Nielsen Pereira

My Class Activities Instrument as Used in Saturday Enrichment Program Evaluation

My Class Activities (MCA) is an instrument that has been used for evaluation of university-based Saturday enrichment programs, but was originally normed using students in regular schools. A sample of MCA scores from 826 students in grades 3-8 from a Saturday enrichment program was used. Four different MCA models were evaluated: (a) the original MCA model containing interest, challenge, choice, and enjoyment; (b) a model including a second-order term connecting enjoyment and interest; (c) a three-factor model containing a combination of interest and enjoyment, challenge, and choice; and (d) the original MCA model after two items were removed. Results indicated that the original MCA four-factor structure provided a better fit when used with the Saturday enrichment sample than did the second-order and the three first-order factor models. However, the best solution regarding model fit was found using the original model, but with the removal of two poorly functioning items. This study highlighted the importance of evaluating an instrument whenever used with a different population than that on which it was originally normed. With two items deleted from the challenge scale, MCA is a potential tool for use in enrichment program evaluation that provides measures of four motivational dimensions often emphasized in programs for high-ability students.

The makerspace experience and teacher professional development

This study explored the use of makerspaces as a professional development activity when examined through the analysis of qualitative data reflecting participant experience. The data were gathered in the course of a professional development opportunity at a university during a conference held on campus. The researchers wanted to select an innovative form of professional development for implementation within a traditional conference format. Both to match innovation and to accommodate a traditional time frame (one hour), the concept of makerspace was chosen. Multiple makerspace sessions were developed as professional development opportunities. The participant, practicing teachers would be experiencing the makerspace as if they were students. The research team wanted to explore the experiences and perceptions of the participants from multiple perspectives, including those who participated as learners and those who participated as facilitators, or leaders as termed in this article. A phenomenological approach was used to analyze data collected from three instruments: participant survey; leader reflection; and observer protocol. The data collected allowed researchers to observe a makerspace experience from multiple perspectives, thereby providing insight into the use of makerspaces as professional development and within the educational setting as a whole.

A Replication of the Internal Validity Structure of Three Major Teaching Rating Scales

Even as the importance of replication research has become more widely understood, the field of gifted education is almost completely devoid of replication studies. An area in which replication is a particular problem is in student identification research, since instrument validity is a necessary prerequisite for any sound psychometric decision. To begin to address this issue, our study sought to replicate the internal validity structure of three teacher rating instruments. The goal was to determine whether data gathered using these instruments fit their published internal validity structures. Results indicated all three instruments failed to meet traditional fit criteria, but to varying degrees, and that further replication or instrument revision are needed before these instruments can be used with confidence.

Current Status of Twice-Exceptional Students: A Look at Legislation and Policy in the United States.

ABSTRACT Educational legislation and policy can lead to effective educational practices, especially for student populations that have had equal access to education addressing their needs, such as students with disabilities and gifted students. This study was an examination of state legislation and policy related to twice-exceptional learners in the United States. Forty-two administrators from state departments of education completed questionnaires, and 131 state policy and legislation documents were reviewed to reveal mention of twice-exceptional learners. Results indicate the (a) lack of state legislation and policy related to twice-exceptional students; (b) need for collaboration among general, gifted, and special education professionals; (c) importance of specific definitions and characteristics for twice-exceptionality; and (d) existence of models for initiatives related to twice exceptionality. The researchers intend for these results to lead educators to advocate for the inclusion of twice-exceptional learners in law and policy at state and national levels.

State Law and Policy Related to Twice-Exceptional Learners Implications for Practitioners and Policymakers

Legislation and policy lead to action. In the absence of law or policy, situations are addressed on a case-by-case basis or they are sometimes ignored. Legislation and policy become extremely important when they relate to groups that have traditionally been marginalized, such as students with disabilities or students with gifts and talents, and they can help guarantee or increase access to services for students from those groups. Because legislation and policy focus on students with disabilities at the federal and state levels, schools usually plan to meet the needs of these students. However, gifted and talented education is not mandated at the federal level, and mandates and funding are limited or nonexistent at the state level. Only recently have twice-exceptional learners been acknowledged in law or policy.

The Effect of the 2008 Recession on Gifted Education Funding Across the State of Texas

The effect of the 2008 Recession has reverberated throughout public education in the United States. This paper examines how the gifted education funding in the state of Texas changed following the Great Recession. The framework of a generalized longitudinal mixed effect model was used to explore this topic. Data acquired from the Texas Education Association included financial and demographic information on Texas School districts (n = 1,025) between the 1999–2000 and 2014–2015 academic school years. The primary finding was that the Great Recession adversely affected suburban school districts. These districts saw a greater percentage point reduction of budget allocated toward gifted programming (–.24) than rural (–.08), town (–.05), or urban (–.08) school districts (t = 2.72, p < .01).

Creativity in higher education: challenges and facilitating factors

The importance of fostering student creativity in higher education has been widely recognized, due to the need for preparing young people for the uncertain and complex world of work, which requires individuals to be able to use their creative abilities. Despite this recognition, the encouragement of creativity in higher education has been a challenge for faculty. Although there is agreement that college students should be creative, college faculty are generally not familiar with learning and teaching environments that promote creativity. Furthermore, many factors impact creativity expression in higher education institutions, such as students’ resistance, organizational structure of universities, faculty attributes and pedagogical practices. This article addresses various challenges to creativity blooming in higher education, as well as some factors that facilitate its nurturance in this type of educational setting.