4.3.10 School Engagement in High Ability Students: Developmental Trajectory, Contextual Factors, and Long-term Educational Outcomes

In this study, we examined the development of school engagement in high-ability versus average-ability students across late elementary and early secondary school, as well as contextual predictors of this development and its long-term educational outcomes. We found that the high ability students had consistently lower engagement than their peers. The relationship with their teacher and the perceived degree of study orientation in their class distinctly and positively influenced their engagement. Non-academic studies in grade 11 could be predicted by engagement levels in grade five, while male gender and low achievement were salient predictors of secondary retention of high ability students.

Author(s):

Alicia Ramos
alicia.ramos@kuleuven.be
KU Leuven
Belgium

Alicia Ramos is a doctoral candidate at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, where she researches the long-term school and developmental outcomes of cognitively high ability children, adolescents, and young adults. Her work is situated in the large-scale interuniversity project TALENT, which seeks to understand the situation of cognitively high ability students in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, as well as design effective interventions addressing these individuals’ motivation, (under)achievement, and well-being.

Karine Verschueren
karine.verschueren@kuleuven.be
KU Leuven
Belgium

Karine Verschueren is head of the research unit School and Developmental Psychology at the KU Leuven, where she carries out research on the psychosocial and academic development of children in schools. She is currently the principle investigator of project TALENT, which is doing ground-breaking research on cognitively high ability students in Flanders, Belgium, with the intention of promoting education and care tailored to their needs.

Bieke De Fraine
bieke.defraine@kuleuven.be
KU Leuven
Belgium

Bieke De Fraine is the head of the Educational Effectiveness and Evaluation Research Centre at the KU Leuven, where her research primarily concerns the educational trajectories of pupils (i.e. grade retention, early school leaving, study track choice) and addressing the question "what works?" in education.