Exploring reference group effects on teachers’ nominations of gifted students.

Abstract

Teachers are often asked to nominate students for enrichment programs for gifted children, and studies have repeatedly indicated that students' intelligence is related to their likelihood of being nominated as gifted. However, it is unknown whether class-average levels of intelligence influence teachers' nominations as suggested by theory-and corresponding empirical results-concerning reference group effects. Herein, it was hypothesized that when students' individual fluid and crystallized intelligence scores were similar, students from classes with higher average levels of intelligence would have a lower probability of being nominated for an enrichment program for gifted children than students from classes with lower average levels of intelligence. Furthermore, we investigated whether 3 teacher variablesexperience with giftedness, beliefs about the changeability of intelligence, and the belief that giftedness is holistic or domain specific-would influence the expected reference group effect. In a study comprising data from 105 teachers and 1,468 of their (German) third-grade students, we found support not only for a positive association between students' individual intelligence scores and the probability that students would be nominated as gifted but also, more importantly, for the proposed reference group effect: When controlling for individual levels of intelligence, students' probability of being nominated was higher in classes with lower average levels of intelligence. In addition, the results showed that this reference group effect was stronger when teachers saw giftedness as holistic rather than domain specific. Also, depending on teachers' kinds of experience with giftedness, the reference group effect varied in size.

Effectiveness of a “Grass Roots” Statewide Enrichment Program for Gifted Elementary School Children

“…That is, in addition to the pretest measures of all dependent variables (academic achievement, interests, creativity, self-control, self-concept, social competence), we considered demographic variables, academic boredom, academic interests, intrinsic motivation, personality traits (assessed via parent ratings), school engagement, stressors, and mean class intelligence as covariates that were potentially important for the allocation procedure. We chose these variables because teachers were instructed to nominate children by considering a broad range of characteristics such as high (cognitive) abilities, creativity, interests, and motivation; we also used contextual factors such as mean class abilities (see Rothenbusch et al, 2016). It was important to include an extensive set of covariates to reduce bias in the treatment effect (see Thoemmes & Kim, 2011).…”

“…Students can participate in the HCAP after being nominated as gifted by their teachers from their regular school. More precisely, teachers from any elementary school in Baden-W€ urttemberg can suggest students for participation by enrolling them in one academy (Rothenbusch, Zettler, Voss, L€ osch, & Trautwein, 2016). In line with more comprehensive conceptualizations of giftedness and to avoid nominations that are based on school achievement or intelligence only, teachers are instructed to nominate children for the whole program (and not a specific course) by considering a broad range of characteristics involving high (cognitive) abilities, creativity, interests, and motivation (Agreement, 2010).…”

“…To allow access to the program that is independent of the gifted children's social background, participation in the HCAP program is free of charge. Although the local academies make the final decision about acceptance, in the past, almost all nominated students were accepted in the end if space permitted it (see Rothenbusch et al, 2016).…”

“…The enrichment opportunities at the academies began approximately four weeks after the beginning of the school year and were held during its first term (i.e., they lasted approximately four months). Teachers nominated students prior to the beginning of the enrichment activities (for further information about the nomination procedure, please see Rothenbusch et al, 2016). Students were asked to complete standardized tests and to fill out several questionnaires at the beginning of the school year (i.e., before the courses began) and after the first term (i.e., after the courses ended) in classroom assessments.…”

Class composition as a frame of reference for teachers? The influence of class context on teacher recommendations

“…In fact, research has shown that pupils' grade point averages (GPAs) are influenced by a frame-of-reference effect; that is, pupils in low average ability classes receive higher GPAs than equally able pupils in high average ability classes (Marsh, 1987;Trautwein et al, 2006). Similarly, a recent German study showed that, controlling for individual intelligence, the average intelligence level of a class had a negative effect on third graders' chances of being nominated by their teachers for enrichment programmes for gifted students (Rothenbusch et al, 2016). This strand of research thus suggests that teachers tend to judge pupils' ability relative to that of other pupils in the class.…”