Journal of Advanced Academics

This study develops and validates a multicriteria decision-making framework for assessing the structure and development of academic soft skills in higher education. A total of 241 undergraduate students (104 first-year and 137 final-year) participated in the study. We operationalized soft skills—communication, creativity, and critical thinking—through 15 subcriteria derived from validated instruments, applied objective weighting methods to determine the relative importance of subcriteria, and used K-means clustering to identify structural groupings. Results indicated consistent dominance of communication-related criteria across weighting methods and increased structural differentiation of soft skills in final-year students. Clustering analysis revealed a transition from generalized skill groupings in early academic stages to more specialized and integrated clusters in later stages. The proposed framework enables systematic comparison of soft skill structures and provides a reproducible approach for analyzing their development in higher education.

This systematic review examined how the relationship between giftedness and creativity has been conceptualized in gifted education scholarship from 2005 to 2024. Across eight major journals, we analyzed 133 articles, including 13 core texts that placed the creativity–giftedness connection at the center and 120 articles that engaged it more broadly. We identified 18 recurring core concepts, spanning theoretical, developmental, and applied perspectives. The findings revealed strong continuity with foundational models that position creativity as central to giftedness, but also a tendency in much of the literature to assume, rather than explicitly articulate, this connection. The broader sample of articles emphasized applied conceptions, such as identification practices, classroom environments, and teacher beliefs, whereas the core articles highlighted creativity as a defining conceptual feature of giftedness. Although creativity remains foundational in gifted education theory, its role is inconsistently foregrounded in practice and policy. Greater clarity and explicit integration are needed to sustain creativity's place in gifted education.

Despite adverse socioeconomic conditions, some students achieve high educational performance, a phenomenon known as academic resilience. This paper examines factors associated with academic resilience in a middle-income Latin American country. Using Program for International Student Assessment data, a two-step methodological design was carried out. First, resilient students were identified based on their socioeconomic status and academic achievement. Subsequently, multilevel logistic regression models were implemented to capture the individual- and school-level predictors of academic resilience. At the student level, characteristics such as a high academic self-concept and a strong sense of belonging were associated with a higher probability of being resilient. Moreover, the high between-school variance indicates that specific school factors promote vulnerable students’ success, particularly the implementation of quality assurance measures, teaching processes involving constant teacher support, an appropriate school climate, and bullying control. These results confirm the importance of individual attributes and school environments in helping students succeed despite adversity.

Disciplinary outcomes and science educational opportunities both shape student outcomes, with research suggesting that non-advanced science placement via academic tracking and exclusionary discipline both have negative associations with student outcomes, especially for marginalized students. Using a Quantitative Critical Race Theory (QuantCrit) approach, we examined the relationship between in-school-suspension (ISS) and advanced science placement, doing a comparative group analysis that analyzes heterogeneity in gender racial/ethnic subgroups. We found that for most student groups, placement in non-advanced coursework was associated with higher levels of ISS attendance. Drawing on our findings, we recommend culturally responsive science education to promote equity for marginalized students who experience systems of discrimination via tracking and exclusionary discipline.

Mathematics should provide space for learners to think, frame mathematics problems, formulate hypotheses, and reflect on mathematical explanations. It is logical to suggest that computational thinking and scientific thinking have an impact on learners’ learning performance. Hence, the focus of the study was to determine whether there is an association between computational thinking and scientific thinking in mathematics, and whether scientific thinking mediates the relationship between computational thinking and learning performance. Thirty-eight high-performing secondary learners participated in the study. The regression analysis revealed the following results: first, computational thinking has a significant effect on learners’ mathematics performance. Second, scientific thinking has a significant impact on learners’ mathematics performance. Third, scientific thinking mediates the relationship between computational thinking and learners’ learning performance. Therefore, computational thinking skills should include mathematical and scientific thinking to improve learning performance in mathematics.

Research into high-ability students’ educational experiences, aiming at understanding academic talent development, has received limited attention in gifted education studies, despite students being a crucial part of classroom instruction. This article explores how high-ability secondary school students in Tanzania experience schooling to identify their perceived needs for developing their academic potential. It draws on qualitative data from focus group discussions with 73 students. The thematic analysis reveals common educational experiences among students across the study schools, most of which highlight the need for more aligned learning opportunities to help them realize their potential and contribute positively to society. The experiences and practices suggest targeted interventions to enhance learning for high-ability students in schools. The article concludes that students’ voices are vital in understanding their perceived needs for developing academic potential, and that these insights should be embraced to enhance the provision of gifted services to high-ability students in Tanzania.

We examined the relationship between teaching styles and competence and students’ perceptions of creativity, recognizing the essential role of creativity in fostering innovation and adaptability. The study involved 172 fourth-year university students specializing in history, mathematics, and physics. The methodology included a structured questionnaire, complemented by statistical analysis, in order to evaluate teaching style, competence, perceived creativity, and mentoring interaction quality. We found a strong positive correlation between teachers’ methods and their perceived creativity. Students, particularly those in mathematics, tended to view teachers as more creative compared to peers in history or physics, suggesting that the subject context shapes creativity perceptions. Through regression analysis, we revealed that teaching style is strongly associated with students’ perceptions of teacher creativity, while teacher competence does not independently determine perceived creativity. These findings underscore the importance of diverse teaching approaches that enrich the learning environment and highlight creativity's critical role in education.

Teachers influence student development through their perceptions, expectations, and instructional practices. Further, teachers’ reflections on practice reveal aspects of their perceptions of students and their understanding of how their actions influence student achievement. In this study, we sought to explore (a) how teachers see themselves as influencing student behaviors; and (b) changes in these perceptions before and after professional learning concerning the development of high potential. Using data collected from a Javits-funded research project, we completed an interpretive qualitative study, using thematic analysis to analyze interviews with 16 participants over multiple timepoints. Guided by our research questions, interviews were coded, with categories and themes refined collaboratively. Findings indicate that teachers perceived themselves to cultivate student potential in three ways: through (a) classroom environments, (b) their own perceptions, and (c) their instructional practices. We discuss implications of these findings regarding the development of student potential and provide suggestions for future research.

We developed and validated the Debate Skills Scale (DSS), grounded in social cognitive theory, to address the lack of an instrument for assessing debate competencies among high school students, as existing measures primarily assess general critical thinking rather than debate performance. Data were collected from 389 students, and an initial 49-item pool was generated based on literature and expert input. Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed a four-factor structure explaining 50.95% of the variance and reduced the scale to 29 items. Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) removed four items, resulting in a final 25-item scale. CFA supported this structure, with internal consistency reliability ranging from acceptable to excellent, although lower reliability was observed for the Speaking Skills subscale. Discriminative validity analyses indicated that the DSS differentiated students based on debate experience and performance. The DSS provides a psychometrically validated self-report instrument for assessing perceived debate competencies and may inform instructional planning.

The use of multiple criteria/modes for gifted identification is generally believed to improve the validity and reliability of measurements in several ways, including being more appropriate for identifying culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse students. Many districts using multiple criteria/modes combine them in some fashion, including in the use of an identification matrix. However, the method for combining these measures itself can be psychometrically unsound and has been previously shown to influence which students are identified as gifted. This study explored measurement invariance of an in-use gifted identification matrix with 22,280 Kindergarten and fifth grade students to determine if the matrix performs equivalently across demographic/grade level groups. Although some matrix components performed similarly across various groups, no single component of the matrix functioned equivalently across all demographic/grade level groups. Patterns in the results are discussed, as well as recommendations for future use of identification matrices with diverse student populations.

In this study, the mathematical creativity of gifted primary school students aged 10–11 was examined, with an emphasis on fluency, flexibility, and originality. Fifty students from a Science and Art Center participated, with data collected via the Mathematical Creativity Problem-Solving Test containing four open-ended questions. Descriptive and correlational analyses were used. Results showed that problem type influenced creativity components differently. Algorithmic problems were associated with lower originality, while open-ended, visually rich tasks encouraged more original responses. A moderate correlation existed between fluency (response quantity) and flexibility (strategy variety), with greater flexibility associated with more original answers. This finding highlights the importance of flexible thinking in supporting originality. Overall, the study emphasizes that both problem type and the ability to think in varied ways play critical roles in enhancing mathematical creativity among gifted students. These insights can guide future instructional designs to better foster creative thinking in mathematics.

Grounded in transformational leadership models, this multiple case study explored how elementary and middle school principals perceived the problem of the decline in gifted learners’ academic performance in the transition from elementary to middle school. Overwhelmingly, the elementary and middle school principals attributed the pattern of decline in gifted learners’ academic performance in the transition to middle school to limited teacher capacity to differentiate instruction. Elementary principals were found to adopt a hands-on approach with individualized support, goal setting, and high expectations, compared to middle school principals who delegated more responsibility and enabled others to lead. Interview data and a document analysis of campus improvement plans indicated that the leadership practices have yet to reverse gifted underachievement during the elementary to middle school transition. The findings offer direction for further exploration as gifted education practitioners and stakeholders advocate for gifted learners during the pivotal transition from elementary to middle school.

This study examines how advanced professional training in strength-based assessment influences graduate students’ knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs about supporting twice-exceptional learners. The study was conducted within a graduate institution dedicated to strength-based, talent-focused education and employed a design-based research methodology to iteratively refine a practicum course in which students learned to administer and interpret the Suite of Tools™, a strength-based assessment. Within this context, students were trained to apply theories of ecological systems, self-determination, and talent development to real-world cases of twice-exceptional learners. Quantitative and qualitative data indicated growth in confidence, conceptual understanding, and commitment to implementing strength-based practices. Participants emphasized the need for additional modeling and experiential learning opportunities. Findings illustrate how advanced training can translate theory into professional practice and offer recommendations for developing graduate programs that prepare educators to identify and cultivate the strengths of twice-exceptional learners.

This quantitative study investigated how teachers are prepared to recognize and value creativity by examining the relationship between teacher preparation, demographic and educational variables, and perceptions of creative student traits. Consistent with prior research, educators generally favored academic characteristics over creative ones. However, age, years of experience, and content area taught emerged as significant predictors. Educators over 40 and those with 20+ years of experience showed a stronger preference for creative traits, as did teachers in certain subject areas. Cluster analysis revealed that while individual variables may not independently predict perceptions, the combination of professional learning experiences and preparation pathways significantly influenced attitudes toward creativity. These findings suggest the importance of systemic, standardized training in cultivating teachers’ appreciation for creative thinking. Further research is needed to explore how professional development and teacher education programs can shape more inclusive, creativity-centered classroom environments.

Teachers play a key role in identifying and supporting gifted children, making their understanding of giftedness essential. This study explored teachers’ representations of giftedness, their feelings and self-efficacy, particularly in relation to different gifted profiles, and identify the factors influencing their perceived ability to spot and support these children. Pre-service and in-service teachers from French-speaking Switzerland completed a survey featuring vignettes of gifted children. The main results showed that teachers’ overall perceptions of gifted children were influenced by their own teaching experience and personal exposure to giftedness. However, many felt ill-equipped to support gifted students, and those with higher self-efficacy were more likely to implement tailored interventions. These findings underscore the need for targeted training that boosts teachers’ confidence and addresses biases in recognizing diverse gifted profiles, ultimately promoting more equitable identification and support for gifted learners.

This study extends research on the connection between specialized programming and curricula and retention for high-achieving students, using data from the 2019–2022 administrations of National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to explore honors program participation and intention to return in a sample of over 13,800 first-year students at 22 colleges and universities. A binary logistic regression model suggests that even after controlling for demographic and institutional characteristics, honors program participation is a positive predictor of intention to return to an institution for the following school year. This finding supports the important role of honors programs within colleges and universities, providing evidence for the positive outcome of retention for first-year students. Implications for educators and other stakeholders are also discussed.

This article analyzes teachers’ perceptions and experiences using an educative curriculum designed to promote high levels of mathematical discourse. After participating in 2 days of professional learning, grade 3 teachers implemented a predifferentiated and enriched mathematics unit in their classroom. The curriculum was designed to be educative, meaning that teaching it served as professional learning. During implementation, researchers conducted an observation of each treatment teacher and after implementation was complete teachers participated in a post interview about their experiences. Findings from this qualitative study indicate that after teaching the curriculum teachers understood the value of oral discourse and how to implement it in their classroom and could identify student benefits from participating in this type of curriculum. This study illuminates promising practices that may support teachers in implementing research-based best practices.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, schools across the globe shifted to emergency remote instruction. This mixed methods study explored gifted education teachers’ experiences and perspectives regarding remote instruction during the first year of the pandemic. Technology training, preparation in gifted education pedagogy, and teachers’ perceptions of their effectiveness during remote instruction were examined. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 310 teachers across 31 states using an online survey and focus groups. Results revealed that teachers augmented traditional instruction to include strategies that facilitated student interaction, enrichment opportunities, timely feedback, and social and emotional curriculum. Teachers who reported receiving sufficient technology training felt better able to integrate creativity into their virtual lessons. Two major themes emerged describing how educators optimized their teaching practices: (a) 24/7 Learning Environment and (b) Personalization. Recommendations include the need for continued professional learning for administrators and educators to advance remote learning for gifted learners.

This study was conducted using a qualitative approach as it aimed to evaluate the Science and Art Center Science Curriculum (SACSC), which was updated in 2020, within the framework of the context, input, process, and product (CIPP) approach by taking the opinions of science teachers working in Science and Art Centers (SACs) in Turkey. The data were collected according to the qualitative data collection method and a structured interview form was used as a data collection tool. The findings showed that science teachers working in SACs have generally negative views on SACSC based on the context dimension of the CIPP Model, while their views are generally positive based on input, process, and product dimensions. Based on the results of the research, it is recommended to conduct other comparative studies between the SACSC and similar curricula in other countries in order to reveal the relationship between the program components and the needs of children and society.

Using the test scores of more than 1,000,000 students who participated in the Advanced Placement Computer Science (AP CS) exams from 1997 to 2020, this study examined the direction and magnitude of the trends in gender disparity in participation and top achievement in advanced exams. The findings indicated that the male-to-female ratio (MFR) among AP Computer Science (CS) exam participants declined from 4.87 to 2.26 between 1997 and 2020. Similarly, the MFR among top scorers (students who scored 5 out of 5) in any type of AP CS exams declined rapidly, in favor of female students, from 8.00 to 2.14 during the same period. Possible implications of these findings for educators, particularly for AP CS teachers and school counselors, were also discussed in the context of the underrepresentation of females in computing fields.