What is it about?
Gifted secondary school students are served primarily through acceleration, specifically AP courses. This research examines the effects of student participation in a unique self-contained secondary school enrichment course with a focus on Type III Enrichment. Findings indicated a relationship between nuances in students' initial interest and perceptions of meaningfulness after project completion.
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Why is it important?
Findings indicated that student participants who selected projects based on long-standing interests or interests related to perceptions of their own identity were more likely to perceive their project as beneficial, to recall the enrichment process as enjoyable, and to maintain interest in the project after completion. Students who selected projects based on interests that were new or emerging were less likely to perceive their project as beneficial, did not perceive the enrichment process as enjoyable, and lost interest in the project after completion. Going further, findings suggested that for students engaged in Type III Enrichment, sustained interest and perceived benefits mediated perceptions of enjoyment after project completion.
Perspectives
Gifted elementary school students are served primarily through enrichment pullout programs, while gifted secondary school students are served primarily through academic acceleration. Because gifted students are not a homogeneous group, best practice dictates that gifted students k-12 have opportunities for both enrichment and acceleration. In illuminating the positive effects of participation in enrichment on gifted secondary school students, findings can be used to promote additional avenues and services in addition to AP course options.
Dr Carla B Brigandi
West Virginia University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Gifted Secondary School Students: The Perceived Relationship Between Enrichment and Goal Valuation, journal for the education of the gifted, October 2016, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/0162353216671837.
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