Identified Gifted Boys' Experience Of Giftedness In Alternative High School Settings: Implications For Practice And Programming

atmire.migration.oldid742
dc.contributor.advisorBohac Clarke, Veronika
dc.contributor.authorAlisat, Laurie
dc.date.accessioned2013-02-08T21:21:19Z
dc.date.available2013-06-15T07:01:49Z
dc.date.issued2013-02-08
dc.date.submitted2013en
dc.description.abstractIdentification as a gifted learner can provide opportunities for boys to thrive or can place undue pressure and stress, causing them to decline in school, academically and emotionally. This multi-site case study using integral research methodology looked to understand identified gifted boys’ experience of giftedness in schooling, the influence of being labelled as gifted, and how alternative settings met the needs of these gifted boys. Seven identified gifted high school boys’, enrolled in nine different alternative education programs, in a large urban setting in Alberta, Canada, experience of schooling was documented in detail and examined. Interviews, school records, and program reviews provided multiple and at times discrepant perspectives of the boys’ experiences of schooling. Several common themes emerged. The most profound was a shared experience of shame, guilt, and denial, surrounding identification and provision as a gifted learner and unrealistic expectations of performance from self and others. Further commonalities included the need for mutually respectful and caring relationships with teachers as well as the need for challenge and relevance in learning experiences, to enable engagement and achievement in school. These were examined through the lens of Integral Theory focusing on: the interior individual and personality development, using Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration; the exterior individual using brain development and neuroscience research; the interior collective, examining the influence of cultural beliefs and values as displayed through popular culture; and the exterior collective, reviewing education system programs and policies. The predominate mediators, of the conditions as identified by the themes, were teachers. The boys’ experience was heavily reliant on teachers’ attitudes, knowledge, and skills, in relation to gifted learners. Few of the boys spoke positively of their schooling experience. However, most of the highlights mentioned, involved a special teacher with whom they had connected. Conversely, the negative experiences they discussed also involved teachers. Teacher professional development and positive school culture are essential for gifted students to flourish in schooling. Implications for practice and programming provide ideas for future directions in supporting gifted learners particularly in inclusive settings.en_US
dc.identifier.citationAlisat, L. (2013). Identified Gifted Boys' Experience Of Giftedness In Alternative High School Settings: Implications For Practice And Programming (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/26424en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/26424
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11023/548
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.facultyGraduate Studies
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subjectEducation--Curriculum and Instruction
dc.subject.classificationgiftednessen_US
dc.subject.classificationboysen_US
dc.subject.classificationschoolingen_US
dc.subject.classificationexperienceen_US
dc.subject.classificationRelationshipsen_US
dc.subject.classificationexpectationsen_US
dc.subject.classificationchallengeen_US
dc.subject.classificationRelevanceen_US
dc.subject.classificationchoiceen_US
dc.subject.classificationPracticeen_US
dc.subject.classificationprogrammingen_US
dc.titleIdentified Gifted Boys' Experience Of Giftedness In Alternative High School Settings: Implications For Practice And Programming
dc.typedoctoral thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineEducational Research
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
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