Designing Challenging Science Experiences for High-Ability Learners Through Partnerships With University Professors

Abstract

Summer Enrichment Workshop (SEW) is a 3-week enrichment program held at The University of Alabama (UA) Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for students identified as gifted and talented. The faculty of the College of Education, Program of Gifted and Talented (GT), formed a partnership with a College of Engineering faculty member who mentored the graduate student GT interns to develop and teach middle school science minicourses in the SEW program. Data indicate that the challenge level of the science middle school minicourses improved, and interns experienced more competence and confidence in teaching upper-level science courses. Contributing factors included having a science expert to collaborate in planning content and coteaching lessons; consistent reflection on practice; making learning more real-world; providing support, assistance, guidance, and counseling; long-term planning; problem solving and inquiry; and experimentation and risk taking, followed by immediate corrective feedback.

Experiences of High-Ability High School Students

“…Several studies have also focused on subject-specific curriculum options for gifted students, in subjects including social studies and science (Jones & Hébert, 2012; Newman & Hubner, 2012). Many studies, including one by Maker et al (2006), have studied the DISCOVER curriculum model for creativity.…”

Üstün Yetenekli Öğrenciler ve Öğretmen Adaylarının Mentorlük Yaklaşımına Dayalı Doğa Eğitimi Programına İlişkin Görüşleri

“…Similar to our findings, Rinn (2006) stated that the co-existence of gifted students with their peers caused them to develop the concepts of social self and to reduce the need for guidance. In addition, participation of lecturers who are experts in their fields to such camps in addition to teachers will motivate the participants more and enable them to fell more experienced and competent about the topic covered (Newman and Hubner, 2012). The results of this study can be seen as a reason why gifted students emphasized social gains.…”

Accelerating Saudi Students into Higher Education Programs: Identifying Potential Educational Interventions to Expedite Development

“…Internal partnership within universities such as partnership with college faculty members to mentor gifted students, had positive results on gifted students' performance (Newman and Hubner, 2012). Partnerships in the proposed Saudi intervention could take place as building a collaboration between the Deanship of Scientific Research, Deanship of Skills Development, and Deanship of Student Affairs, in order to gain qualified services for gifted students.…”