Theses and Dissertations
Date of Award
2014
Document Type
Dissertation - NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice
Advisor
Lina Lopez Chiappone
Committee Member
Barbara Christina
Committee Member
Ronald J. Chenail
Keywords
Ability Identification, Academically Gifted, American Indians, Exceptional Child Research, Indigenous Populations
Abstract
This qualitative study, which used a focused ethnography approach, was implemented within a rural Southern Ute community in Colorado. The problem addressed through the study was that measures for identifying and serving diverse gifted students in public schools within the research setting were not designed to meet the needs and recognize cultural differences of culturally and linguistically diverse students and, specifically, Native Americans. The purpose of the study was to examine Southern Ute cultural beliefs about giftedness and the identification of gifted students. Data were collected through the administration of personal interviews.
Through the analysis of the data, the researcher identified numerous discrepancies between the beliefs and priorities of the Southern Utes and educational practices and values within the research setting. These discrepancies were used to identify and support the implications of the study. First, continued dialogue is critical in melding members of the Southern Ute tribe with educators and leaders within the public school setting. Second, results presented within this dissertation manuscript hold value as an empirical basis on which additional applied research studies can be both justified and designed. Moreover, results of the study provide numerous topics of value for further exploration and study.
The recommendation for educational practice is that educators and leaders within the public school setting pursue continued dialogue with members of the Southern Ute tribe in efforts to increase the present understanding of the culture and heritage of the tribe and to develop educational programming that is meaningful to the Southern Utes. In this way, Southern Utes may develop an interest in increasing participation within the gifted education program and identify assessment methods that are inclusive, rather than exclusive, of the tribal members. An additional recommendation for future applied research is that additional applied research studies be conducted in an additional effort to develop a greater understanding of how educators within the local school setting can develop instruction in a way that is more inclusive of the Southern Ute population.
NSUWorks Citation
Andrea Berghoff. 2014. Southern Ute Cultural Perceptions of Giftedness: Implications for Identifying and Serving Diverse Gifted Students. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. (981)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_etd/981.