Empowering Underachieving High-Potential Students for Academic Success

• In Event: Roundtable Session 104
  In Roundtable Session: Social and Emotional Development and Issues for Gifted Individuals

Abstract

The academic underachievement of gifted students has negative societal and individual effects. This study’s purpose was to create and investigate an intervention designed to improve academic achievement by teaching students to use curriculum goals to propose meaningful alternative assignments. This study involved a triangulation mixed methods approach, using qualitative case studies and a quantitative multiple baseline single-subject design. All students’ grades increased immediately after agreeing to be in the study but before the treatment was introduced. Project ATLAS affected some of the students’ attitudes and future expectations. This intervention may be best suited for intrinsically motivated students who have thoughts on school improvement. Future research should scale up implementation and develop a system to match students with appropriate interventions.

Authors

• Lisa DaVia Rubenstein, Ball State University

• Del L. Siegle, University of Connecticut

• E. Jean Gubbins

• Micah Nicole Bruce-Davis, University of Connecticut

• Jamie Garner, University of Connecticut

• Sarah M. Richardson, University of Connecticut

• Eric M. Rubenstein, Yale University