Date of Award

2017

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Committee Chair

Philip Rapp

Abstract

The research study examined teacher perceptions of gifted instruction. It focused on teacher perceptions of the needs of gifted students; teacher confidence in adapting instruction to meet the needs; and teacher perceptions of which research-based instructional strategies are best implemented. The purpose of this study was to determine if AG teacher perceptions of instructional strategies influence the implementation of them. This study combined literature research, survey data, and interview data all shedding light on the need to improve academic instruction for all AG students (Bangel, Moon, & Capobianco, 2010; Manning, 2006; McKinsey & Co., 2009). The research and data demonstrated a lack of preparation for teachers who instruct AG students (Bain, Bliss, Choate, & Sager Brown 2007). The priority is to increase teacher preparation at the college level and continue to fund certification partnerships with universities and ongoing support from the district in the form of professional development and district in-services. Literature research supports the implementation and frequent use of the six research-based instructional strategies presented in this study. The study found two of the six instructional strategies had low perception translating into poor implementation. Contrary to many beliefs, AG students will not succeed on their own; they require specific instructional and psychological needs to continue to compete internationally with other nations (Subotnik, Olszewski-Kubilius, & Worrell, 2011; Xiang, Dahlin, Cronin, Theaker, & Durant, 2011). Renzulli (2005) described this as a quiet crises that if unchecked will leave a drought of specialized and creative work force that made America great.

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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