Running Header: Benefits of Distance Learning for Gifted Students

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Running Header: Benefits of Distance Learning for Gifted Students

Benefits of Distance Learning for Gifted Students

Susan Biggers

University of West Georgia

Abstract

Students identified as gifted are generally a small percentage of the total student population in schools around the country. Although highly valued in our society and in our schools, gifted education is not targeted as an area of urgent need, thus programs that would benefit the gifted populations are often rejected in favor of programs that address the needs of the maximum number of students. Most school systems must adopt the approach that the needs of the many far outweigh the needs of a few. In this case, it is the gifted learner that defines the "few." Gifted students need lessons that provide enrichment opportunities as well as acceleration of the curriculum to keep them engaged and challenged.

Teachers need effective ways to implement curriculum that addresses the needs of gifted students in the classroom. Is distance learning the logical solution to provide those needs to gifted students in a regular education classroom? If so, how can school systems effectively implement a distance learning program that is economically viable and be assured of success.This article focuses on the review of research that indicates distance learning technology could provide a solution to meet the educational needs of gifted students.

Introduction

After years of adjusting to what the former administration required of educators in this country in the form of NCLB (No Child Left Behind), teachers are now faced with budget cuts and overcrowded classrooms as the current administration addresses the nation's economic needs. With the current indicator of quality education, accountability and annual yearly progress, teachers must navigate a more challenging path to keep up with the needs of all students in designing lessons that provide for disabilities, as well as creating highly engaging lessons for gifted learners; a daunting task in any regular education setting. With the current economic strains most school districts in the United States are suffering, providing enrichment opportunities and engaging the highly gifted or talented among our student population does not appear to be a high priority. In fact, many school districts have made drastic budget cuts in areas that affect gifted education. With the economic crisis that has forced legislators to find ways to cut the budget, the current administration has determined that the Javits Gifted and Talented Education Grant which supported research, demonstration projects, and other activities that were designed to help elementary and secondary schools meet the needs of gifted and talented students "...does little to increase the availability of gifted and talented programs in schools, increase the quality of those programs, or advance the field of gifted and talented education nationally." (

Because of gifted student' characteristics, such as independence and desire to move at their own pace, they may benefit greatly from the interactive, immediate, and individualized instruction of a distance-learning program. (Wallace 2005) This review is guided by the following research questions: (1) What are specific attributes of distance learning that make is a logical solution for acceleration and enrichment for gifted students? (2) How can teachers supplement curriculum online to provide the differentiated curriculum that gifted students require through distance learning opportunities? (3) How do school systems implement distance learning in the classroom effectively with limited resources that are currently available?

Method

Electronic databases in ERIC EBSCO host and Galileo were used to retrieve peer-reviewed research articles by using keywords such as; gifted students, online learning, distance learning, and characteristics of gifted students. Articles titles and abstracts were added to an electronic clipboard then printed for further screening. After determining the merits of each article by examining the methods of research presented, a preliminary list was made and each article was read for relevancy to the research question. Articles were then grouped according to the part of the research question that they pertained to. The studies used both quantitative and qualitative methods, however, the majority focused on qualitative methods to reach conclusions.

Acceleration and Enrichment Provided by Distance Learning

Differentiated Instruction Through Distance Learning

Differentiation of the curriculum occurs when teachers individualize instruction based on each student's needs. Although the term may be new, teachers have been practicing differentiation by determining the needs of individual students, providing a variety of learning strategies, and using authentic assessment for quite some time now. Gifted students require differentiation in the form of acceleration or enrichment. In a study designed to investigate how academically talented students use a university-based distance learning program, students were asked specific questions to determine the role of distance learning, its role in their education and talent development, and their experience with distance education.Students were asked if distance learning courses were taken as a supplement to their school program, to accelerate, or for personal enrichment. Participants in the study were former students in grades 6-12 who had enrolled in the LearningLink program by taking either advanced placement courses or honors level courses. Mixed methods were used with questionnaires and course evaluations. The results of this study showed that the subject area, a desire to enrich and accelerate themselves, and the unavailabilityof advanced courses at an appropriate time in their home schools were the major reasons for enrolling in distance learning courses. College credit was also an important reason for taking the distance-learningclasses. An interesting finding of this study was that a significant number of students took distance learning courses fortheir own personal interest and enrichment, and many of these students also prepared for AP exams on their own at home. This suggests that studentssupplemented their distance-learning courses with additionalindependent study, attesting to their exceptional motivation,interest, and achievement orientation.(Olszewski-Kubilius & Lee, 2004)

Much of the earlier research focused on rural schools or homeschooling to provide data. The growing trend to supplement education with distance learning is taking hold in most states and with many school systems offering credit recovery courses through virtual high schools. Many of these courses are targeted at the students who are failing to meet academic standards, not the students who are exceeding them. Students may be able to earn credits toward graduation by taking an online course through the virtual schools but in many cases the courses are offered for enrichment purposes only. Much of the recent research available has been provided by the university distance educations courses such as the Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University (CTD), the Center for Talented Youth (CTY) at Johns Hopkins University, and (EPGY) Education Program for Gifted Youth at Stanford University. All of these programs provide online learning experiences and as well as some CD-ROM formats for accelerated courses. Courses range in price from less than five hundred dollars to well over one thousand dollars. Many school systems are opting to form distance learning partnerships with these outside agencies. Staffing shortages can be solved by hiring qualified teachers to only teach the distance learning classes.

Individualize instruction, student-centric technologies,Intrinsic motivation, independent learning environments

Professional Development Strategies to Implement Distance Learning

The implementation of any program in an educational environment must be thoroughly researched for effectiveness. It is "imperative that empirical research be conducted to affirm the efficacy of the integrated technology practices that are being incorporated into gifted classrooms. In order to justify the cost and labor required to maintain and upgrade the technology already in place in our nation's schools, decisions based on research must be made in order to determine effective and ineffective uses of technology."( Nugent 2001)

Conclusion

With technology available to support distance learning and the vast educational experiences available through the world wide web, why aren't more classroom teachers utilizing this source with gifted students to enrich or accelerate the curriculum? Distance education has become rather routine among colleges and universities but appears to still be an anomaly in public education. While most school systems struggle to reach the 21st century goals for technology, opportunities are being missed to provide students with the education that they will require to become successful adults in a rapidly changing, technology infused society. Not only should our brightest students be presented with the opportunity to meet those requirements but they should be expected to exceed them.

Future Research

With a significant body of research indicating that distance learning could be the most significant means of meeting the needs of gifted students, future research should be conducted to determine the most effective means of implementing the changes on a national level. Pouring billions of dollars into the school systems to purchase technology that is underused is not the answer to finding practical solutions. Professional development and best practices should be a focus of research to determine how best to support the learning curve of classroom teachers. A specific research question should include how school systems effectively implement distance learning as a tool to supplement the education of gifted students. Qualitative and quantitative methods should be used to measure the effectiveness of professional development programs for teachers as well as the academic achievements of the students. Instruments that might be utilized would include surveys for classroom teachers to evaluate professional development to train them in best practices. Standardized test scores should be scrutinized for specific academic advances among the gifted population. Research should focus on the advantages of offering the distance learning opportunities to gifted populations in overall success as students as well as social, emotional, and long term affects of creating life-long learners.

References