The Journal of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children

Over all, the results indicate positive long-term effects of the German summer academy
program. Students clearly attributed positive long-term effects to their participation, concerning
social competencies and motivation as well as technical-methodical skills and knowledge. However,
the subjective experience is not perfectly matched by the objective data: participants and matched
controls did not differ very much in their academic development or professional success. Thus, it
needs to be assumed that while the academy experience is certainly very valuable, its effects can be
made up for in case of non-participance, e.g. during one’s university studies (Hany & Grosch, 2009).
Enrichment courses
In Austria, so-called "Plus-Kurse”, a set of enrichment courses for gifted students (see
above), have been scientifically evaluated. In a study by Patry, Weyringer and Wageneder (2001) with
a sample of 139 students in 13 courses taught by 11 teachers were asked to report their perceptions
of the learning situation on a lesson-to-lesson base and in a summative questionnaire at the end of
the school year. The authors were interested in situation specificity of teaching, interest of the
students, demands and student independence in the lessons. The results showed that the teaching
is less situation specific, less demanding, less independent on the student’s part, and more direct
than assumed. Furthermore, interest seemed to be a very important factor, even with students who
are very interested in any case (Patry, Weyringer & Wageneder, 2001).
In Germany, gifted students’ "working groups" have been evaluated. A study by Hany and
Heller (1992) evaluated working groups for gifted students in the German state of Baden-
Württemberg, where they have existed since 1984. These working groups, offered in the state of
Baden-Württemberg, take place once a week for two hours and provide the students an opportunity
to explore topics in the natural or social sciences that are not covered in their regular classes.
Selected results showed the following: concerning intelligence, the participants could be placed in
the top 20 % of their age group. They had a stronger achievement motivation and slightly better
grades than their peers. The effects of their participation were rated very positively by students as
well as by the teachers. Even though the students had to invest some of their free time in the
courses, the demand was high and the drop-out rate low. The students noted positive long-term
effects on their personality development including independence, self-confidence, and social
competence. Student’s career goals were not or hardly influenced by the course (Hany & Heller,
1992, in Preckel, 2008).
In Switzerland, the evaluation of enrichment programs focuses on pull-out programs for
gifted students. A study by Wolfgramm (2004) evaluated a pilot project that consisted of additional
courses for gifted children in grades 1-6 in the canton of Bern. Once a week, the children gathered in
small groups to learn about topics not covered by the regular curriculum and to enhance their
cognitive and social skills as well as their motivation. Questionnaires and IQ tests were employed to
investigate the selection of the children and the effects of the course. The results showed that a
centrally organized selection process with a pre-selection through parents and teachers and a
participation criterion of an IQ above 130 led to a percentage of 97 % children with an IQ above 130
in the courses, a conclusion that seems rather circular. Furthermore, it could be shown that the
children’s scholastic self-confidence as well as their achievement motivation increased, while their
integration in their regular classes and their acceptance by their peers decreased (Wolfgramm,
2004).
Special curricula/ classes
Three German studies evaluated the effects of special curricula and classes for gifted
students only. All of them were studies on accelerated classes. Kaiser (1997) evaluated a pilot
project at six Gymnasien (German secondary schools, comprising grades 5-13 and leading to a
university-entrance diploma) in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. In this pilot project, separate
acceleration classes for gifted students were formed. These classes did not have a different
curriculum from the regular classes, but they skipped one grade, either grade 6 or grade 9. In other
words, "collective grade-skipping" of an entire class, for which the students had been selected
beforehand, took place. In grade 12 at the latest, the acceleration classes were dissolved again. That
way, students who had attended the acceleration classes and students who had attended the
regular classes spent at least the last two years of the Gymnasium together and graduated together.
On average, 24,4% of the students in a given grade participated in an acceleration class. A
recommendation from the teachers’ conference, whose criteria were high ability and high motivation,
as well as the student’s parents’ consent were necessary for a student to be allowed to attend one
Gifted and Talented International – 26(1), August, 2011; and 26(2), December, 2011. 57