Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2023, Educational Leadership

Gifted education has traditionally been reserved for students identified by state-approved assessments, and only if their school district has had the resources to provide services. Unfortunately, many students, who could have benefited, have been left out of gifted education programs. One district has tried to redefine this model. They have implemented a talent development program that provides gifted services, not only to students identified as gifted, but to additional students identified as needing these types of services. The district used local percentile data instead of just national percentile data to identify the students they call Rising Scholars. This study aimed to explore the impact this type of talent development program had on the students' self-efficacy from the gifted intervention specialists' perspectives. Self-efficacy is an important factor in the future self-confidence, perseverance, and success of students. The study examined two emerging themes that impacted student self-efficacy: the identification of students chosen for the talent development program and the structure of the program. Students initially had a higher sense of self-efficacy by simply being included in the program, but that self-efficacy decreased as the students encountered more rigorous and faster paced learning experiences. The design of the course and the support teachers put into place helped the students as they struggled, and ultimately provided them with an even higher sense of self-efficacy.

Committee: Dr. Lucian Szlizewski (Committee Co-Chair); Dr. Nazan Bautista (Committee Member); Dr. Kate Rousmaniere (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Education; Gifted Education

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2022, Educational Leadership

Aspects of systemic racism have created a gifted educational system based on de facto segregation, maintained by nationally normed assessments that serve the needs of white privilege. Therefore, a different avenue of identification could be utilized to allow for equity for students of color. This approach was the basis of this research. Finding alternate ways to identify students of color, with an emphasis on Black elementary students, may be one way to create equity in the gifted program in a school district in Ohio and close a twenty-one percent gap in equity in gifted education. The students of color in the district under study have many social, cultural, and developmental challenges that keep them from being identified and participating in gifted programs based on normed standardized tests mandated by the state of Ohio. Utilizing norms as a way to identify potentially gifted students and incorporating them into the gifted program in this district allowed for a closing of the gap of inequities in gifted identification to about one percent. In addition, the inclusion of potentially gifted students based on building norms allowed the gifted program in this district to increase by more than twice the amount and to create equity within this large urban public school district in Ohio. This research may potentially help increase participation in gifted education for students of color and allow for further research in the identification of students for gifted education as well as focus on the use of potential in gifted education programs.

Committee: Lucian Szlizewski (Committee Chair); Sujay Sabnis (Committee Member); Kate Rousmaniere (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: African Americans; African Literature; Educational Leadership; Epistemology; Gifted Education

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2020, Educational Leadership

This convergent mixed methods research study examined the use of gifted intervention specialists' (GISs') time in working with students in grades four through eight, who received gifted services within this level, and implications of current academic course options available for these students. Current research has focused on components of gifted education (identification and types of service); however, GISs time use was not represented within the research nor was there detailed research on the students a GIS serves. This research study had GIS research participants complete a two-week time use survey, followed by an in-person follow-up interview to determine the accuracy of the time use survey and to solicit any additional information the GISs felt was relevant to their positions. In addition, an analysis of students in grades four through eight was conducted in regard to who received services from a GIS in relation to grade level, gender, ethnicity, English learner, economic, individualized education plan, and 504 status. This demographic data was compared with students' identification in various areas of giftedness including superior cognitive, specific academic, creative thinking, and visual/performing arts ability. A review of the high school program of studies was conducted to determine if there were any implications on future course offerings as a result of receiving gifted services. GIS participants revealed that the largest portion of their workday is spent on direct instruction, and time is spent outside of the workday to plan and provide feedback to their students. In addition, participants vocalized a desire to provide services to students who are excluded using current gifted identification criteria. In the studied district, students were provided gifted services at nearly double the rate in grades six through eight compared to grades four and five. Without an identification of superior cognitive ability, gifted services in specific academic areas were (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lucian Szlizewski Dr. (Committee Co-Chair); Joel Malin Dr. (Committee Co-Chair); Kristy Brann Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Specialist in Education, Miami University, 2019, School Psychology

Grit and growth mindset are two non-cognitive factors related to academic success. This study explored the following questions: 1) do the mindsets or grit of gifted students differ from the mindsets or grit of the general student population, and 2) are there any associations between young students' grit, growth mindset, and academic achievement? The study's sample consisted of third graders (N=35) in a sub rural Midwestern school district, some of which had been identified as `gifted' (n=13) by the school district. Their grit, mindset, and academic achievement and growth in math and reading were assessed through the Short Grit Scale (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009), Growth Mindset Questionnaire (Dweck, 2008), and STAR reading and math tests (Renaissance Learning, 2014), respectively. Results from one-way ANOVAs indicated that gifted students exhibited higher levels of grit than non-gifted students, and gifted students displayed significantly less growth in math and reading from fall to spring compared to non-gifted students. Pearson correlations indicated many significant associations between the variables of interest, differing by gifted identification status. This study questions whether gifted identification, as well as grit, may actually negatively impact student growth and explores implications in the field of education and School Psychology in particular.

Committee: Sarah Watt PhD (Committee Chair); Vrinda Kalia PhD (Committee Member); Kristy Brann PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Psychology