An Explanatory History of Gifted Education: 1940–1960
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ABSTRACT An Explanatory History of Gifted Education: 1940–1960 Jennifer H. Robins, Ph.D. Mentor: Susan K. Johnsen, Ph.D. This study provides an explanatory history of the field of gifted education from 1940–1960. The study focused on the overall context of these years, the individuals who influenced the field, the streams of research and educational practices in the field, and the changes that occurred during this period. Each of the four areas was addressed using a framework developed to view and interpret the data. The framework consisted of four lenses, which included legislation, educational practices, gifted education publications, and advocacy efforts. These four areas, with the overarching context as a backdrop, combined to provide an explanation of what was occurring in the field of gifted education during 1940–1960. Using primary and secondary sources, in addition to interviews, the study offers an overview of the field of gifted education during the two-decade period. These materials served as data that were categorized into the framework and reviewed for both similarities and differences. Identifying how the pieces fit together helped provide a narrative account of the field of gifted education during the period between 1940–1960. An Explanatory History of Gifted Education: 1940–1960 by Jennifer H. Robins, B.S., MS.Ed. A Dissertation Approved by the Department of Educational Psychology ___________________________________ Eric L. Robinson, Ph.D., Interim Chairperson Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Baylor University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Approved by the Dissertation Committee ___________________________________ Susan K. Johnsen, Ph.D., Chairperson ___________________________________ Janet H. Bagby, Ph.D. ___________________________________ Eric L. Robinson, Ph.D. ___________________________________ Terrill F. Saxon, Ph.D. ___________________________________ T. Michael Parrish, Ph.D. ___________________________________ Tracy L. Cross, Ph.D. Accepted by the Graduate School May 2010 ___________________________________ J. Larry Lyon, Ph.D., Dean Page bearing signatures is kept on file in the Graduate School. Copyright © 2010 Jennifer H. Robins All rights reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES v LIST OF FIGURES vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vii CHAPTER ONE 1 Introduction 1 Early Concepts of Individuals With Gifts and Talents 2 Assessment of Individual Differences 3 Programs for Gifted Students in the United States 6 Early Researchers in Gifted Education 7 Historical Investigations in Gifted Education 8 Problem Statement 14 Research Questions 16 CHAPTER TWO 17 Review of the Literature 17 Historical Context 17 Key Individuals 21 Streams of Research and Educational Practices 25 Growth of Gifted Education 27 Conclusion 29 CHAPTER THREE 31 Methods 31 Research Design 32 Sampling Procedure 33 Data Analysis 38 Trustworthiness 42 CHAPTER FOUR 46 Context That Influenced the Field of Gifted Education 46 Gifted Education Legislation 46 Educational Practices 53 Gifted Education Publications 93 iii National Organizations That Were Advocating for Gifted Education 99 Conclusion 104 CHAPTER FIVE 106 Individuals Who Influenced Change in Gifted Education 106 Gifted Education Legislation 106 Educational Practices 110 Gifted Education Publications 126 Leadership and Advocacy Efforts in National Organizations 132 Conclusion 139 CHAPTER SIX 141 Streams of Research and Educational Practices 141 Legislation That Influenced Streams of Research and Educational Practices 141 Publications That Influenced Streams of Research and Educational Practices 145 National Organizations That Influenced Streams of Research and Educational Practices 154 Educational Practices 157 Streams of Research 165 Conclusion 228 CHAPTER SEVEN 230 Changes in Gifted Education 230 Gifted Education Legislation 230 Educational Practices 233 Gifted Education Publications 237 National Organizations 240 Conclusion 242 CHAPTER EIGHT 244 Conclusions and Implications 244 The Four Lenses 245 Limitations 252 Implications for Future Research 254 Final Thoughts 256 APPENDIX 259 REFERENCES 260 iv LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Summary of Gifted and Talented Historical Works 10 Table 2 Articles Published on Gifted Children 1940–1948 96 Table 3 Professional Journals and Frequency of Articles 96 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Preliminary Framework 39 vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the members of my committee. Dr. Susan Johnsen, chair of my committee, has been a constant source of encouragement, inspiration, and guidance throughout my graduate years at Baylor University. She has been a true mentor who has opened so many doors for me—from my first assignment with the Project Promise program, to the opportunity to serve in various positions in the field—always with a reminder that I have the ability to complete whatever task is set before me. Dr. Janet Bagby, Dr. Eric Robinson, and Dr. Terrill Saxon, all of whom I had the opportunity to take classes from while at Baylor, set the bar high and challenged me to always do my best. All three always had time to talk with me, encourage me, and provide excellent feedback, and none of that extra effort went unnoticed. A special thank you goes to Dr. Michael Parrish, who agreed to serve on my committee, as we both share a love of history. He offered another perspective, and I’m very grateful that he chose to lend his expertise to this study. Finally, I’d like to thank Dr. Tracy Cross, who volunteered to serve on my committee. Words cannot express my deep appreciation for the time and effort he has put into providing suggestions and guidance—not to mention encouragement—throughout this undertaking. I would have been unable to complete this journey without the support of my family and friends. My parents, Bill and Gee Robins, have sacrificed so much to help make all of my dreams come true, from the time I was young until now. They have provided more unconditional love, support, guidance, and encouragement than I could vii have ever hoped for, and have acted as true role models and sources of inspiration for me. Their love for God and family has impacted my life greatly, and I am proud to be their daughter. My brother, David Robins, has always had a smile, inside joke, and encouraging words for me. He is a true friend and I couldn’t ask for a better brother. Thomas Schlein, who reminded me many times that I could and would finish this dissertation, provided humor, encouragement, and support in even the most challenging times of this process. I am forever grateful for his undying belief in me. Dr. Jennifer Jolly, who opened her home to me on numerous occasions while I was researching and writing, and who was more than willing to laugh with me, commiserate with me, and provide support and guidance, is one of those rare friends one finds once in a lifetime. Joel McIntosh, my boss and foremost my friend, has helped me grow as a person and has always had the time to listen and be there for me in good times and bad. His unwavering friendship and zeal for life has made the time I’ve known him much richer. Todd Kettler is someone who always makes me laugh, and his passion for gifted education is a constant inspiration. viii CHAPTER ONE Introduction There has been a “love-hate” relationship (Colangelo & Davis, 1997) with the field of gifted education. Although there has been an interest in educating our brightest learners throughout history, our country also is dedicated to ensuring equality for all students. Gifted education is caught between both excellence and equity (Davis & Rimm, 1998)—wanting to help our most talented students achieve their potential and, at the same time, having to defend the argument that gifted programs are elitist and undemocratic. It is important to look at the past in order to understand how we arrived where we are today. Historical investigations provide us with an understanding of how and why we arrived at our present situation, no matter what topic is being studied. Why should we look at the history of a movement? In what ways does knowledge of the past affect how we view the present and even the future? Historians study the past in order to develop an understanding of not only what happened, but the context surrounding the events (McDowell, 2002). According to Stearns (1998), historical investigations help us understand people and societies, as well as the change that has occurred over time. Only through studying history can we grasp how things change; only through history can we begin to comprehend the factors that cause change; and only through history can we understand what elements of an institution or a society persist despite change. (Stearns, 1998, para. 7) Thus, in an effort to learn how gifted education arrived at its present state, it is important to look at the field through a historical lens. Doing so will allow us to gain an 1 in-depth understanding of how the field has changed over the course of time, who the important contributors were, and what the context was that provided a backdrop for these events to occur. Early Concepts of Individuals With Gifts and Talents The concept of giftedness has evolved over the course of time. Societies throughout the world have long held varying views of how the term gifted is defined. Early societies valued people who excelled in military skills (Spartans), academics and physical fitness (Athenians), and engineering (Romans). In Athens, upper class males were sent to private schools and higher education institutions, although many females also contributed greatly to Roman society (Colangelo & Davis, 2003; Gallagher & Weiss, 1979). Early China recognized child prodigies and nurtured their gifts as much as possible, bringing them to the imperial court to do so. The Chinese believed that children from all social classes had the right to be educated, and they differentiated for the students based on their abilities (Colangelo & Davis, 2003). In Japan, schooling was based on status in society.