ERIC Number: EJ1218840
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Jul
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1934-9041
EISSN: N/A
On Deciding to Accelerate: High-Ability Students Identify Key Considerations
Dare, Lynn; Nowicki, Elizabeth Agnes; Smith, Susen
Gifted Child Quarterly, v63 n3 p159-171 Jul 2019
Acceleration is a well-researched educational intervention supporting positive outcomes for high-ability students. However, access to acceleration may be restricted due to educators' misapprehensions about this practice. To better understand whether students share educators' concerns, our study explored 26 high-ability students' beliefs about important considerations in grade-based acceleration. Seventeen high-ability students who had accelerated (age 9-14 years) participated in group concept mapping activities, which involved sorting and rating a list of student-generated considerations. We applied multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis to the sorted data to create a structured conceptualization of students' advice on deciding to accelerate. Our analyses revealed the following six key concepts, from most to least important: (a) Best Learning Environment, (b) Child's Preferences, (c) Abilities Across Different Subjects, (d) Peer Group, (e) Context and School Support, and (f) Social Considerations. Our interpretations include comparison of high-ability students' advice to existing acceleration guidelines. Practical implications are discussed.
Descriptors: Acceleration (Education), Academically Gifted, Academic Ability, Concept Mapping, Student Attitudes, Beliefs, Educational Attitudes, Educational Environment, Preferences, Peer Groups, Foreign Countries, Intellectual Disciplines, Student School Relationship, Student Adjustment, Friendship
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A