Do Certain Methods of Enrichment Yield Greater Results Than Others?

1. Do Certain Methods of Enrichment Yield Greater Results Than Others? Created By: LuraRoblee EDUC 500 St. Bonaventure University

2. Introduction • Looking to Find: How gifted and talentedstudents are accomodated in a schoolclassroom. • Major Concern: Are gifted and talentedstudentsreceivingpropereducations or are theybeingleftpassed over? • Why I Choose This Topic: Throughoutmyundergraduatework I constantlyheard about specialeducation. I wouldlike to promotegifted and talented programs as well and thereforeaminterested in learning how instruction isdifferentiatedthesestudents.

3. Goals • Through my research I would like to: • Find what methods teachers could use in their classroom to provide enrichment to their gifted and talented students • Learn what methods teachers are using, or prefer to use to enrich the regular curriculum for gifted and talented students

4. State the Problem • This purpose of this study was to discover the different possible methods of providing enrichment to gifted and talented students in a classroom, as well as to determine whether certain enrichment methods yield greater results than others.

5. Review of Related Literature • Methods of Enrichment: • Enrichment Clusters: multigradestudent investigative groups involved in inquiry based learning • Online Programs such as the Gifted Kids Network or Internet-based Reading Programs • Virtual Learning Environments:set of online “teaching and learning tools designed to enhance a student's learning experience by including computers and the Internet in the learning process” (TechTarget, 2008). • Curriculum Compacting: skipping parts of curriculum that students have mastered and moving on to new challenging content • Acceleration: shortening the time it takes a student to pass through the grades as a means to promote a challenging and appropriate education for him/her • Distance Learning: connecting with (listening to and seeing) a teacher from a different geographic location through the support of computers

6. Commonalities Among Methods • The aim of these different enrichment methods is to enable GT (gifted and talented) students to be challenged, take leadership roles, become problem solvers, and gain a more meaningful education • Different technologies play a major role in making these methods possible • More than one method can be used together; online programs, distance learning, and acceleration can contain enrichment clusters

7. Differences Between Methods • Curriculum compacting and acceleration are the only two that shorten the amount of time it would take to complete each instructive unit or grade

8. Statement of the Hypothesis • The hypothesis for my research is that a combination of all enrichment methods will be most preferred and beneficial to gifted and talented students in a classroom.

9. Statement of the Null Hypothesis • The null hypothesis is that the incorporation of none of the enrichment methods is preferred by teachers and most beneficial to the gifted and talented students in the classroom.

10. Methods • Participants: Three female and two male subjects all whom have had experience teaching in classrooms in the state New York or Ohio. • Instrument: Seven question survey including multiple choice, ranking, and short answer questions • The Survey on enrichment methods was created by the researcher, LuraRoblee

11. Methods-Experimental Design 1.) Research online databases for articles describing different methods of enrichment provided for GT students 2.) Use information gained from research to create a survey intended for teachers to show their preferences and knowledge about the different enrichment methods on 3.)Create charts and tables to find patterns and make inferences relating to the benefits of each enrichment method 4.) Compare and analyze data for similarities, differences, and relations to answer research question

12. GT Survey Demographic Information: State in which you live: _________________________ Age: __________ Gender: M/F Grade(s) you teach: _______________________ Subject(s) you teach:_____________________ 1.) Are you more likely to use homogeneous or heterogeneous groups of students for skill activities in the subject(s) which you teach? ________________________________ 2.) Rank on a scale of 1-4 (1 representing the most influential factor) how you would create reading groups in your classroom? By reading level __________ By student interest __________ By author study __________ By lesson taught in story __________ 3.) What method would be most beneficial for accommodating gifted and talented students in your classroom? Homogeneous grouping with other high level students within the classroom Cross-grade grouping for skill building Assign students to online programs to participate in during instruction Heterogeneous grouping within the classroom with various leveled students Assign gifted and talented student challenging material to work on individually with assignments attached to check comprehension Expanding the range of instructional material beyond the regular curriculum to reflect multiple topics based on the student’s interests 4.) Here is a proposed plan to follow for gifted and talented readers in a classroom: Phase 1: exposure to high-quality, exciting literature through teacher read-alouds and higher order thinking questions Phase 2: training and discussions on supported independent reading, with one-on-one teacher conferences on reading strategies Phase 3: interest and choice components, including genre studies, creative thinking, investigation centers, buddy reading, literature circles, creative and expository writing, Internet and library exploration, and independent investigations. Which factor below would restrain this program the most in your classroom? Time Not enough teachers during reading instruction Lessons to create Occupying other students in classroom 5.) What method of enrichment are you most familiar with? • Enrichment clusters • Online programs or research • Distance learning • Curriculum compacting • Acceleration 6.) What are your thoughts about Virtual Learning Environments (computer based environments that delivery instructional material)? Please include any benefits or concerns you see with this enrichment method. ________________________________________________________________ 7.) How do you enrich the curriculum and learning atmosphere to challenge the gifted and talented learners in your classroom? __________________________________________

13. Methods-Procedure • The GT Survey will be emailed to each subject agreeing to take it. • Subjects will complete the survey and email it back to the researcher. • Researcher will combine all subjects’ survey answers into charts, tables, and graphs for analysis. • Conclusions will be drawn from survey data.

14. Methods-Results • The analysis of the GT survey data showed: • All teachers chose heterogeneous student groups for skill activities • “Student Interest” was the most influential factor for teachers when creating reading groups while “Author Study” was the least influential factor • “Expanding the range of instructional material beyond the regular curriculum to reflect multiple topics based on the student’s interests” is believed to be the best way to accommodate GT students in a classroom

15. Methods-Results • The analysis of the GT survey data showed: • Time was seen as the largest constraint against implementing a 3-phased reading enrichment program in the classroom for the GT students • Teachers are most familiar with the online programs enrichment method • Lack of face to face communication and feed back was seen as the greatest downfall of virtual learning environments while flexibility was noted as being one of it’s best benefits • Currently in classrooms, the teachers offer enhanced manipulatives and activities relating to the curriculum to continue to offer a challenging and rewarding education

16. Discussion • No one enrichment method was chosen 100% of the time as most preferred or beneficial. • No teacher ever noted using none of the methods of enrichment as the best option for promoting greater results from the GT students. • Literature showed many methods incorporate other methods into their own. • Therefore: • The hypothesis was accepted • The null hypothesis was rejected

17. Discussion • The results of this study cannot be guaranteed to be replicated by all teachers. Future studies would require a larger sample size in order to produce significant data. • Although future research is necessary, it is evident that gifted and talented students need enrichment to support their education and yield greater results from them.

18. Works Cited • Caraisco, J., (2007, August). OvercomingLethargyinGiftedandTalentedEducation withContract Activity Packages: "I'm Choosing to Learn!". Clearing House, A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 80 (6), 255-260. • Eckstein, M., (2009, February). Enrichment 2.0 Gifted and Talented Education for the 21st Century. Gifted Child Today, 32 (1), 59-63. • Eckstien, M. (2009, May). The Gifted Kids Network: 2008 Pilot. Gifted Child Today, 32 (2), 20-28. • Morgan, A. (2007, Septemeber). Experiences of a Gifted and Talented Enrichment Cluster for Pupils Aged Five to Seven. British Journal of Special Education, 34, (3), 144-153. • Mulrine, C. F. (2007, April). Creating aVirtualLearningEnvironmentforGiftedandTalentedLearners. Gifted Child Today, 30 (2), 37-40. • TechTarget. (2008). Virtual Learning Environment. Retrieved on July 27, 2009, from http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci866691,00.html • Wood, P. F., (2008, August). Reading Instruction with Gifted and Talented Readers: A Series of Unfortunate Events or a Sequence of Auspicious Results?. Gifted Child Today, 31 (3), 16-25.