Gifted Education and Giftedness
Research in (South) Germany
Second International Talent Management Congress,
Teheran, Iran (19-20 February 2017)
Prof. Dr. Heidrun Stoeger
Chair for School Research, School Development, & Evaluation
University of Regensburg, Germany
Gifted Education and Giftedness Research in (South) Germany
The German School System
Gifted-education Provision in Germany
Activities at the South German Talent Center
Gifted Education and Giftedness Research in (South) Germany
The German School System
Gifted-education Provision in Germany
Activities at the South German Talent Center
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Gifted Education and Giftedness Research in (South) Germany
The German School System
Gifted-education Provision in Germany
Activities at the South German Talent Center
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Special Schools for Gifted
(Boarding Schools)
Examples:
• Sächsisches Landesgymnasium Sankt
Afra
• Internatsschule Schloss Hansenberg
• Landesgymnasium für Hochbegabte
Schwäbisch-Gmünd
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School-based provisions
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School-based provisions
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School-based provisions
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Extra-curricular provisions
Competitions
Summer and weekend programs
Mentoring
Science Labs
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Gifted Education and Giftedness Research in (South) Germany
The German School System
Gifted-education Provision in Germany
Activities at the South German Talent Center
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University of Nuremberg
University of Regensburg
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Gifted Education and Giftedness Research in (South) Germany
Local activities
Identification and education of gifted students
Cooperation with European institutions
• Teacher training offerings
• Research
• School development
Online Programs (international cooperation)
Gifted Education and Giftedness Research in (South) Germany
Local activities
Identification and education of gifted students
Cooperation with European institutions
• Teacher training offerings
• Research
• School development
Online Programs (international cooperation)
Identification and Education of Gifted Students
with ENTER
1) Explore
2) Narrow
3) Transform
4) Evaluate
5) Review
Ziegler, A., & Stoeger, H. (2004). Identification based on ENTER within the conceptual frame of the
Actiotope Model of Giftedness. Psychology Science, 46, 324–342.
Identification and Education of Gifted Students
Analysis of the individual
and her/his systemic embedding
1) Explore
–
–
–
2) Narrow
–
3) Transform
Tests (e.g., IQ, learning
strategies)
Questionnaires (e.g., learning
and educational capital)
Interviews with students,
parents, teachers, and other
important educational agents
Observations (e.g., interaction
with parents, playing behavior)
4) Evaluate
5) Review
Ziegler, A., & Stoeger, H. (2004). Identification based on ENTER within the conceptual frame of the
Actiotope Model of Giftedness. Psychology Science, 46, 324–342.
Identification and Education of Gifted Students
Identification of a suitable
talent domain for the individual
1) Explore
Similar measures as in Explore but
domain specific
2) Narrow
3) Transform
4) Evaluate
5) Review
Ziegler, A., & Stoeger, H. (2004). Identification based on ENTER within the conceptual frame of the
Actiotope Model of Giftedness. Psychology Science, 46, 324–342.
Identification and Education of Gifted Students
Identification of a learning path
1) Explore
2) Narrow
–
–
–
–
Discussions with student,
parents, siblings, peers, teachers,
mentors, etc.
Planning and supervision of
learning activities
Regular adaptations
Duration up to several years
4) Evaluate
5) Review
Identification and Education of Gifted Students
Quality assurance:
1) Explore
Evaluate: Was the identification goal
reached?
Review: Was the chosen learning
path the most suitable one?
2) Narrow
3) Transform
4) Evaluate
5) Review
Ziegler, A., & Stoeger, H. (2004). Identification based on ENTER within the conceptual frame of the
Actiotope Model of Giftedness. Psychology Science, 46, 324–342.
Gifted Education and Giftedness Research in (South) Germany
Local activities
Identification and education of gifted students
Cooperation with European institutions
• Teacher training offerings
• Research
• School development
Online Programs (international cooperation)
Teacher Training
Professional development seminars for teachers (2–3 days)
Topic: How to implement highly effective training programs to school students
Example:
Combined training in …
– Learning strategies (e.g., time management, text-reduction strategies),
– Metacognitive strategies (e.g., goal setting, planning), and
– Learning contents (e.g., math tasks, science texts)
Why teacher trainings on learning behavior?
Why teacher trainings on learning behavior?
Why teacher trainings on learning behavior?
Why teacher trainings on learning behavior?
Why teacher trainings on learning behavior?
Teacher Training
Professional development seminars for teachers (2–3 days)
Topic: How to implement highly effective training programs to school students
Example:
Combined training in …
– Learning strategies (e.g., time management, text-reduction strategies),
– Metacognitive strategies (e.g., goal setting, planning), and
– Learning contents (e.g., math tasks, science texts)
Goal: Preparing teachers to effectively implement training in their own classrooms
– Daily in-class training programs
– Duration of seven weeks
Gifted Education and Giftedness Research in (South) Germany
Local activities
Identification and education of gifted students
Cooperation with European institutions
• Teacher training offerings
• Research
• School development
Online Programs (international cooperation)
General effectiveness of training
programs
General effectiveness of training
programs
Comparable effectiveness for gifted and
average students
Stoeger, H., Fleischmann, S., & Obergriesser, S. (2015). Self-regulated learning (SRL) and the gifted learner in primary school: the theoretical basis of and empirical findings
on a research program dedicated to ensuring that all students learn to regulate their own learning. Asia Pacific Education Review, 16, 257-267. doi:10.1007/s12564-015-9376-7
Stoeger, H., Sontag, C., & Ziegler, A. (2014). Impact of a teacher-led intervention on preference for self-regulated learning, finding main ideas in expository texts, and reading
comprehension. Journal of Educational Psychology, 106, 799–814. doi:10.1037/a0036035
Stoeger, H., & Ziegler, A. (2008a). Evaluation of a classroom based training to improve selfregulation in time management tasks during homework activities with fourth graders.
Metacognition and Learning, 3, 207–230. doi:10.1007/s11409-008-9027-z
Stoeger, H., & Ziegler, A. (2011b). Self-Regulatory Training through Elementary-School Students’ Homework Completion. In B. J. Zimmerman & D. H. Schunk (Eds.),
Handbook of Self-Regulation of Learning and Performance (pp. 87–101). London, England: Routledge.
Gifted Education and Giftedness Research in (South) Germany
Local activities
Identification and education of gifted students
Cooperation with European institutions
• Teacher training offerings
• Research
• School development
Online Programs (international cooperation)
Thank you for your attention!
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The Two-Sigma-Problem
Benjamin S. Bloom (1913-1999)
Tutorial
1:1*
Mastery Learning
1:30*
Conventional
1:30*
* Teacher-student ratio
summative achievement scores
2σ
Tutorial
1:1*
Mastery Leraning
1:30*
Conventional
1:30*
* Teacher-student ratio
summative achievement scores
2σ
Two-Sigma-Problem =
problem of finding ways to design
and deliver group-based instruction
that is as effective as
one-to-one tutoring
Tutorial
1:1*
Mastery Leraning
1:30*
Conventional
1:30*
* Teacher-student ratio
summative achievement scores
A possible solution: Mentoring
Problem: Where to get the mentors?
Online mentoring
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How to best do it?
Thank you for your attention!
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Gifted Education and Giftedness Research in (South) Germany
Local activities
Identification and education of gifted students
Cooperation with European institutions
• Teacher training offerings
• Research
• School development
Online Programs (international cooperation)
E-Mentoring in STEM
Katrin
•
Twelve years old
•
In 6th grade
•
Very interested in microbiology
Katrin’s Questions in an Online STEM Forum …
Hi Everybody! Check this out …
“A little-noticed, paradoxical effect of Penicillin G on Enterococcus (the eagle effect) was
reported in 1948. Working with modern methods, researchers were able to show that high
concentrations of Penicillin G led to a much weaker neutralization of Enterococcus than did
concentrations that were only slightly above the minimal inhibitory concentration. A similar, yet
stronger effect has been reported for Ampicillin. The effect cannot be observed for Cefaloridin,
however” (www.thieme-connect.com).
As the eagle effect occurs during a monotherapy, combining Penicillin with an aminoglycoside
can prevent the effect. Indeed, the combination is used to avoid an endocarditis therapy failure
(e.g., during an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart).
This really makes me wonder: What is the cause of this effect? If you look at the dose–effect
reaction of the bactericide for E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus, you do not
find evidence of a paradoxical bactericide effect. In a 2004 dissertation (probably outdated),
you find the following remark about the eagle effect: “Almost 60 years later, the causes of this
phenomenon are still unknown …”
Grade-6 Biology Curriculum

Structure and appearances of flowering plants
– Parts that make up a plant
– How flowering plants reproduce
– Growth and energy storage
– Selected plant families
 Vertebrates in various habitats
Solution: Mentoring
– Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds
– Relationships between vertebrates
Participants of our e-mentoring program in Germany
Mentees:
Mentors:
800 students per year from
high-achiever tracks
800 mentors form the STEM field
E-Mentoring in STEM
1-on-1 mentoring
with a personal mentor
Communication via chat, forum, and e-mail
Networking in 4-person communities
consisting of 2 mentoring pairs
Networking with all participants
on the online platform
E-Mentoring in STEM
1-on-1 mentoring
with a personal mentor
Communication via chat, forum, and e-mail
Networking in 4-person communities
consisting of 2 mentoring pairs
Networking with all participants
on the online platform
E-Mentoring in STEM
1-on-1 mentoring
with a personal mentor
Communication via chat, forum, and e-mail
Networking in 4-person communities
consisting of 2 mentoring pairs
Networking with all participants
on the online platform
E-Mentoring in STEM
STEM-Project-Phases
Kurze Vorstellung der MINT-Phasen
3 Months
Everyday STEM
3 Months
Doing STEM
Questions about Projects in the
STEM in everyday community team
contexts
How does a
telephone
connection work?
Programming a
website
 First small STEM  Collaboration in
the community
project
team on a
larger project
3 Months
Interdisciplinary STEM
3 Months
Taking Stock
Projects with
several
communities
Looking back at the
project year
How does a
guidance system
find the shortest
route?
Which CyberMentor
experiences were the
most important for
you?
 Interdisciplinary
projects
 Reflecting on past
activities and
experiences
Thank you for your attention!
Stoeger, H., Schirner, S., Laemmle, L., Obergriesser, S., Heilemann, M., & Ziegler, A. (2016). A contextual perspective on talented female participants and
their development in extracurricular STEM programs. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Advance online publication.
doi:10.1111/nyas.13116
Stoeger, H., Duan, X., Schirner, S., Greindl, T., & Ziegler, A. (2013). The effectiveness of a one-year mentoring program for girls in STEM. Computers &
Education, 69, 408–418. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2013.07.032
Stoeger, H., Greindl, T., Kuhlmann, T., & Balestrini, D. (in press). The learning and educational capital of male and female students in STEM magnet
schools and in extracurricular STEM programs: A study in high-achiever-track secondary schools in Germany. Journal for the Education of the
Gifted.
Stoeger, H., Hopp, M., & Ziegler, A. (in press). Online Mentoring as an extracurricular measure to encourage talented girls in STEM: An empirical study of
one-on-one versus group mentoring. Gifted Child Quarterly.
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