Investigating an Intervention Used to Address Underachievement in Gifted and Non-Gifted High

339 Pages·2017·3.01 MB·English

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Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations Teaching & Learning
Spring 2016
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Melissa (Missy) C. Sullivan
Old Dominion University, [email protected]
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Sullivan, Melissa (Missy) C.. "Investigating an Intervention Used to Address Underachievement in Gifted
and Non-Gifted High School Students: A Mixed Methodological Study" (2016). Doctor of Philosophy
(PhD), Dissertation, Teaching & Learning, Old Dominion University, DOI: 10.25777/wmp4-jx86
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/teachinglearning_etds/3
This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Teaching & Learning at ODU Digital Commons.
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INVESTIGATING AN INTERVENTION USED TO ADDRESS
UNDERACHIEVEMENT IN GIFTED AND NON-GIFTED HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS: A MIXED METHODOLOGICAL STUDY

by

Melissa (Missy) C. Sullivan
M.Ed. May 2003, University of Connecticut
M.Ed. May 1995, Bowie State University
B.S. May 1990, Towson State University

A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of
Old Dominion University in Partial fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN EDUCATION

WITH CONCENTRATION IN

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY
March 2016

Approved by:
________________________
Dr. Peter Baker (Director)

________________________
Dr. Charlene Fleener
(Member)

________________________
Dr. Shana Pribesh (Member)

________________________
Dr. Del Siegle (Member)
ABSTRACT
INVESTIGATING AN INTERVENTION USED TO ADDRESS
UNDERACHIEVEMETN IN GIFTED AND NON-GIFTED HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS: A MIXED METHODOLOGICAL STUDY

Missy C. Sullivan
Old Dominion University, 2016
Director: Dr. Peter Baker

Recent concerns in the field of gifted education focus on students who are not
performing at their ability level. These students can be classified as underachieving gifted
students. In their research, Rubenstein, Siegle, Reis, McCoach, and Burton (2012) found
that though gifted students are not typically considered at risk, there is a growing group of
gifted students who are not motivated to learn, which is frustrating for parents, teachers,
and counselors. Highly capable students are not being engaged in their classes which
causes underachievement in these students (Kim, 2008). The purpose of this mixed
methodological study will be to investigate if a goal-setting intervention impacts academic
performance and attitudes in gifted achievers and underachievers as well as non-gifted
achievers and underachievers. How students value a goal setting intervention as it relates
to a higher level mathematics course will also be addressed.
Data were collected through reported grades, intervention meetings, interviews,
and student questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statics, analysis of variance
(ANOVA), analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and content analysis of interview
transcripts. Findings from the study confirm that there is a higher Academic Self-
Perception Academic Self-Perception in underachieving gifted students who received the
intervention. Results from the exit questionnaire show that though students did not
improve academically, they still found value in a goal-setting intervention.
iii

Copyright, 2016, by Missy C. Sullivan, All Rights Reserved.
iv

This thesis is dedicated to my mom Jayne who encouraged me to always strive for more
academically. She also taught me to preserve and be tenacious in whatever challenge is
set before me leading by her example. I would not be the woman I am today without her
support, understanding, and unequivocal love.
v

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank Dr. Peter Baker for his friendship and guidance throughout
this process. He was helpful, humorous, and above all patient during the four years we
were together. I’d also like to thank my wonderful committee; Dr. Charlene Fleener, Dr.
Shana Pribesh and Dr. Del Siegle. I can’t imagine a better group of people to work with
during my comprehensive exam, proposal defense, and then my dissertation.

Words cannot express my appreciation for the professors who were a big part of
this program. Many thanks go to them; Dr. Suh, Dr. Fischer, Dr. Kimmel, and Dr.
Overbaugh. Special thanks go to Dr. Cowell, and Dr. Perez who always lent an ear
whenever a qualitative or quantitative question needed answering.

I would like to send acknowledgements to the many editors and/or fellow ODU
cohorts who helped me get this document finished. Thank you Corrine Wilson for always
calming me down and assuring me that I understood the data. Mark Diacopoulos, Amy
Abbott, Bill McConnell, and Sameera Viswakula – you were my “go to” people and I
can’t tell you how much I appreciate all that you did for me. Thank you Carrie Knoche,
Jim Godfrey, and John DeAngelo for helping to double check behind my work.

Thank you to my wonderful bosses, Dr. Nancy Farrell and Dr. Veleka Gatling,
who gave me the support I needed to accomplish my program and this study.

Gratitude also goes to my friends and family who stood by and were extremely
patient as I maneuvered through this dissertation. To my “camp family”, Penny
Baumgartner, Rob Winslow, Anita Winslow, Travis Malone, Dana Margulies-Cauthen,
and Amanda Baumgartner- thank you for understanding when I had to step away for a
year for this program.

Huge thanks goes to John Brewington – you are my ROCK - you kept me in
check and level headed with amazing advice, Kim Forbes – you always knew the right
things to say at the precise moment needed, and Jeff Corriveau, who not only took care of
Sammi and Max, but also knew (in your own JEFFREY way) to keep me going.

Thank you to those of you who listened as I talked incessantly about this program,
and who understood plans that couldn’t be made or had to be broken because of school or
who were a part of raising me to be the person I became today; Roy Tydings, Mark and
Dana Baumgartner, Mickey DiMaggio, Dian Dudderar and the Dudderar family, Gina
Brockmeyer, Becky Malone, Alan Brookbank, Margaret Felts, Dan Hunt, Jill and Jody
Sherron, Jeff and Kristen Eyerman, Janet Pryor, Kim Yanek, Larry Guthrie and the cast
of Bonnie and Clyde (especially Jen, Charity, Kate, Trey, Josh, and Jordan).

And final thanks go to the students and their amazing teacher, G.P. who were a
huge part of this study. There is no way this could have happened without you.
vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... viii

LIST OF FIGURES ...........................................................................................................vx

I. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................1
Problem Statement ...................................................................................................1
Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................2
Purpose Statement ....................................................................................................6
Study Design ............................................................................................................7
Research Question and Hypotheses .........................................................................8
Definitions of Key Terms ........................................................................................9
Overview of Methods ............................................................................................12
Delimitations ..........................................................................................................14
Organization of Study ............................................................................................14

II. LITERATRUE REVIEW ..............................................................................................16
Definition of Giftedness .........................................................................................16
What Giftedness Looks Like .................................................................................26
Underachievement Clarified ..................................................................................35
The Area of Math ...................................................................................................39
The Interventions ...................................................................................................44
Considerations for Successfully Reversing Underachievement ............................55
Furthering the Field of Gifted Education ...............................................................58

III. METHODOLOGY. .....................................................................................................61
Purpose Statement ..................................................................................................61
Research Questions and Hypotheses .....................................................................62
Study Design ..........................................................................................................64
Population and Sample ..........................................................................................65
Measures ................................................................................................................71
Procedures ..............................................................................................................78
Data Analysis .........................................................................................................87
Data Cleaning.........................................................................................................89

IV. RESULTS ....................................................................................................................92
Chapter Overview ..................................................................................................97
Academic Performance Analyses ..........................................................................98
Academic Attitude Analyses................................................................................126
Exit Questionnaire Analyses ................................................................................168
Qualitative Findings .............................................................................................177
vii

V. DISSCUSSION ...........................................................................................................205
Major Findings .....................................................................................................208
Research Questions ..............................................................................................209
Other Findings .....................................................................................................222
Implications..........................................................................................................225

Limitations ...........................................................................................................227
Recommendations for Future Research ...............................................................228
Future Recommendations Based on Added Data ................................................230
Summary and Conclusions ..................................................................................232

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................233

APPENDICES
A. Informed Consent Document .........................................................................261
B. Student Assent Form ......................................................................................265
C. Participant Consent Form ...............................................................................266
D. Interview Questions .......................................................................................269
E. Week One Conference Worksheet .................................................................270
F. Week Two Conference Worksheet .................................................................271
G. Week Three Conference Worksheet ..............................................................273
H. Week Four Conference Worksheet ................................................................276
I. Week Five Conference Worksheet ..................................................................278
J. Week Six Conference Worksheet ....................................................................282
K. Week Seven Conference Worksheet ..............................................................286
L. Week Eight Conference Worksheet ...............................................................289
M. Week Nine Conference Worksheet ...............................................................292
N. School Attitude Assessment Survey-Revised ................................................296
O. Goal-Setting Exit Questionnaire -Revised .....................................................301
P. Daily Strategy Report .....................................................................................304
Q. Week One Conference Schedule....................................................................306
R. Week Two Conference Schedule ...................................................................307
S. Week Three Conference Schedule ..................................................................308
T. Week Four Conference Schedule ...................................................................309
U. Week Five Conference Schedule ...................................................................310
V. Week Six Conference Schedule .....................................................................311
W. Week Seven Conference Schedule ................................................................312
X. Week Eight Conference Schedule ..................................................................313
Y. Week Nine Conference Schedule ..................................................................314
Z. Intervention Questions Used for Qualitative Data .........................................315
AA. Excerpt from Reflexive Journaling .............................................................316

VITA………………………………………………………………………..…..317
viii

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1. Comparison Groups for Intervention .................................................................... 6

2. Aligning Theorists’ Types of Underachievers……………………………….23-24

3. SAAS-R Example Items by Factor…………………………………………..72-73

4. Example of SAAS-R Instrument .......................................................................... 96

5. Academic Performance Descriptive Statistics ...................................................... 98

6. Results of t-test and Descriptive Statistics for 1st Interval Academic Performance
for Control and Experimental Groups…………………………………………100

7. One-Way Analysis of Variance for 2nd Interval for Academic Performance for
Control and Experimental Groups…………………………………………..…100

8. Results of t-test and Descriptive Statistics for 2nd Interval Academic Performance
for Control and Experimental Groups…………………………………………101

9. One-Way Analysis of Variance for 3rd Interval for Academic Performance for
Control and Experimental Groups…………………………………………..…100

10. One-Way Analysis of Variance for 2nd and 3rd Interval for Academic Performance
for Control and Experimental Groups…………………………………………102

11. Results of t-test and Descriptive Statistics for 1st Interval Academic Performance
for Gifted Control and Experimental Groups…………………………………104

12. One-Way Analysis of Variance for 2nd Interval for Academic Performance for
Control and Experimental Gifted Groups…………………………………….104

13. Results of t-test and Descriptive Statistics for 2nd Interval Academic Performance
for Gifted Control and Experimental Groups…………………………………105

14. One-Way Analysis of Variance for 3rd Interval for Academic Performance for
Gifted Control and Experimental Groups………………………………………106

15. One-Way Analysis of Variance for 2nd and 3rd Interval for Academic Performance
for Gifted Control and Experimental Groups…………………………………107