Influence of curriculum characteristics on empowerment of talented secondary science students Ton van der Valk (FIsme) In cooperation with Hetty Grunefeld, Quintijn Sissingh Meijer and Albert Pilot (IVLOS Institute of Education) E-mail to [email_address]

Outline The research issue Theoretical framework The context: Junior College Utrecht Research methods Results: Learner Empowerment Influence of curriculum Interpretation Discussion Conclusions and recommendations

The research issue

Theoretical framework

The context: Junior College Utrecht

Research methods

Results: Learner Empowerment

Influence of curriculum

Interpretation

Discussion

Conclusions and recommendations

The research issue Talented secondary students should be empowered by science education Regular education does not offer them enough challenge So, adaptation of education to this group Which curriculum characteristics contribute to the empowerment of talented secondary science students?

Talented secondary students should be empowered by science education

Regular education does not offer them enough challenge

So, adaptation of education to this group

Which curriculum characteristics contribute to the empowerment of talented secondary science students?

Theoretical framework: empowerment Empowerment: students feel challenged and competent to accomplish their tasks and feel their effort really matters Three components: Meaningful Competent Impact (Frymier et al. 1996; Thomas and Velthouse 1990)

Empowerment: students feel challenged and competent to accomplish their tasks and feel their effort really matters

Three components:

Meaningful

Competent

Impact

(Frymier et al. 1996; Thomas and Velthouse 1990)

Theoretical framework: curriculum characteristics Talent curriculum characteristics: School culture valuing differences between students Teaching approach geared to talented students Talented students meet and cooperate in doing learning tasks Compact curriculum; accelerated pace Enrichment topics beyond syllabuses Open assignments and investigation Heller e.a. (2002) Internat. Handbook of Giftedness an Talent

Talent curriculum characteristics:

School culture valuing differences between students

Teaching approach geared to talented students

Talented students meet and cooperate in doing learning tasks

Compact curriculum; accelerated pace

Enrichment topics beyond syllabuses

Open assignments and investigation

Heller e.a. (2002) Internat. Handbook of Giftedness an Talent

The context: Junior College Utrecht Utrecht University + 26 partner schools 2 years of ‘enriched’ science education 50 grade-11 and 50 grade-12 students Maths, physics, chemistry, biology, NLT Lessons on Monday and Tuesday 4 cohorts (160 st.) have passed national examinations >80% opt for science study in university

Utrecht University + 26 partner schools

2 years of ‘enriched’ science education

50 grade-11 and 50 grade-12 students

Maths, physics, chemistry, biology, NLT

Lessons on Monday and Tuesday

4 cohorts (160 st.) have passed national examinations

>80% opt for science study in university

JCU curriculum characteristics JCU atmosphere - student participation; social activities Approach by teachers - Tuned to interests and capacities of students Talent meets talent - Students share passion for science/ maths Accelerated pace - Syllabuses done in 60% of time Enriched programme - Subject matter beyond syllabuses Research oriented - Assignments like pre-thesis and JCU-thesis Align with talent curriculum characteristics

JCU atmosphere

- student participation; social activities

Approach by teachers

- Tuned to interests and capacities of students

Talent meets talent

- Students share passion for science/ maths

Accelerated pace

- Syllabuses done in 60% of time

Enriched programme

- Subject matter beyond syllabuses

Research oriented

- Assignments like pre-thesis and JCU-thesis

Align with talent curriculum characteristics

Research methods Learner empowerment measure Digital questionnaire (26 items; alpha .86) based on Frymier e.a. 1996 focused JCU, not on home schools Questionnaire appeared reliable Effect of curriculum characteristics Digital questionnaire relating 3 dimensions to 6 characteristics (18 items) Interpretation with qualitative data Q: (dis)advantages in participating in JCU?

Learner empowerment measure

Digital questionnaire (26 items; alpha .86) based on Frymier e.a. 1996

focused JCU, not on home schools

Questionnaire appeared reliable

Effect of curriculum characteristics

Digital questionnaire relating 3 dimensions to 6 characteristics (18 items)

Interpretation with qualitative data

Q: (dis)advantages in participating in JCU?

Research group and response 49 grade-11 JCU-students 48 grade-12 JCU-students Digital questionnaires Response 75 (77%): 44 boys; 31 girls Open questionnaires Response 100%

49 grade-11 JCU-students

48 grade-12 JCU-students

Digital questionnaires

Response 75 (77%): 44 boys; 31 girls

Open questionnaires

Response 100%

Results 1 Mean scores ± s.d. empowerment 3.85 ± .40 competence 3.91 ± .62 meaningfulness 3.88 ± .51 impact 3.70 ± .51 No significant differences between groups except competence: girls< boys No significant differences in marks between boys and girls  JCU students feel empowered on all 3 dimensions  girls less empowered on Competence, but not less competent

Mean scores ± s.d.

empowerment 3.85 ± .40

competence 3.91 ± .62

meaningfulness 3.88 ± .51

impact 3.70 ± .51

No significant differences between groups except competence: girls< boys

No significant differences in marks between boys and girls

 JCU students feel empowered on all 3 dimensions

 girls less empowered on Competence, but not less competent

Results 2 Mean effect of all 6 characteristics on empowerment: 3.71 Meaningful 3.90* Competence 3.73 Impact 3.50*

Mean effect of all 6 characteristics on empowerment: 3.71

Meaningful 3.90*

Competence 3.73

Impact 3.50*

Effect of characteristic on empowerment Accelerated curriculum (3.46 + .60) + Students acknowledge and appreciate acceleration But to some students the pace is too high (in particular maths; physics): Talent meets talent (3.60 + .66) + Students appreciate meeting talented peers But to some it results in too high expectations Negative influence on Competence indicate why these characteristics contribute relatively little to empowerment

Accelerated curriculum (3.46 + .60)

+ Students acknowledge and appreciate acceleration

But to some students the pace is too high (in particular maths; physics):

Talent meets talent (3.60 + .66)

+ Students appreciate meeting talented peers

But to some it results in too high expectations

Negative influence on Competence indicate why these characteristics contribute relatively little to empowerment

Effect of characteristic on empowerment - 2 Research oriented (3.68 + .69) Highlights are research activities: thesis and CERN excursion Students ask for more research activities Teaching approach (3.70 + .54) Students appreciate discussions in lessons suggest more freedom for making choices Enrichment (3.77 + .54) Much appreciated To some: focus too much on maths/phys; to others: on life sciences These charact. add to empowerment, but the Impact dimension can be reinforced  Even a selected group of gifted students needs differentiated curriculum

Research oriented (3.68 + .69)

Highlights are research activities: thesis and CERN excursion

Students ask for more research activities

Teaching approach (3.70 + .54)

Students appreciate discussions in lessons

suggest more freedom for making choices

Enrichment (3.77 + .54)

Much appreciated

To some: focus too much on maths/phys; to others: on life sciences

These charact. add to empowerment, but the Impact dimension can be reinforced

 Even a selected group of gifted students needs differentiated curriculum

Effect of characteristics on empowerment - 3 JCU atmosphere (4.05 + .63) Student like the social climate in and out classes Students experience freedom, challenge, respect for their contributions Students feel empowered by the JCU setting as a whole

JCU atmosphere (4.05 + .63)

Student like the social climate in and out classes

Students experience freedom, challenge, respect for their contributions

Students feel empowered by the JCU setting as a whole

Conclusions Education that meets the ‘talent curriculum characteristics’ result in empowered learners All ‘talent characteristics’ contribute to learner empowerment The most to Meaningful The least to Impact School culture / atmosphere is the most important Accelerated pace and Talents meet talents can turn out ambiguous ‘ Differentiated curriculum’ is missing in ‘talent curriculum characteristics’

Education that meets the ‘talent curriculum characteristics’ result in empowered learners

All ‘talent characteristics’ contribute to learner empowerment

The most to Meaningful

The least to Impact

School culture / atmosphere is the most important

Accelerated pace and Talents meet talents can turn out ambiguous

‘ Differentiated curriculum’ is missing in ‘talent curriculum characteristics’

Recommendations To empowerment research Follow development of empowerment Comparison of groups To science education for talented students Apply talent curriculum characteristics Different tasks to different students Discuss (dis)advantages of acceleration many opportunities for investigations / student contributions To regular science education Pay attention to a stimulating atmosphere Enrichment for talented students Resulting in ‘products’ that can be shown Pay equal attention to all students

To empowerment research

Follow development of empowerment

Comparison of groups

To science education for talented students

Apply talent curriculum characteristics

Different tasks to different students

Discuss (dis)advantages of acceleration

many opportunities for investigations / student contributions

To regular science education

Pay attention to a stimulating atmosphere

Enrichment for talented students

Resulting in ‘products’ that can be shown

Pay equal attention to all students