This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Google Scholar Articles by Hertberg-Davis, H. Articles by Callahan, C. M. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

A Narrow Escape

Gifted Students' Perceptions of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Programs

University of Virginia, hlh4w{at}virginia.edu

Carolyn M. Callahan

University of Virginia

Although limited research exists on the appropriateness of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs for gifted secondary learners, these courses serve as the primary methods of meeting the needs of gifted students in most high schools. This qualitative study investigates how a broad range of gifted secondary students perceives and evaluates the curriculum, instruction, and environments within AP and IB courses. Interviews with 200 students in 23 U.S. high schools revealed that although students believe that AP and IB courses provide a greater level of academic challenge and more favorable learning environments than other existing high school courses, the curriculum and instruction within AP and IB courses are not a good fit for all learners, particularly those from traditionally underserved populations. Recommendations for increasing the fit of AP and IB courses for—and consequently for increasing the participation of—students from traditionally underserved populations are discussed.

Putting the Research to Use: Nearly all of the students in our study indicated that AP and IB courses were the first courses in which they experienced genuine challenge, and the first academic environments in which they felt comfortable with their advanced abilities and academic interests. This indicates that many gifted students have to wait until the last few years of their school careers to encounter courses appropriately matched to their needs. Infusing greater rigor into the K-12 curriculum and allowing gifted students to spend at least part of the day with like-ability peers would go a long way in ensuring that gifted students' academic and social/emotional needs are being met throughout their school careers. Additionally, many former AP and IB students indicated that these lecture-heavy courses were not a good fit for their preferred modes of learning, suggesting a need for a broader range of gifted services at the high school level than AP and IB courses alone.

Key Words: advanced placement • international baccalaureate • teachers of the gifted • secondary curriculum for the gifted • high school

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?