Kimberly Lansdowne

Kimberly Lansdowne is interested in the use of technology in developing 21st century learners. In the newly constructed Herberger Young Scholars Academy, to be completed in August 2017, a technology lab will be an integral part of the education of our students. I am working with the HYSA faculty and staff to develop ways to evaluate the use of technology, by both adults and students, in the teaching and learning in a secondary school for highly gifted students.

As an advocate for gifted and talented students, especially underrepresented groups, Kim and her colleagues are interested in the social and emotional development of students attending secondary school. This year we implemented “Discussion Groups” as a vehicle for researching students’ social and emotional development. These weekly meetings provide open ended experiences that encourage gifted students to explore their social and emotional development. In small group discussions, students may momentarily move out of some potentially competitive, evaluative environments into an atmosphere where no one dominates, no grades are given, and no one judges them. Bringing gifted students together for weekly discussion gives them a chance to feel heard, have support for social and emotional developments, and enlarge their expressive vocabulary. They can also learn strategies for coping with stressors associated with high ability, including dealing with their own and others’ expectations.  We will use pre-and post-surveys to analyze the growth of students over the course of one school year.  

Guiding research questions: 

How can we best support gifted and talented children so that they work up to their potential?

How do new technologies support the learning environment of gifted and talented students in a secondary school?