Accelerating Saudi Students into Higher Education Programs: Identifying Potential Educational Interventions to Expedite Development

(Jawaher Hamad Bin Yousef)

---

Abstract

Academic acceleration is an intervention that can reduce the effort, time and cost required for the educational process. In 2014 Saudi Arabia released a new regulation for acceleration (grade skipping) as one of the provisions for gifted students: it allows gifted students in the fourth grade (age ten) to move to the sixth grade (age twelve), and from the seventh grade (age thirteen) to the ninth grade (age fifteen) after passing several criteria. Although these practices are useful for talented students (Col Angelo et al., 2004), A clear policy for acceleration at tertiary-level education was missed in Saudi Arabia. This article discusses the potential educational interventions that can be offered to those students, in addition to the possibility for inserting a university-based school as one of the suggested options to smooth the transfer to university life for gifted students; key educational components to support the implementation of such interventions are also highlighted.

KEYWORDS
Educational components, gifted education, transition school, university-based programs

PDF

References

Abdulkadiroğlu, A., Angrist, J. and Pathak, P. (2014). The elite illusion: Achievement effects at Boston and New York exam schools. Econometrica, 82(1), 137–96. 
Abdulkadiroğlu, A., Pathak, P. A., Roth, A. E. and Sönmez, T. (2005). The Boston public school match. The American Economic Review, 95(2), 368–71. 
Al Arfaj, A. (2011). Development of a Classroom Science Enrichment Programme for Gifted Primary School Boys in Saudi Arabia. PhD Thesis, Southampton University, Southampton, UK. 
Al Nafa’a, A. (2000). Saudi Arabia’s experience in the care of gifted students. In: Second Scientific Conference of the Arab Council for Gifted and Talented, Amman, Jordan, 12/10/2020.
Alamer, S. M. (2015). Cultural perspectives of associating music with the giftedness in Saudi Arabia. Canadian Social Science, 11(2), 8–15. 
AlGarni, A. (2012). Attitudes of Future Special Education Teachers Toward Gifted Students and their Education. PhD Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Algefari, A. (2010). A Study of Programmes for Gifted Students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. PhD Thesis, Brunel University London, UK. 
Aljughaiman, A. M. and Grigorenko, E. L. (2013). Growing up under pressure: The cultural and religious context of the Saudi system of Gifted Education. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 36(3), 307–22. 
Al-makhalid, K. A. (2012). Primary Teachers’ Attitudes and Knowledge Regarding Gifted Pupils and their Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. PhD Thesis, the University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. 
Alyahya, S. and Irfan, M. A. (2016). Role of Saudi universities in achieving the solar potential 2030 target. Energy Policy, 91(n/a), 325–8. 
Al-Zoubi, S. M. and Bani Abdel Rahman, M. S. (2016). Talented students’ satisfaction with the performance of the gifted centers. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 4(1), 1–20. 
Bin Yousef, J. (2014). Efficiency of Organizations for the Gifted Provision in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. MA Dissertation, the University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. 
Bin Yousef, J. (2018). Examining the Transferability of the Educational Components of a Successful American School for Accelerated Gifted Children to the Saudi Context. PhD Thesis, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. 
Borland, J. H., Schnur, R. and Wright, L. (2000). Economically disadvantaged students in a school for the academically gifted: A postpositivist inquiry into individual and family adjustment. Gifted Child Quarterly, 44(1), 13–32. 
Brinkerhoff, J. (2002). Government-nonprofit partnership: A defining framework. Public Administration and Development, 22(1), 19–30. 
Brody, L. E, Muratori, M. and Stanley, J. (2004). Early entrance to college: Academic, social, and emotional considerations. In: N. Colangelo, S. G. Assouline, and M. U. Gross (eds.) A nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America’s Brightest Students (Vol. 1-2) (pp. 97–107). Iowa City: IA: Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development. 
Callahan, C. M., Moon, T. R. and Oh, S. (2017). Describing the status of programs for the gifted: A call for action. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 40(1), 20–49.
Clark, G. and Zimmerman, E. (2002). Tending the special spark: Accelerated and enriched curricula for highly talented art students. Roeper Review, 24(3), 161–8. 
Colangelo, N., Assouline, S. G. and Gross, M. U. (2004). A nation deceived: How schools hold back America’s brightest students. In: The Templeton National Report on Acceleration (Vol. 1-2). Iowa City, IA: The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International College for Gifted Education and Talent Development. 
Colangelo, N., Assouline, S. G., Marron, M. A., Castellano, J. A., Clinkenbeard, P.R., Rogers, K., … Smith, D. (2010). Guidelines for developing an academic acceleration policy. National working group on acceleration. Journal of Advanced Academics, 21(2), 180–203.
Corcoran, S. P. and Baker-Smith, C. (2015). Pathways to an Elite education: Application, Admission, and Matriculation to New York City’s Specialized High Schools. New York, NY: Research Alliance for New York City Schools and NYU Institute for Education and Social Policy. 
Feldhusen, J. F. (2005). Educating gifted and talented youth for high-level expertise and creative achievement. Educational Research Journal, 20(1), 15–25. 
Feldhusen, J. F., Proctor, T. B. and Black, K. N. (1986). Guidelines for grade advancement of precocious children. Roeper Review, 9(1), 25–7.  
Freeman, J. (2002). Out-of-school Educational Provision for the Gifted and Talented Around the World. London: Department for Education and Skills. 
Gronostaj, A., Werner, E., Bochow, E. and Vock, M. (2016). How to learn things at school you don’t already know: Experiences of gifted grade-skippers in Germany. Gifted Child Quarterly, 60(1), 31–46. 
Hertzog, N. B. and Chung, R. U. (2015). Outcomes for students on a fast track to college: Early college entrance programs at the University of Washington. Roeper Review, 37(1), 39–49. 
Heuser, B.L., Wang, K. and Shahid, S. (2017). Global dimensions of gifted and talented education: The influence of national perceptions on policies and practices. Global Education Review, 4(1), 4-21.
Janos, P. M., Robinson, N. M., Lunneborg, C. E. and Lunneborg, E. (1989). Markedly early entrance to college: A multi-year comparative study of academic performance and psychological adjustment. The Journal of Higher Education, 60(5), 495–518. 
Jones, B. M., Fleming, D. L., Henderson, J. and Henderson, C. (2002). Common denominators: Assessing hesitancy to apply to a selective residential math and science academy. Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 13(4), 164–72. 
Jung, J. Y., Young, M. and Gross, M. U. (2015). Early college entrance in Australia. Roeper Review, 37(1), 19–28. 
Khoshaim, H. B. (2017). High school graduates’ readiness for tertiary education in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Instruction, 10(3), 179–194.  
King Faisal University (KFU). (2015). The National Research Center for Giftedness and Creativity. Available at: https://www.kfu.edu.sa/en/Centers/CreativityUnit/Pages/Home-new.aspx (accessed on 28/3/2020)
King Saud University. (2015). Innovation Center. Available at: http://innovation.ksu.edu.sa/en (accessed on 28/3/2020)
Klimis, J. and VanTassel-Baska, J. (2014). Designing self-contained middle schools for the gifted: A journey in program development. Gifted Child Today, 36(3), 172–8. 
Leithwood, A. and Sun, J. (2012). The nature and effects of transformational school leadership: A meta-analytic review of unpublished research. Educational Administration Quarterly, 48(3), 387–423.
Mendaglio, S. (2013). Gifted students’ transition to university. Gifted Education International, 29(1), 3–12. 
Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP). (2013). The Strategy and Plan for Giftedness and Creativity and Innovation Support. Available at: https://www.mep.gov.sa/ar/AdditionalDocuments/Plans/9th (Accessed 29/03/2020)
Ministry of Education (MOE) Official Website, Saudi Arabia. (2016). Available at: http://www.moe.gov.sa/ar/Pages/default.aspx (Accessed 29/03/2020). 
Ministry of Education (MOE). (2014). Education History in Saudi Arabia. Available at: https://www.moe.gov.sa/Arabic/Ministry/Pages/ MinistryStart.aspx. (Accessed 28/03/2020). 
Muratori, M., Michelle C. and Smith, C. K. (2015). Guiding the talent and career development of the gifted individual. Journal of Counselling & Development, 93(2), 173–82.
Newman, J. L. and Hubner, J. P. (2012). Designing challenging science experiences for high-ability learners through partnerships with university professors. Gifted Child Today, 35(2), 102–15.
Olszewski‐Kubilius, P. (1995). A summary of research regarding early entrance to college. Roeper Review, 18(2), 121–6. 
Olszewski-Kubilius, P. and Clarenbach, J. (2014). Closing the opportunity gap: Program factors contributing to academic success in culturally different youth. Gifted Child Today, 37(2), 103–10.
Passow, A. H. (1993). National/state policies regarding education of the gifted. In: K. A. Heller, F. J. Monks, and A. H. Passow (eds.) (n.d.) International Handbook of Research and Development of Giftedness and Talent. Oxford: Pergamon Press.  
Perry, L. and Tor, H. (2008). Understanding educational transfer: Theoretical perspectives and conceptual frameworks. Prospects, 38(4), 509–26.
Persson, R. S. (2012). Cultural variation and dominance in a globalised knowledge-economy: Towards a culture-sensitive research paradigm in the science of giftedness. Gifted and Talented International, 27(1), 15–48. 
Plucker, J. A. and Callahan, C. M. (2014). Research on giftedness and Gifted Education status of the field and considerations for the future. Exceptional Children, 80(4), 390–406. 
Qarni, M. (2010). Evaluation of provisions for gifted students in Saudi Arabia. PhD Thesis, Wollongong University, Wollongong, Australia.  
Rapp, K. E. (2008). Special schools. In C. M. Plucker, and J. A. Callahan (Eds.) Critical Issues and Practices in Gifted Education: What the Research says. Waco: Prufrock Press. 
Renzulli, J. S. and Reis, S. M. (1997). The Schoolwide Enrichment Model: A How-to Guide for Educational Excellence. Mansfield Centre: Creative Learning Press. 
Saudi Vision 2030. (2016). Governance Model for Achieving Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. available at: http://vision2030.gov.sa/en (Accessed 28/03/2020)
Sayler, M. F., Boazman, J., Natesan, P. and Periathiruvadi, S. (2015). Subjective well-being of gifted American college students: An examination of psychometric properties of the PWI-A. Gifted Child Quarterly, 59(4), 236–48.
Schroth, S. T. (2008). Levels of service. In: C. M. Plucker and J. A. Callahan (eds.) Critical Issues and Practices in Gifted Education: What the Research Says (pp. 321–334). Waco: Prufrock Press. 
Stanley, J. C. (1991). A better model for residential high schools for talented youths. The Phi Delta Kappan, 72(6), 471–3. 
Tan, L. S., Lee, S. S., Ponnusamy, L. D., Koh, E. R. and Tan, K. C. K., (2016). Fostering creativity in the classroom for high ability students: Context does matter. Education Sciences, 6(4), 36.
Tan, M., Aljughaiman, A. M., Elliott, J. G., Kornilov, S. A., Ferrando-Prieto, M., Bolden, D. S. and Grigorenko, E. L. (2009). Considering language, culture, and cognitive abilities: The international translation and adaptation of the Aurora Assessment Battery. In: E. L. Grigorenko (Ed.) Multicultural Psychoeducational Assessment (pp. 443–468). New York, NY: Springer.  
UNESCO. (2010). World Data on Education. Principles and General Objectives of Education. Available at: http://www.ibe.unesco.org/ (Accessed 28/03/2020)
US Department of Education. (2008). Creating and Sustaining Successful K–8 Magnet Schools. Available at: https://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/magnet-k8/report_pg8.html (Accessed 28/03/2020).
VanTassel-Baska, J. (2010). The history of urban gifted education. Gifted Child Today, 33(4), 18– 27. 
VanTassel-Baska, J. (2013). The world of cross-cultural research: Insights for gifted education. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 36(1), 6–18. 
Winstanley, C. (2012). Alluring ideas: Cherry picking policy from around the world. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 46(4), 516–31.
Zhang, H. (2009). Magnet Schools and Student Achievement: Evidence from a Randomized Natural Experiment in China (Unpublished manuscript). Available at: http://www.econ.cuhk.edu.hk/dept/chinese/seminar/0809/2ndterm/ZhangJobMarketNov08.pdf (accessed 28/03/2020)