned with how peer relations impact the development of the academic and creative talents during adolescence. A comprehensive case study was conducted wherein the relationships between Chris, a talented 12-year-old male, and 5 of his peers were examined. The purpose was to gain insights into how peers may influence, positively or negatively, the development of academic and creative talents in adolescents. Results from this study suggest that Chris' peers did, indeed, have favorable influences on his academic and creative talent development in 4 areas: competition, support, motivation, and role modeling. A discussion of these findings and the various factors that may have contributed to them are presented along with implications for parents, teachers, and counselors.
Medication and Counseling Histories of Gifted Students in a Summer Residental Program
Authors: Jarosewich Tania , Stocking Vicki B.
Published: June 2009

Many gifted students are served through special programming. However, little large-scale information is available regarding the incidence of psychological disorders, medication requirements, and counseling histories in that population. This type of information is important to ensuring the well-being of gifted students, particularly those served through residential programming. This study reports the results of a review of medical information forms for over 1,900 gifted 8th–11th graders participating in a 3-week residential academic programs. Rates of diagnosed psychological disorders, medication prescriptions, and counseling needs are presented. In general, this sample reported low rates of psychological disorders, medication use, and counseling. Results are discussed in terms of program development and program policy issues.
Looking Outward: Exploring the Intersections of Sociocultural Theory and Gifted Education
Authors: McGlonn-Nelson Kimberly
Published: June 2009

As scholars in the field of gifted education continue to explore ways of improving the educational services provided to gifted and talented students, attention must be paid to the infinite amount of potential that an interdisciplinary theory offers. To this end, the following essay explores the intersections of sociocultural theory and gifted education. More specifically, it extends sociocultural theory to the field of gifted education by proposing a new lens for not only expanding the responsibilities of the field in terms of its ability to properly identify gifted students, but also for educating new teachers of the gifted.
Self-Perceived Creativity, Family Hardiness, and Emotional Intelligence of Chinese Gifted Students in Hong Kong
Authors: Chan David W.
Published: June 2009

This study assessed the self-perceptions of 212 gifted students regarding their creativity, family hardiness, and emotional intelligence. There were in general no gender and age group differences on these self-perceptions, with the exception that younger students perceived their families as more hardy than did older students. The results of regression analysis indicated that family hardiness and emotional intelligence had separate and direct effects on self-perceived creativity, and their effects were additive, rather than multiplicative, as their interaction terms did not yield significant increment in variance accounted for in the criterion of prediction. Similar results were obtained when different components of emotional intelligence were considered, with some suggestive evidence that family hardiness could interact with specific components of emotional intelligence in the prediction. Implications of the findings are discussed, and caution need to be exercised in the interpretation of these results, as data were cross-sectional and collected only on student perceptions.
Can Only Intelligent People Be Creative? A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kim Kyung Hee
Published: June 2009

Some research has shown that creativity test scores are independent from IQ scores, whereas other research has shown a relationship between the two. To clarify the cumulative evidence in this field, a quantitative review of the relationship between creativity test scores and IQ scores was conducted. Moderating influences of IQ tests, IQ score levels, creativity tests, creativity subscales, creativity test types, gender, age, and below and above the threshold (IQ 120) were examined. Four hundred forty-seven correlation coefficients from 21 studies and 45,880 participants were retrieved. The mean correlation coefficient was small ( r = .174; 95% CI = .165 - .183), but heterogeneous; this correlation coefficient indicates that the relationship between creativity test scores and IQ scores is negligible. Age contributed to the relationship between intelligence and creativity the most; different creativity tests contributed to it secondly. This study does not support threshold theory.
Gifted Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Annotated Bibliography: A Resource for Educators of Gifted Secondary GLBT Students
Authors: Treat Alena R. , Whittenburg Becky
Published: June 2009

This bibliography makes available to educators and others a comprehensive resource for information regarding gifted youth who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning their sexual orientation and/or gender identity (G/GLBTQ). It includes articles, brochures, books, lesson plans, staff development, video media, and Web resources. As the average age of “coming out” continues to decrease and as GLBT individuals become more central in public discourse and media, the issues of G/GLBT have moved more visibly into K–12 education. Created out of the NAGC Work Group on Sexually Diverse Gifted Students, the bibliography focuses on crossover literature and resources that bridge between the gifted and GLBTQ populations.
Program for Enlightened and Productive Creativity Illustrated With a Moiré Patterns Lesson
Authors: Yuk Keun Cheol , Cramond Bonnie
Published: June 2009

Combining both the Western perspective of creativity as productivity and the Eastern perspective of creativity as enlightenment, a Program for Enlightened and Productive Creativity (PEPC) for teaching inquiry was devised. The PEPC describes stages through which a student is guided to solve a problem using increasingly complex observation, inquiry, and experimentation. The use of this model in teaching is illustrated through a physics lesson of moiré patterns using overlapping patterns found in our everyday life. A case is made that PEPC can be applied to teaching general students, as well as gifted students, and in different content areas.
Overexcitability in Gifted Sexually Diverse Populations
Authors: Treat Alena R.
Published: June 2009

This study examined overexcitability in 100 gifted university students. Females scored higher on emotional and sensual over-excitability (OE), and males scored higher on intellectual, imaginational, and psychomotor OE. When examined by orientation within gender, however, nonheterosexual females scored higher than heterosexual females in psychomotor, significantly higher in intellectual, slightly higher in sensual, and slightly lower in emotional and imaginational OE. Heterosexual males scored significantly higher than nonheterosexual males in psychomotor, higher in sensual, slightly higher in imaginational, lower in intellectual, and slightly lower in emotional OE. Each population appears to be unique, and sexual diversity is one factor that seems to have a significant effect on the lives of gifted students.
Effective Teaching Strategies for Gifted/Learning-Disabled Students With Spatial Strengths
Authors: Mann Rebecca L.
Published: June 2009

This study sought to determine effective teaching strategies for use with high-ability students who have spatial strengths and sequential weaknesses. Gifted students with spatial strengths and weak verbal skills often struggle in the traditional classroom. Their learning style enables them to grasp complex systems and excel at higher levels of thinking while struggling with material typically considered “easy.” Many high-ability students with spatial strengths and verbal weaknesses underachieve and even drop out of school. Teachers must develop effective strategies to help these at-risk students experience success in educational settings. If students with spatial strengths find success in the educational system, then they are more likely to become creative producers in society and less likely to underachieve and be underemployed.
Nanostructured Bulk Silicon as an Effective Thermoelectric Material
Authors: Bux Sabah K. , Blair Richard G. , Gogna Pawan K. , Lee Hohyun , Chen Gang , Dresselhaus Mildred S. , Kaner Richard B. , Fleurial Jean‐Pierre
Published: June 2009

Thermoelectric power sources have consistently demonstrated their extraordinary reliability and longevity for deep space missions and small unattended terrestrial systems. However, more efficient bulk materials and practical devices are required to improve existing technology and expand into large‐scale waste heat recovery applications. Research has long focused on complex compounds that best combine the electrical properties of degenerate semiconductors with the low thermal conductivity of glassy materials. Recently it has been found that nanostructuring is an effective method to decouple electrical and thermal transport parameters. Dramatic reductions in the lattice thermal conductivity are achieved by nanostructuring bulk silicon with limited degradation in its electron mobility, leading to an unprecedented increase by a factor of 3.5 in its performance over that of the parent single‐crystal material. This makes nanostructured bulk (nano‐bulk) Si an effective high temperature thermoelectric material that performs at about 70% the level of state‐of‐the‐art Si0.8Ge0.2 but without the need for expensive and rare Ge.
Characterization, Cathodoluminescence, and Field‐Emission Properties of Morphology‐Tunable CdS Micro/Nanostructures
Authors: Zhai Tianyou , Fang Xiaosheng , Bando Yoshio , Dierre Benjamin , Liu Baodan , Zeng Haibo , Xu Xijin , Huang Yang , Yuan Xiaoli , Sekiguchi Takashi , Golberg Dmitri
Published: June 2009

High‐quality, uniform one‐dimensional CdS micro/nanostructures with different morphologies—microrods, sub‐microwires and nanotips—are fabricated through an easy and effective thermal evaporation process. Their structural, cathodoluminescence and field‐emission properties are systematically investigated. Microrods and nanotips exhibit sharp near‐band‐edge emission and broad deep‐level emission, whereas sub‐microwires show only the deep‐level emission. A significant decrease in a deep‐level/near‐band‐edge intensity ratio is observed along a tapered nanotip towards a smaller diameter part. This behavior is understood by consideration of defect concentrations in the nanotips, as analyzed with high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy. Field‐emission measurements show that the nanotips possess the best field‐emission characteristics among all 1D CdS nanostructures reported to date, with a relatively low turn‐on field of 5.28 V µm−1 and the highest field‐enhancement factor of 4 819. The field‐enhancement factor, turn‐on and threshold fields are discussed related to structure morphology and vacuum gap variations under emission.
Preparation, Structure, and Electrochemical Properties of Reduced Graphene Sheet Films
Authors: Tang Longhua , Wang Ying , Li Yueming , Feng Hongbing , Lu Jin , Li Jinghong
Published: June 2009

This paper describes the preparation, characterization, and electrochemical properties of reduced graphene sheet films (rGSFs), investigating especially their electrochemical behavior for several redox systems and electrocatalytic properties towards oxygen and some small molecules. The reduced graphene sheets (rGSs) are produced in high yield by a soft chemistry route involving graphite oxidation, ultrasonic exfoliation, and chemical reduction. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy clearly demonstrate that graphene was successfully synthesized and modified at the surface of a glassy carbon electrode. Several redox species, such as Ru(NH3)63+/2+, Fe(CN)63−/4−, Fe3+/2+ and dopamine, are used to probe the electrochemical properties of these graphene films by using the cyclic voltammetry method. The rGSFs demonstrate fast electron‐transfer (ET) kinetics and possess excellent electrocatalytic activity toward oxygen reduction and certain biomolecules. In our opinion, this microstructural and electrochemical information can serve as an important benchmark for graphene‐based electrode performances.
High‐Performance Photoresponsive Organic Nanotransistors with Single‐Layer Graphenes as Two‐Dimensional Electrodes
Authors: Cao Yang , Liu Song , Shen Qian , Yan Kai , Li Pingjian , Xu Jun , Yu Dapeng , Steigerwald Michael L. , Nuckolls Colin , Liu Zhongfan , Guo Xuefeng
Published: June 2009

Graphene behaves as a robust semimetal with the high electrical conductivity stemming from its high‐quality tight two‐dimensional crystallographic lattice. It is therefore a promising electrode material. Here, a general methodology for making stable photoresponsive field effect transistors, whose device geometries are comparable to traditional macroscopic semiconducting devices at the nanometer scale, using cut graphene sheets as 2D contacts is detailed. These contacts are produced through oxidative cutting of individual 2D planar graphene by electron beam lithography and oxygen plasma etching. Nanoscale organic transistors based on graphene contacts show high‐performance FET behavior with bulk‐like carrier mobility, high on/off current ratio, and high reproducibility. Due to the presence of photoactive molecules, the devices display reversible changes in current when they are exposed to visible light. The calculated responsivity of the devices is found to be as high as ∼8.3 A W−1. This study forms the basis for making new types of ultrasensitive molecular devices, thus initiating broad research interest in the field of nanoscale/molecular electronics.
Association of MET with social and communication phenotypes in individuals with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Campbell Daniel B. , Warren Dana , Sutcliffe James S. , Lee Evon Batey , Levitt Pat
Published: June 2009

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosed by impairments in social interaction, communication, and behavioral flexibility. Autism is highly heritable, but it is not known whether a genetic risk factor contributes to all three core domains of the disorder or autism results from the confluence of multiple genetic risk factors for each domain. We and others reported previously association of variants in the gene encoding the MET receptor tyrosine kinase in five independent samples. We further described enriched association of the MET promoter variant rs1858830 C allele in families with co‐occurring autism and gastrointestinal conditions. To test the contribution of this functional MET promoter variant to the domains of autism, we analyzed its association with quantitative scores derived from three instruments used to diagnose and describe autism phenotypes: the Autism Diagnostic Interview—Revised (ADI‐R), the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), and both the parent and the teacher report forms of the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). In 748 individuals from 367 families, the transmission of the MET C allele from parent to child was consistently associated with both social and communication phenotypes of autism. Stratification by gastrointestinal conditions revealed a similar pattern of association with both social and communication phenotypes in 242 individuals with autism from 118 families with co‐occurring gastrointestinal conditions, but a lack of association with any domain in 181 individuals from 96 families with ASD and no co‐occurring gastrointestinal condition. These data indicate that the MET C allele influences at least two of the three domains of the autism triad. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.