How High-Ability Students View Beliefs About Educational Acceleration: A Structured Conceptualization

• In Event: 75.042 - MTCC Roundtable Session 34
  In Roundtable Session: 75.042-9 - Gifted Education: Practices and Policies

Abstract

Educational acceleration is a recommended practice for high-ability students. However, acceleration remains a misunderstood topic, despite much research and debate. Our study examined students’ perspectives on what grade-based acceleration might be like in inclusive classes. We used a unique mixed-method approach, called group concept mapping, to engage students in creating a statistically derived group concept map. Specifically, 26 students in inclusive classes shared beliefs about acceleration, then 14 high-ability students structured the data by sorting and rating a list of the generated beliefs. We analysed the sorted data using multi-dimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. The resultant cluster map revealed six key concepts in educational acceleration, from the perspective of high-ability students

Authors

• Lynn Dare, University of Western Ontario

• Elizabeth Nowicki, University of Western Ontario