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The field of gifted and talented studies has its origins in the intelligence quotient research of the late 19th and early 20th century. These psychological foundations remain a strong influence even though the field has since expanded to include other paradigms and greater diversity in conceptions of giftedness and talent. Some researchers argue that the field could benefit from greater interdisciplinary engagement, especially in studies of gifted and talented girls, which tend to include a focus on how gifted girls' external environments influence their emotional worlds. This article proposes that concepts developed by critical sociologist Pierre Bourdieu are useful for expanding and deepening understandings of the internal and external worlds of gifted and talented girls. It offers evidence from a recent qualitative study with academically gifted and talented teenaged girls in New Zealand. The results highlighted the marginalised position of the gifted and talented identity and the privileging of identities that were based on dispositions versus innate ability. The study also identified a hierarchy of valued forms of capital within the teenage girl social landscape and a resulting theorisation of an empowered gifted and talented girl habitus. This article demonstrates how Bourdieu's work is a constructive addition to the field.

The considerable utility of glycoside phosphorylases (GPs) has led to substantial efforts over the past two decades to expand the breadth of known GP activities. Driven largely by the increase of available genomic DNA sequence data, the gap between the number of sequences in the carbohydrate active enzyme database (CAZy DB) and its functionally characterized members continues to grow. This wealth of sequence data presented an exciting opportunity to explore the ever-expanding CAZy DB to discover new GPs with never-before-described functionalities. Utilizing an in silico sequence analysis of CAZy family GH94, we discovered and then functionally and structurally characterized the new GP β-1,3-N-acetylglucosaminide phosphorylase. This new GP was sourced from the genome of the cell-wall-less Mollicute bacterium, Acholeplasma laidlawii and was found to synthesize β-1,3-linked N-acetylglucosaminide linkages. The resulting poly-β-1,3-N-acetylglucosamine represents a new, previously undescribed biopolymer that completes the set of possible β-linked GlcNAc homopolysaccharides together with chitin (β-1,4) and PNAG (poly-β-1,6-N-acetylglucosamine). The new biopolymer was denoted acholetin, a combination of the genus Acholeplasma and the polysaccharide chitin, and the new GP was thus denoted acholetin phosphorylase (AchP). Use of the reverse phosphorolysis action of AchP provides an efficient method to enzymatically synthesize acholetin, which is a new biodegradable polymeric material.

This article reports on the final phase of a three-phase project and investigates the characteristics of high-achieving students at a university. It also reports student evaluations of a low-cost program aimed at supporting them, assesses their levels of satisfaction, and evaluates the applicability of the program across three institutions in the tertiary sector in New Zealand. Quantitative data were collected from 126 participants prior to the introduction of the program and 55 participants were interviewed. End-of-year data were gathered via a questionnaire and one focus group interview. The findings indicated that the participants appeared to have stronger intrinsic motivation, resilience, and self-belief when compared with participants from other undergraduate groups participating in international studies. Interviewed participants expressed pleasure at being identified as high-achieving, appreciated their involvement in the study, and as a consequence were considering transitioning to postgraduate study. We concluded that this low-cost program was an effective strategy for supporting high-achieving undergraduate students across three different universities' departments and that other tertiary institutions might find the strategy useful.

Researchers have recently been interested in investigating academic dishonesty in higher education. There is however a dearth of research on academic dishonesty among gifted and talented undergraduates. In particular, academic dishonesty of talented undergraduates across-cultures, has been overlooked. This article reports an unintended finding of academic dishonesty in a study across academically talented undergraduate students in New Zealand and Bahrain. Participants were identified as those attaining an A average in their courses, in each location. Fourteen undergraduates, seven from each country, took part in phenomenological semi-structured interviews to determine their experiences as talented undergraduate students. Students' perceptions of academic dishonesty are compared across cultures through the lens of motivation theories. Findings show that culture has a strong impact on the degree to which such behaviour is accepted. This finding has implications in higher education institutions internationally.

In a global context where children are increasingly exposed to hostile humour in cartoons like Adventure Time and Spongebob Squarepants, it is not surprising that we see this play out in school settings. More concerning, however, is how teachers can misuse their position of power to wield such forms of humour against students who dare to question their authority. This paper draws on ethnographic data from three regional Australian primary schools to address how the performative violence of hostile 'humour' is enacted by male teachers at the expense of less violent and more 'responsible' alternatives. I employ gender-based theories and literature to argue that hostile humour is another mechanism through which hierarchies of hegemonic masculinity are maintained and 'the top dog' (or teacher) is positioned to have the last laugh.

This article explores the patterns of variation in the responses of talented, low-income students engaged in a program of undergraduate study. For this article, we focused on a subset of data from an earlier study of talented undergraduate students. Our aim was to add to the literature exploring the resilience of people from impoverished backgrounds that complete an undergraduate qualification, despite challenging circumstances. The data were collected from individual interviews with 10 participants, who also completed a demographic survey. Participants had not previously been identified as talented, nor, despite their consistently high achievement, did they consider themselves to be gifted or talented. Phenomenographic analysis of the interview transcripts revealed an outcome space that explained not only what the students had experienced, but also how they had experienced it. Implications for the retention and success of such students are discussed. Although this is a New Zealand study of talented, low-income, undergraduates, our findings may have application elsewhere.

With an interdisciplinary focus on creativity, inclusion and wellbeing, this paper provides a conceptual argument for additional and reimagined arts education programs in schools that incorporate creative arts therapies. Based on a review of literature in this field, it documents the practices and value of creative art therapies, for students currently experiencing or at risk of mental health problems. In a global context where mental health issues are on the rise, an emotional curriculum is discussed that includes awareness of mental health issues, promotion of wellbeing and incorporation of inclusivity to enhance positive outcomes for individuals and communities. A philosophy is presented that aims to connect students and teachers through art experiences in a way that meaningfully and effectively addresses the strengths and needs of a diverse range of students. Drawing on the authors' different practices, positive psychology and poststructural theory, this philosophy seeks to maximise students' potential to flourish as individuals and classroom members, whilst acknowledging that we all experience life and learning differently.

Taxation of tobacco is a widely used strategy that promotes smoking cessation among adults and reduces cigarette consumption among continuing smokers. First Nations (FN) populations' tobacco use is estimated to be 2-3 times that of other Canadians and, in part, a reflection that tobacco products purchased on reserve by FN people are tax exempt. The purpose of this paper is to present a commentary related to the implementation and impact of a tobacco tax within an FN community.

There is little research available on binge drinking among the Aboriginal population. Between March and June 2004, 15 Aboriginal persons participated in a semi-structured interview related to their binge drinking behaviors. The majority of participants were women and described a family history of alcoholism and childhood abuse. Factors that contributed to a reduction in binge drinking were often related to an acute event combined with gradual life changes. Supporting influences to remain sober included positive social support networks, role models, personal development, and cultural/spiritual practices. (Contains 1 footnote.)

In a global climate increasingly shaped by neoliberal agendas that privilege meritocratic individualism, it is apparent that society as a whole and educational policy-makers and practitioners in particular expect students to take more "responsibility" for their own learning and behaviour at school. In the Australian context, as elsewhere, schools are seen as sites in which students should develop and practise responsibility for self and others in ways that are enterprising, productive, civic-minded, and in accordance with social norms. Yet, few studies have critically examined how the concept of responsibility features in the everyday, taken-for-granted, discursive practices of policy-makers, teachers and students. This paper discusses findings from an ethnographic study concerned with how the discursive constructions of responsibility in three regional Australian primary schools shape upper-primary students' understandings and experiences of responsibility for self and others. Using the theoretical insights of Michel Foucault, Emmanuel Levinas and Judith Butler to interpret data, I argue that gendered discourses of biological determinism and peer pressure work to reinforce the misconception that violence and irresponsibility are 'naturally' masculine traits.

The study investigated New Zealand primary school teachers' understandings and experiences of talented young writers. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews in Auckland schools. The interview data were thematically analysed using an interpretivist framework. The focus of this report is on the teachers' selection and interpretation of writing samples. Findings from this study indicated that the teachers did not use the school's policy guidelines on gifted and talented students. Teachers offered similar meanings of giftedness and talent, utilized a narrow range of behaviours in the identification process, and relied upon assessment data and teaching experience in decision making. Minimal in-class provisions were available to lift their achievement. Teachers identified many challenging aspects in teaching talented writers. This study reinforces the need for, and importance of, continuing professional development regarding the teaching of talented young writers in primary schools.

Although there is a plethora of research evidence in support of the benefits of acceleration, the voices of parents are seldom heard in the literature around outcomes from full-year acceleration. This retrospective study reports on the views of the parents (N = 16) of a group of New Zealand students (N = 12) who were accelerated a full year in their first year of high school. The students completed five years secondary schooling in four years, before all proceeding to university, with the majority being 16 years old at time of entry instead of 17 or 18. As the data are substantial, the results are reported in two articles: the first reported on social and emotional challenges faced by the students. This current article reports on the parents' perceptions of the leadership, academic and administrative challenges of full-year acceleration. Most of the accelerands were moderately, not profoundly gifted and all resided in a lower socio-economic area. The parents reflect on the strategy of full-year acceleration and how it affected the opportunities available to their children. This positive account reinforces the international literature on the long-term benefits of full-year acceleration.

The notion of responsibility makes a significant appearance in a range of Westernised education policy documents concerned with student conduct, welfare and values. While policies may differ in the extent to which responsibility is explicitly defined or generally assumed, most seem to emphasise an ideal social subject who is accountable, self-regulating and actively contributing to civic life. Drawing on insights from Michel Foucault, Emmanuel Levinas and Judith Butler, I argue that the emphasis on neoliberal and neoconservative discourses in Australian educational policy can work to undermine more unconditional forms of responsibility grounded in notions of ethics, care and recognition of the other.

This article reports on a case study of one New Zealand university faculty involved in the second phase of a three-phase study investigating the experiences of talented undergraduate students. Talented undergraduate students are a largely forgotten group in research. The current study sought to investigate who the talented students were, and then what their lived experiences as talented undergraduate students were. The study involved 128 undergraduate students who provided information about their experiences as high achieving students in an undergraduate degree program. Approximately 10% of all students enrolled across five different undergraduate degree programs in the faculty were defined as talented undergraduate students. These students were ethnically diverse and largely older than we had anticipated. The majority had not previously been identified as talented and many had been largely unsuccessful educationally, prior to embarking on their undergraduate studies. Several students experienced challenging personal circumstances, such as financial hardship and extensive family responsibilities. The grit or resilience demonstrated by these students seemed to explain the essence of the phenomenon of being a talented undergraduate student in this faculty.

Facebook is a frequently accessed social networking site with more than one billion active users worldwide. Although there are numerous studies on its impact on teenagers, none have investigated its impact on gifted and talented girls. This study's aim was to understand the social media experiences of talented female student leaders. A qualitative approach, underpinned by the principles of phenomenology, was used. Individual semistructured, in-depth interviews were conducted with five participants. A modified method for phenomenological analysis was then used to distill the key essence of their experiences. This New Zealand study describes the complex challenges the participants face as users of Facebook and also argues for the value of the phenomenological method as a powerful research tool in such a study.

The voices of parents are not often heard in the literature and, when they are, it tends to be a litany of battles with the schooling system to achieve or not achieve some sort of acceleration for their gifted children (Gross, 2004). This retrospective study is unusual, as it is not based on a history of conflict. It is a positive account of parents and a school working together to support the students in their challenges. Twelve students had taken part in a planned program of full-year acceleration between 2001 and 2004 at a co-educational state (public) school in a lower socio-economic suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. Full-year acceleration is rarely offered in New Zealand (Riley, Bevan-Brown, Bicknell, Carroll-Lind & Kearney, 2004) and this program is believed to have been unique. The accelerands progressed through high school in four years and all but three were 16 years old when they graduated. This study reports the views of the students' parents as they reflected during a focus group in 2008 on challenges arising out of their children's full-year acceleration. This article focuses on the social and emotional challenges. Most of the accelerands were moderately, not profoundly gifted and many would not have qualified as "gifted" in systems that catered only for the top 10%. Particular mention was made of the use of individual mentoring to ensure that the ongoing social and emotional needs of the students were monitored and close communication between parents and school encouraged. The parents show almost unanimous support for full-year acceleration as a strategy.

This paper furthers a discussion about the ways in which idealised versions of gender permeate the aesthetic presentation and impression management strategies of elite private schools. Specifically, we consider how the written text, layout and images used in 12 Australian private girls school prospectuses function in constructing discourses of "natural" femininity. Far from being merely factual sources of information, we see school prospectuses as strategic texts that idealise and commodify gendered subjectivities that are likely to appeal to the perceived clientele of a particular school. Drawing on feminist and poststructuralist theoretical frames and utilising social semiotic techniques, we analyse how these promotional texts align the feminine subject with nature and the natural world. This alignment serves the dual function of constituting femininity as naturally beautiful, fragile, passive and vulnerably at-risk, while at the same time ameliorating such risk through more empowered (yet constrained) notions of interconnectedness. The tensions between such contradictory discourses of traditional and neoliberal femininity create impossible subject positions for girls, as in order to succeed with one version of femininity, they must simultaneously fail at another. (Contains 1 note.)

Many primary school children with English as an additional language in the UK receive additional educational support. This article reports on a study comparing withdrawal sessions between teaching assistants (TAs) and specialist teachers. The findings show that the specialist teachers included more personalisation than TAs' sessions, through the use of referential questions. Initiation, response, feedback (IRF) scripts were more often incomplete in TAs' interactions and extension of the feedback stage was more common amongst teachers.

This article continues a discussion about the ways in which gender is constructed in the aesthetic presentation and impression management strategies of elite private schools. While before we focused on the construction and promotion of valorised masculinities in elite private boys school prospectuses (Gottschall, Wardman, Edgeworth, Hutchesson & Saltmarsh, 2010), we now extend that work by investigating the versions of femininity celebrated in the promotional materials of elite girls schools. We also contrast, compare and critique the subjectivities constructed by elite private girls schools in relation to the elite private boys schools. Drawing on feminist and post-structuralist theoretical frames and semiotic techniques, we consider how the text, layout and images of the prospectuses work to legitimate and/or disrupt hegemonic versions of "well-rounded" femininity predicated on physical beauty, passivity and subservience.

Over the last decade, education researchers have been concerned with the "impression management" activities of schools in the current climate of school corporatisation. Among these activities is the dissemination of school prospectuses that, far from being merely arbitrary sources of information, are seen as strategic texts that communicate the ethos of educational providers to potential clientele. Through sociocultural, feminist and post-structuralist frames, we consider how the positioning of masculinities is utilised as a marketing technique in such texts and, in turn, how such texts are implicated in the discursive construction of idealised schooling subjectivities. We undertake a semiotic analysis of the prospectuses of six private boys schools in the Sydney region of New South Wales, Australia, considering how masculinities are represented within binaries that position older boys as hard, strong and capable, and younger boys as small, weak and vulnerable. We argue that schooling is depicted in these texts as providing the necessary training ground for boys making the transition from boyhood to manhood. We argue that these images of masculinity continue to be associated, either directly or indirectly, with narrow notions of social privilege.

Discusses the findings of a study of young people who had left post-16 education prematurely or had switched courses. Examines the main influences on the young people's decisions, the extent to which they felt prepared for their transitions, and their views of career guidance and education. (Author/GCP)