Grouping Structures of Gifted and High Achieving Middle School Students: Teacher Perceptions and Data Analysis of the Impact of Grouping

<p>In this mixed methods study on teacher perceptions and data related to the impact of grouping structures on middle school gifted and high achieving students, the researcher addresses the gap in literature relating to recent gifted grouping research in rural areas. The study took place in two middle schools of a rural school district in Georgia. A sequential explanatory design was applied to survey responses and focus group data regarding teacher perception of grouping; a comparative ex post facto design was applied to state-issued end of year assessment results and analyzed for trends regarding grouping for gifted and high achieving students; finally, relationship data between teacher perception and student assessment results were also analyzed. Teacher perception survey results indicated that teachers agreed on concepts of high expectations and rigor for students, but disagreed on the best grouping structure for gifted and high achieving students. These perspectives were further elaborated upon in purposeful stratified sample focus groups, where the themes of Academic Performance, Personal and Social Effects, Equity, Discipline, Teaching, and Outside Variables were developed. Student assessment data came from 2015 and 2016 Georgia Milestones results of gifted and high achieving students who were served in either a homogeneously accelerated or heterogeneously clustered model for 8th grade math, 8th grade science, 8th grade language arts, 7th grade math, and 7th grade language arts. Results for assessment and grouping data were mixed and inconclusive, as was the relationship data between teacher perceptions and student assessment results.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Counseling, Foundations & Leadership

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Smith, April Leigh

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Marguerite Yates
• Dr. Richard Rogers
• Dr. Jan G. Burcham

• Georgia
• Rural School District
• Georgia Milestones
• 8th Grade
• 7th Grade
• Teacher Perception
• Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
• Educational Leadership
• Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/224

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:csuepress.columbusstate.edu:theses_dissertations-1242