How Can
We Help?
-
Characteristics and Identification of Gifted Students
-
Curriculum and instruction for Gifted and Talented
-
Differentiation for the inclusive classroom
-
Classroom strategies for the Inclusive Classroom
-
Developing a Gifted Education Scope and Sequence
-
The Social and Emotional Needs of Gifted Children
Full
Bloom
Natural talent is like a seed that is planted in someone from an early age. However, if they don’t tend to it, it won’t flourish. Alternatively, someone can plant that seed later on and spend their time taking care of it, giving it what it needs to help it grow.
Differentiated Instruction
Abstract
An exploratory study investigating the impact of a framework of instruction on generalist teachers perceived confidence to teach visual arts.
Eddles-Hirsch, Katrina
This article reports on an exploratory study that addressed the low confidence levels of 80 generalist primary student teachers enrolled in a mandatory visual arts course. Previous studies in this area have found that a cycle of neglect exists in Australia, as a result of educators’ lack of confidence in their ability to teach visual arts. This is believed to create a knock-on effect whereby generalist primary student teachers enter mandatory tertiary visual arts units with little belief in their own art ability.
This exploratory study centred on proactively applying the Tomlinson Model of differentiation in an effort to raise student confidence levels. By providing students with multiple avenues to access essential course understandings, students’ perceptions to teach visual arts changed significantly by course completion. This research has significance as there is a paucity of research re the implications of implementing a differentiated model of instruction at the tertiary level.
Citation: Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2017). An exploratory study investigating the impact of a differentiated framework of instruction on generalist teachers perceived confidence to teach visual arts. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice
Social & Emotional Dimensions of Giftedness
Abstract
Insiders or Outsiders: The Role of Social Context in the Peer Relations of Gifted Students
Katrina Eddles-Hirsch, Wilma Vialle, John McCormick, and Karen Rogers
This phenomenological study explored the lifeworlds of 27 academically advanced elementary students in three very different schools that endeavoured to meet their diverse needs. Schools that had established formal social and emotional structures were found to have student populations far more accepting of diversity. As a result, academically advanced students at these schools who participated in the study were able to form positive relationships with peers without resorting to maladaptive types of social coping strategies. The findings of this study illustrate that the social and emotional support and development provided for gifted students in school settings are likely to be as important as their academics.
Citation: Eddles-Hirsch, K.T., Rogers, K., Vialle, W., & McCormick, J. (2012). Insiders or Outsiders: The role of Social Context in the Peer Relations of Gifted Students. Roeper Review 34, (1), 53-62.
Challenging Instruction
Abstract
“Just Challenge Those High-Ability Learners and They’ll Be All Right!” The Impact of Social Context and Challenging Instruction on the Affective Development of High-Ability Students."
Katrina Eddles-Hirsch University of Notre Dame Wilma Vialle University of Wollongong Karen B. Rogers University of St. Thomas John McCormick University of Wollongong
This study provided a voice to gifted elementary children attending three very different schools that endeavoured to meet their atypical academic needs. Although educators have theorized that special programs for gifted students benefit gifted children academically and contribute positively to their social and emotional development, there is limited research to support this belief. The phenomenological framework used in this study allowed 27 gifted elementary students to present their perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of extension class environments. The results demonstrate that while challenging instruction was clearly important for the emotional well-being of the advanced learners, it went hand in hand with the schools’ approach to the social and emotional development of their student populations. The schools’ objectives clearly influenced students’ perceptions of emotional safety, acceptance of diversity, and teacher-student and peer relations in the schools. This finding differs from previous research results, which suggest that if a gifted child’s cognitive abilities are catered to, his or her social and emotional needs will automatically be met. Whereas this study found that the social context of the school played an important role in the talent process, we also found a strong relationship between program type and socioaffective outcomes.
Citation Eddles-Hirsch, K.T., Rogers, K., Vialle, W., & McCormick, J. (2010). There is challenge and there is CHALLENGE! The Impact of Challenging Instruction on the Social and emotional Development of High Ability Students. The Journal of Advanced Academics, 22, (1), p.102-168.
Social Context
Abstract
This study uses a phenomenological framework to discover from elementary aged gifted girls and boys themselves whether they experienced the social context of their specialized school differently. The gender identities of the three schools in this study were found to play an important role in the creation of a positive or negative social context, which ultimately impacted the talent development process. A review of the research literature found that while there has been research carried out in this area at the secondary school level, not much is known about the impact of social context in the specialised school environment at the elementary school level.
This study also differs from other studies in this area in that a phenomenological framework was used which allowed the voices of the children themselves to predominate. Participants at schools that supported stereotypical gender identities were found to be more likely to deny or mask their atypical abilities. These participants generally perceived that they had to choose between social relations or their academic development. Participants at schools that fostered a gender free environment were more likely to accept giftedness as part of their identity. Despite this positive outcome, societal messages were found to influence the positive or negative experience of the gifted label.
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2013). Girly Girls, Tomboys, Athletes and Nerds: A phenomenological study of social context in the specialised school environment. Scottish Journal of Arts, Social Sciences and Scientific Studies, 17 (1), 88-101.
Publications
Latest to Earliest
-
Francis, T., Kennedy-Clark, S., Eddles-Hirsch, K., & a ’Beckett, C. (2020). Developing a shared understanding of a sense of community in large classes. Global Research in Higher Education, 3 (1), 25-34.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, Kennedy-Clark & Francis (2019) Developing creativity through authentic programming in the inclusive classroom, Education 3-13.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2019). The Role of Social Context in the Talent Development Process at the Tertiary Level. Australasian Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 28, (2).17-28.
-
Kennedy-Clark, S., Eddles-Hirsch K.T., et al (2018). Developing Pre-Service Teacher Professional Capabilities through Action Research. Australian Journal of Teacher Education,43, (9), p.39-58.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2017). An exploratory study investigating the impact of a differentiated framework of instruction on generalist teachers perceived confidence to teach visual arts. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, (14), 2.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2015). Phenomenology and Educational Research. International Journal of Advanced Research, 3, (8), 251-260.
-
Handal, B., Novak, A., Watson, K., Maher, M., MacNish, J., & Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2014). Numeracy education through mobile apps. Australian Journal of Middle Schooling, 14, (1), 28-37.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2013). Girly Girls, Tomboys, Athletes and Nerds: A phenomenological study of social context in the specialised school environment. Scottish Journal of Arts, Social Sciences and Scientific Studies, 17, (1), 88-101.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T., Rogers, K., Vialle, W., & McCormick, J. (2012). Insiders or Outsiders: The role of Social Context in the Peer Relations of Gifted Students. Roeper Review, 34, (1), 53 62.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T., Rogers, K., Vialle, W., & McCormick, J. (2010). There is challenge and there is CHALLENGE! The Impact of Challenging Instruction on the Social and emotional Development of High Ability Students. The Journal of Advanced Academics, 22, (1), p.102-168.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2006). If only they would listen: The life of academically advanced elementary students. Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, 15, (1), 5-1.
Guest Speaker and Paper Presentations
Latest to Earliest
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2018). The Lived Experience of Talented Students at the Tertiary Level. 9th Annual STEM/STEAM Conference. University of Hawaii, Honolulu.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2017). The role of Social Context in the Talent Development Process. Paper presented at the 12th International Conference in Excellence in Education. University of Lisbon, Portugal.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2017). The Role of social context in the process of managing talent from K-12. Invited speaker at the Special Educational Needs Summit, Sydney.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2017). Elitism' and 'Favouritism' – the dirty-words of educating the gifted & talented. PANEL Leader at the Special Educational Needs Summit, Sydney.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2017). OC Classes and Selective Schools: enriching gifted education or a TER/ATAR production line? Panel Member at the Special Educational Needs Summit, Sydney.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2016). Exceptional learners achieving excellence within the tertiary framework. Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education Conference. MCG, Melbourne Vic.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2016). Paper presented at the AAEGT National Gifted Conference. University of New South Wales, Sydney.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2015). The effect of a differentiated model of instruction on the confidence levels of pre-service teachers to teach visual arts at the primary school level. Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education Conference. University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, WA.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2015). Differentiated models of learning and assessment in Australian pre-service teacher education: Current practice and future directions Gifted Futures Forum for Talent Enhancement. University of New South Wales, Sydney.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2014). Girly Girls, Tomboys, Jocks and Nerds: Gifted girls and boys experience of the specialised school environment. Paper presented at the 11th International Conference in Excellence in Education. University Descartes, Paris, France.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2013). A Phenomenological Study of the Advanced Learners in Educational Settings Suited to their Academic Needs. Guest speaker at the Centre for Gifted Education College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2013). The role of Social Context in the talent development process. Guest speaker at the Belin Blank Centre International Centre for Gifted Education, University of Iowa, Iowa City.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2013). Guest speaker at the University of St Thomas, St Paul, Minnesota.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2013). The Role of Social Context in the Talent Development Process. Guest speaker Engage/Challenge/Achieve at the University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2008). A phenomenological study of advanced learners placed in educational settings suited to their academic needs. A paper presented at the Annual Australian Gifted Conference, Hobart, Australia.
-
Eddles-Hirsch, K.T. (2006). If only they would listen. The lifeworld of academically advanced elementary students. A paper presented at the Annual Institute for Educational Research Postgraduate Conference, University of Sydney.