The Effects of Group Composition on Gifted and Non-Gifted Elementary Students in Cooperative Learning Groups

David A. Kenny
Francis X. Archambault, Jr.
Bryan W. Hallmark

This research was undertaken to provide researchers, administrators, and teachers with tangible evidence as to the effectiveness of cooperative learning with gifted students. A controlled field experiment was designed to assess the effects of both heterogeneous and homogeneous grouping in cooperative learning settings on the performance of gifted and non-gifted students, including their achievement, self-concept, and attitude toward school subjects, as well as the feelings that they have toward one another. It was also designed to determine whether different types of cooperative learning arrangements implemented in different content areas yield comparable results. The study involved 786 fourth grade students drawn from 42 classrooms located in 8 school districts.

Gifted fourth grade students experienced no adverse effects as a result of interacting with non-gifted students in cooperative learning groups. The gifted student does not learn less, experience a decline in self-concept, or become less popular in his or her group. In fact, students are seen as more friendly and better leaders in these groups, and they experience a relative increase in social self-esteem in heterogeneous groups.

At the same time, the non-gifted student does not experience an increase in achievement due to the presence of a gifted student. Thus, the view of the gifted child as a teaching resource was not supported. However, the non-gifted student in heterogeneous groups suffers from a decline in self-esteem and a decline in the perception by non-gifted peers on task-relevant activities. In sum, heterogeneous grouping has positive socioemotional outcomes for gifted children and negative ones for non-gifted children.

Reference:

Kenny, D. A., Archambault, F. X., Jr., & Hallmark, B. W. (1995). The effects of group composition on gifted and non-gifted elementary students in cooperative learning groups (Research Monograph 95116). Storrs: University of Connecticut, The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented.

nrcgt_bar
The Effects of Group Composition on Gifted and Non-Gifted Elementary Students in Cooperative Learning Groups
David A. Kenny
Francis X. Archambault, Jr.
Bryan W. Hallmark

 

Conclusions

  1. Gifted students worked at a quicker pace and produced more when grouped with other gifted students; the productivity level of the group is directly tied to the number of gifted students in the group.
  2. Gifted students and non-gifted students alike had the same levels of posttest achievement in homogeneous groups as they did in heterogeneous groups.
  3. Gifted fourth grade students experienced no adverse effects as a result of interacting with non-gifted students in cooperative learning groups.
  4. Gifted students are seen as more friendly and better leaders in heterogeneous groups, and they experience a relative increase in social self-esteem.
  5. Gifted students were perceived by their peers as providing more help than non-gifted students to other members of the cooperative learning groups.
  6. Non-gifted students do not experience an increase in achievement due to the presence of a gifted student in their group; the common view of the gifted student as a teaching resource was not supported by this study.
  7. There were no differences in the three self-esteem measures (global, social, and academic) for heterogeneously grouped gifted students versus homogeneously grouped students.
  8. The different grouping strategies have no significant effect on the attitudes toward mathematics and science of either gifted or non-gifted students.
  9. Heterogeneous grouping has positive socioemotional outcomes for gifted students and negative ones for non-gifted students.
  10. Non-gifted students had more negative perceptions of each other when they were in heterogeneous groups than when they were in homogeneous groups.