Tales from the Pond

This book presents an alternative interpretation of a
practice that tends to attract a great deal of
negative press that of ability grouping. Often
viewed as elitist and a means of reinforcing the
status quo in unequal societies, the educational
practice of grouping on the basis of ability has
engendered distrust in egalitarian Australia for many
years. This study challenges this notion through
examination of a disadvantaged rural secondary
school s attempt to create a learning environment
that is appropriate for highly able students, while
not disadvantaging mainstream students not involved
in the program. The metaphor of a pond is woven
through the study, representing Marsh's Big Fish
Little Pond Effect, which is critiqued. Through a
mixed methodological approach, the views of students
in both the grouped and mainstream settings were
examined to determine their levels of satisfaction
with their educational experience. The study found
that although the ability based setting provided a
suitably nurturing environment for the able students,
it was not viewed as desirable by mainstream
nonmembers, suggesting that appropriate provision may
require different educational responses.

Autorentext

Dr Margaret Plunkett is a lecturer in education at MonashUniversity in Australia, specializing in gifted education. She is Australian delegate for the World Council for Gifted Children. Herresearch interests focus on appropriate educationalprovisions for highly able students, particularly use ofability grouping in disadvantaged rural settings.

Klappentext

This book presents an alternative interpretation of apractice that tends to attract a great deal ofnegative press - that of ability grouping. Oftenviewed as elitist and a means of reinforcing thestatus quo in unequal societies, the educationalpractice of grouping on the basis of ability hasengendered distrust in egalitarian Australia for manyyears. This study challenges this notion throughexamination of a disadvantaged rural secondaryschool's attempt to create a learning environmentthat is appropriate for highly able students, whilenot disadvantaging mainstream students not involvedin the program. The metaphor of a pond is woventhrough the study, representing Marsh's Big FishLittle Pond Effect, which is critiqued. Through amixed methodological approach, the views of studentsin both the grouped and mainstream settings wereexamined to determine their levels of satisfactionwith their educational experience. The study foundthat although the ability based setting provided asuitably nurturing environment for the able students,it was not viewed as desirable by mainstreamnonmembers, suggesting that appropriate provision mayrequire different educational responses.