Dr. D. Betsy McCoach shared recent NCRGE research at the 2018 AERA Annual Meeting in New York City. She presented “Understanding Excellence Gaps: What can we learn from studying within school variability ” as a member of a panel on “Are Excellence Gaps the Unavoidable Consequences of Expanded Opportunities for High-Performing Students?” Her co-authors on the paper were Rashea Hamilton and Daniel Long.
Photo courtesy of Chris Amspaugh
National Center for Research on Gifted Education (NCRGE) Director Del Siegle recently shared NCRGE research on the under identification of gifted students of poverty with The Columbus Dispatch.
NCRGE Researcher, Dr. Betsy McCoach, discussed some of the NCRGE team’s recent work showing that students in poverty are less likely to be identified gifted in a radio interview on Wi-AM.com. The research is supported by a grant administered by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).
NCRGE researchers have published the first study to demonstrate a link between student poverty, institutional poverty, and the lower identification rate of gifted low-income students.
The study, “Disentangling the Roles of Institutional and Individual Poverty in the Identification of Gifted Students,” was published in the journal Gifted Child Quarterly. Researchers found that students eligible for free or reduced lunch programs are less likely to be identified for gifted education services even after controlling for prior math and reading achievement scores. In addition, the findings indicated that students in low-income schools have a further reduced possibility of being identified for gifted services.
Daniel Long, E. Jean Gubbins, D. Betsy McCoach, and Del Siegle presented the NCRGE’s first three years’ research findings at the IES Relevance and Rigor PI meeting in Washington, DC in January.
Job Posting Title: University Postdoctoral Fellow 1
The National Center for Research on Gifted Education (http://ncrge.uconn.edu) is seeking a quantitative researcher for a Postdoctoral Fellow position. The person in this position will work with the National Center for Research on Gifted Education on a large mixed methods research study. Duties include conducting statistical analyses to answer complex research questions, documenting methods and results, and communicating those results for a variety of audiences. In addition, this position entails data management, programming, and reporting tasks. This individual will be a core team member who must be able to both learn and work independently as well as collaborate effectively with co-workers. There will be substantial opportunities to actively engage in the entire research process and to collaborate on research presentations and publications.
Duties and Responsibilities
Minimum Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications
Appointment Terms
This is a full-time, end-date, 12-month position with an anticipated start date of October 1, 2017. The position may be renewed based on funding. The successful candidate’s appointment will be at the Storrs campus with the possibility of national travel. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
To Apply
To apply, complete an online application on UConn Jobs, www.jobs.uconn.edu. Please attach a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references. Applications are due by September 6, 2017. Evaluation of applicants will begin immediately. Employment of the successful candidate will be contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check. (Search # 2018040)
For questions about the position, please contact Dr. Del Siegle at del.siegle@uconn.edu. For more information regarding the National Center for Research on Gifted Education, please visit the website at http://ncrge.uconn.edu/.
This job posting is scheduled to be removed at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on September 6, 2017.
All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.
The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty and staff. The diversity of students, faculty and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University’s teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn’s ranking as one of the nation’s top research universities. UConn’s faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural and diverse University community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.
The National Center for Research on Gifted Education will be receiving $2 million in funding to complete its proposed Phase 2 study. On the basis of the findings from Phase 1, the Center will investigate the effect of attending dedicated gifted classes in core content areas on students’ academic achievement in reading/language arts and mathematics. The Center will compare the reading/language arts and mathematics achievement of gifted students in three different settings: schools offering a full-time gifted-only program with gifted classes in all subject areas, schools offering a part-time gifted-only program with gifted classes in mathematics, and schools offering a part-time gifted-only program with gifted classes in reading/language arts. Additionally, the researchers will examine the effects of removing gifted students from regular education classrooms on the academic performance of high-achieving students not identified as gifted. The researchers will also explore the possible moderating influences of EL status, FRL status, and (separately) identification as Black or Hispanic. This research is being conducted in a large, ethnically, economically, and linguistically diverse urban school district in a state that mandates gifted education identification and programming.
Thu, April 27, 4:05 to 6:05 pm, Grand Hyatt San Antonio, Second Floor, Bowie A
Trends in Reading Growth Between Gifted and Nongifted Students: An Individual Growth Model Analysis
Michael Shane Tutwiler, D. Betsy McCoach, Rashea Hamilton, & Del Siegle
In this study, we use large-scale, longitudinal data to model the growth in student reading across 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade in three states using multi-level models for change (Singer & Willett, 2003) to fit individual growth models for students nested in schools and districts. Students who were identified as gifted had 3rd grade reading scores that were nearly a full standard deviation higher than their non-gifted peers. However, students identified as gifted showed reading growth that was either similar to, or slightly lower than, their non-gifted peers.
Fri, April 28, 12:25 to 1:55 pm, Grand Hyatt San Antonio, Third Floor, Bonham D
Gifted Education Structures in Elementary Schools and Their Connections to Program Focus
Del Siegle, Jeb. S. Puryear, William Estepar-Garcia, Carolyn M. Callahan, E. Jean Gubbins, D. Betsy McCoach, Rachel U. Mun, and Christina M. Amspaugh
Gifted education programs are diverse with respect to their structure and foci. This diversity is reflective of the field itself. With this large, multi-state study, we surveyed practices employed in elementary schools (N = 1,548). Differences were observed in the implementation mechanics of English and mathematics curriculum. Interrelationships between program structures emerged (e.g., existence of separate gifted curriculum and pull-out instruction, (F = .16). Schools reported a focus on 21st century skills and enrichment techniques while neglecting acceleration strategies and cultural responsiveness. Lastly, we observed a number of statistically significant relationships between program structures and the foci used in gifted programs. These relationships may reflect underlying beliefs in the field. Their implications are examined and future directions are discussed.
Sat, April 29, 10:35 am to 12:05 pm, Grand Hyatt San Antonio, Second Floor, Bowie A
Symposium Organized by NCRGE: Talent Ignored: Investigating the Underidentification of English Learners for Gifted Programs
Identifying and Serving English Learners for Gifted and Talented Education: A Systematic Literature Review
Rachel U. Mun and Susan Dulong Langley
While the number of English Learners (ELs) continues to grow rapidly in the United States, corresponding proportions of ELs are not identified for gifted and talented (GT) services. This neglect results in what Plucker, Burroughs, and Song (2010) described as a growing “excellence gap” in K-12 education. Thus, we undertook a systematic review of the literature to investigate the most effective practices used to identify and serve ELs for GT services.
Identification of Gifted English Learners: An Empirical Examination of Two States
Rashea Hamilton, D. Betsy McCoach, Michael Shane Tutwiler, and Willaim Estepar-Garcia
The goal of the current study was to examine the extent to which EL students are under-identified as gifted using state data, and explore the role of district level practices in EL identification.
Identification of English Learner Gifted From Parents’ Perspective: Challenges and Recommendations
Rashea Hamilton and Rachel U. Mun
School-family partnerships, while shown to be beneficial for all students, might be particularly beneficial for gifted English language learners since schools have struggled to identify these students due to language and cultural barriers (Nichol, 2013). Therefore, the goal of the current study is to explore how parents of gifted English Learners (ELs) understand the identification process.
Sun, April 30, 2:15 to 3:45pm, Grand Hyatt San Antonio, Third Floor, Bonham C
Identifying and Serving Gifted and Talented Students: Are Identification and Services Connected?
Jean Gubbins, Del Siegle, Patricia O’Rourke, Susan Dulong Langley, Karen Cross, Carolyn M. Callahan, Annalissa V. Brodersen, Melanie Caughey, and Joseph S. Renzulli
Designing and implementing programs for gifted and talented students requires careful planning. We analyzed 293 district program plans from two states to determine the match between identification practices and interventions. Of these districts, 69.6% (n=204) identified students in mathematics and 68.9% (n=202) identified students in reading/English language arts. At least 60% of the districts used faster pace, depth, or breadth of coverage in mathematics or reading, or regular education reading/English language arts standards for gifted students. Learning environment options included differentiated instruction (86%), cluster grouping (55%), and pull-out classes (55%). It is interesting to note that national attention to reading and mathematics has not had a corresponding effect on selected emphases in gifted education programs.
Mon, May 1, 2:15 to 3:45pm, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Ballroom Level, Hemisfair Ballroom 2
Exploring Alignment in Gifted Education Program Policies and Practices
Annalissa V. Brodersen
Previous studies demonstrate a possible disconnect between gifted education policies at the state and district level (e.g., Callahan, Moon, & Oh, 2013), and the extent to which local practices are aligned with state/district policies is unknown. Researchers (e.g., Baker, 2001; Kettler, Russel, & Puryear, 2015) indicate gifted programs may vary according to district/school size and/or district/school resources. In this study I use qualitative document analysis to examine gifted education policies and practices about identification and service delivery models/programming within two states. I examine state/district-level policies as well as district/school-level reported practices. Results indicate state and district policies and practices are toward alignment with recommended practices in identification, while in services they are less aligned with each other and recommended practices.
Professor Del Siegle has been named Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs for the Neag School.
Siegle, a professor of gifted education in the Neag School’s Department of Educational Psychology, where he has served as department head since 2011, will officially join the Dean’s Office leadership team on Jan. 3, 2017.
In his new role, Siegle will serve as the dean’s designee on all matters related to research and faculty affairs and will work collaboratively with departments, programs, faculty, professional staff, and others on a range of responsibilities, including overseeing faculty personnel matters; providing leadership for the research enterprise in the Neag School; facilitating faculty development in the areas of tenure, promotion, and research; and serving as the liaison between the Neag School and UConn’s Office of the Vice President for Research.
“Del has a depth and breadth of knowledge and far-reaching scholarly success in education research on the national and international levels that make him an ideal fit for this position,” says Dean Gladis Kersaint. “We’re excited to have him take this position on as the Neag School continues to advance its research efforts and pursue meaningful scholarship in its strategic areas of focus, and we are grateful to Sandy Chafouleas for her dedicated service in the roles of Associate Dean and Director of Research over these past two years.”
Siegle joined UConn in 1999, after serving four years as an assistant professor at Boise State University. He is a past president of the National Association of Gifted Children and has served on the board of directors of The Association for the Gifted. He is chair of the AERA Research on Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent SIG. He was co-editor of the Journal of Advanced Academics and is currently co-editor of Gifted Child Quarterly. He also writes a technology column for Gifted Child Today. His research interests include web-based instruction, motivation of gifted students, and teacher bias in the identification of students for gifted programs. Along with Gary Davis and Sylvia Rimm, he is an author of the popular textbook Education of the Gifted and Talented (6th ed.). He is the principal investigator and director of the National Center for Research on Gifted Education (NCRGE).
Dr. E. Jean Gubbins, Dr. D. Betsy McCoach, and Dr. Del Siegle shared recent NCRGE work during the Thursday afternoon poster session at the Institute of Education Sciences 2016 Principal Investigator Meeting in Washington DC.