The honors college at a large land-grant research university developed transdisciplinary courses to provide undergraduate opportunities for small, student-centered classes and collaborative problem engagement in a global context. In these courses, students engage principles of competency-based education and inquiry-based learning combined with…

The purpose of this study is to examine teacher perceptions of the long-term transformative impact of Piirto's Creativity Model and personal creativity exploration on teachers. Creativity training has been part of Ashland University's Talent Development program for over 20 years using Piirto's creativity model. The course encompasses multiple…

Early college and dual enrollment initiatives provide students opportunities for college credit courses and increased academic engagement. The purpose of this mixed methods research study was to examine the case of 79 dual-enrolled students in a research methodology course using online surveys and focus groups. Students perceived increased…

Previous research has suggested mixed results concerning gifted populations and achievement goal orientation. This study investigated achievement goal orientation in honors and general education undergraduate students, exploring the factor structure of a commonly used assessment and looking at ability level differences using two types of…

Globally, universities have an interest in recruiting the most talented students; however, limited attention has been given to how these students experience their transition and adjustment to university life. This mixed-methods study analyzes the academic, social, emotional, and institutional dimensions of gifted students' adjustment to university…

This article describes three female professors' experiences to attain degrees (bachelor's, master's, and doctorate) as first-generation college students (FGCS) and become academics. Their individual stories are shared through narratives, which capture crucial episodes of overcoming challenges. Because completion of a terminal degree by FGCS (of…

Research suggests that honors students are more likely to be engaged in some, but not all, aspects of the college experience, although there is less information available from the faculty perspective. This study presents findings from the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE), comparing various engagement-related practices between faculty…

The purpose of this study was to explore 11th- and 12th-grade students' expectations in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB DP) at a high school in the Western United States. Study participants included 92 of 94 high school students currently enrolled in the IB DP. Each participant completed a researcher-created, paper survey with…

The U.S. economy requires a highly educated workforce, yet too few black, Latino, and low-income students attend, persist, and graduate from college. The present study examines the college outcomes of participants in a model Advanced Placement® (AP) intervention to shed light on its effectiveness and determine whether improving AP participation…

The aim of this study was to examine gifted British and Polish college students' (N = 30) retrospective perceptions of their school environments in relation to talent development using a semi-structured, in-depth interview. Qualitative analyses revealed how school and teachers influenced gifted students' talent development. Findings indicate that,…

Early entrance to college, a form of academic acceleration, is an educational alternative that opens pathways for advanced students to have challenging, stimulating, and relevant learning experiences. Children who choose this option enter the adult world several years earlier than most of their age peers. This involves extra growth, adaptation,…

Advanced placement (AP) and concurrent enrollment (CE) provide high school students with rigorous coursework and possible college credit. Theoretical modeling predicted students would substitute CE for AP courses conditional on their probability of earning university credit, passing AP tests, and college selectivity despite CE costing more than…

Research was and still is involved in the controversial issue about innate talent or extensive practice as the determinants of excellent performance in a range of domains. This study aims to contribute by presenting an analysis of practice activities in a domain that appears to be particularly suitable--orchestral conducting. Most conductors…

The purpose of launching honors programs in Azerbaijan was not only to introduce advanced academic programs but also to change the culture in the universities: to make students more socially active, to encourage them to participate in international competitions, and continue their education. Keeping these goals in mind, we evaluate honors programs…

Despite the explosive growth in stereotype threat (ST) research over the decades, a substantive amount of variability in ST effects still cannot be explained by extant research. While some attribute this unexplained heterogeneity to yet unidentified ST mechanisms, we explored an alternate hypothesis that ST theory is often misspecified in…