High-Ability Students’ Perspectives on an Affective Curriculum in a Diverse, University-Based Summer Residential Enrichment Program

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how high-ability students experienced their participation in an affective curriculum through small-group discussions in a diverse, university-based, summer enrichment program for talented youth. The investigation included two closely related studies. The first study included 77 high-ability students from several cultures and economic backgrounds who participated in the 2014 summer program. The second was a retrospective study with 24 Native American students from Diné, Ojibwe, and Lakota tribes who had participated in the affective curriculum in 2013 to determine if their participation had any longer term effects on this subgroup. In general, the students from all backgrounds in both studies said the small-group discussions enriched their overall program experience. Twenty-two of the 24 Native American students from the three tribes who participated in the retrospective study reported that they believed they had changed their behaviors during the past year because of their participation in the small-group discussions the previous summer. The changes mentioned most by these students were exhibiting stronger self-confidence and being more open to people. The results of this study suggests that the affective intervention was regarded positively. It provided both short- and long-term benefits to the high-ability students who participated in the program.

Differences in Mechanisms of Social Interaction of Gifted Children Based on Peer Acceptance

“…Appropriate behavioral patterns were detected in all participants. These findings are in line with those studies which supported the gifted students have an appropriate socio-emotional adjustment (Borges et al, 2011;Hoogeveen et al, 2012;Jen et al, 2017;López & Sotillo, 2009;Neihart, 2007;Robinson, 2008) and with those studies where observational methodology was used to analyze the social behavior in special environments (Bokkina, 2016;De Jonge, 2016;Cadenas & Borges, 2017).…”

“…(see Almeida, Araújo, Sainz-Gómez, & Prieto, 2016;Calero, García-Martin, & Robles, 2011;Clinkenbeard, 2012;Little, 2012;Reis & Renzulli, 2010;Sternberg, 2010;Stoeger & Ziegler, 2010). Nevertheless the socio-emotional area had also received a great relevance being one of the most controversial areas within this field, with studies supporting the hypothesis of a positive personal and social adjustment of these students (Borges, Hernández-Jorge, & Rodríguez-Naveiras, 2011;Hoogeveen, van Hell, & Verhoeven, 2012;Jen, Gentry, & Moon, 2017;López & Sotillo, 2009;Neihart, 2007;Robinson, 2008) while others highlight that it is necessary to pay attention to the socio-emotional needs of these students, since some children could be more vulnerable in different aspects of their development (Coleman & Cross, 2000;VanTassel-Baska, 2009) and experience difficulties with their environment (Lee, Olszewski-Kubilius, & Turner, 2012).…”

Social and Affective Concerns High-Ability Adolescents Indicate They Would Like to Discuss With a Caring Adult

“…Activity sheets from the book or newly designed specific topics were used to help participants self-reflect, and they were particularly helpful for seemingly more introverted adolescents and specifically those participants whose native language was not English ( n = 87). The choices of these topics were based on the affective curriculum designers’ expertise, previous studies, and age appropriateness for different stages of adolescence (Jen, Moon, & Gentry, 2015).…”

An Enrichment Workshop using Argumentation-Based Forensic Chemistry Activities to Improve the Critical Thinking of Gifted Students

“…Kaya and Kilic (2008) said that students educating in argumentation-based lessons could learn the scientific concepts in detail, and through criticizing their own and others' thinking strategies, they could also know the nature of science and how science works. Another study from the literature underlined the importance of small-group discussions for high-ability students (Jen, Gentry, & Moon, 2017). A microanalysis of student initiations in gifted classes and their effect on the emergence of dialogic discourse showed that student initiations trigger teacher responses and student responses that often lead to additional student initiations.…”