Title

AN ANALYSIS OF THE PRODUCTIVITY OF GIFTED STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAMS USING THE REVOLVING DOOR IDENTIFICATION MODEL

Date of Completion

January 1981

Keywords

Education, Educational Psychology

Degree

Ph.D.

Abstract

This study was undertaken to analyze the use of a new identification system, the Revolving Door Identification Model (RDIM), which was substituted for the more traditional identification systems in twelve school districts throughout Connecticut. The purpose of this study was to develop a product rating scale, the Student Product Assessment Form, which was used by raters to assess the differences in the quality of products completed by male and female students in the gifted programs in these districts. Students were divided into two groups: female and male students who would have been identified by traditional guidelines (usually the top 1-5% as selected by high scores on an achievement or IQ test), and female and male students who would not have been traditionally identified but who entered the program under an expanded set of criteria. Additionally, the study analyzed whether sex or grade level affected the process of students "revolving in" to the resource room of the gifted program to complete advanced level products. This study also analyzed the effects of implementing the RDIM, which identifies 15-25% of the student population as being eligible to participate in the gifted program.^ The procedures used to determine the proportion of students who revolved in to the resource room to complete advanced level products showed that a significantly higher proportion of females revolved in than males. Additionally, it was found that a significantly higher proportion of 4-6 grade students revolved in than 1-3 grade students.^ Analysis of variance procedures showed no significant difference in the quality of products completed by students in the two groups and no significant difference in the overall quality of products completed by males and females. Although some significant interactions between sex and group with respect to the quality of products was found, follow-up t-tests revealed no significant differences between males and females in either group on the Total of all of the Key Concepts on the Student Product Assessment Form. Finally, a qualitative analysis on the effects of implementing the RDIM showed that the model was highly successful across the field test districts. ^

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