Monthly Archives: December 2018
Gifted Students in Secondary/Higher Education
At the high school level, there are many ‘options’ for GT students which may include AP, IB, magnet schools, honors classes, or dual enrollment. Additional ‘options’ are early entrance (plus other types of acceleration), talent searches, and distance education classes. Higher education programs include Honors Programs designed as cohorts, accelerated curriculum, study abroad, or mentorships.
Nothing wrong with AP, etc, or honors programs, but they tend to be focused on high achievers. An AP or honors class is only as good for a GT kid as the teacher or prof in charge. If they get GT, it’s great… if not… it can be a struggle ~ Clint Rodriguez, Secondary Gifted Specialist in Dallas, TX
The impact of a challenging curriculum on GT secondary students can motivate students to become leaders and find success in gifted programs. Research has found a strong correlation between support for the whole student/environmental factors and student success,
Providing mentoring programs to secondary GT students have been found to be key to their identity development. Mentoring programs can provide secondary and college GT students with the opportunity to connect with their local communities and develop networks for future career prospects. Mentors of GT students in higher education are role models for success and hope for the future; especially important for at-risk students.
When GT students are challenged to produce authentic products, it has real-world implications; such as community activism. Society benefits from GT students who become well-rounded students, leaders, and those committed to work for lasting changes for good.
There needs to be a celebration of learning, encouragement to research and discover and persist when things become difficult. ~ Jo Freitag, Co-ordinator Gifted Resources, Australia
Environmental factors such as homogeneous grouping of GT students with others of like-ability and the availability of enrichment programs can foster a mindset of achievement. The presence of supportive parents and family or mentors who guide, support or share expertise can also foster an achievement mindset. Environmental factors can help GT students to navigate challenges and learn self-regulation.
Research has found that the introduction of curriculum that encourages creativity can enhance student success. University faculty should use open-ended assessments rather than written assignments and traditional testing. A transcript of this chat may be found at Wakelet.
Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at 2PM NZST/Noon AEST/1 AM UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Facebook Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community. Also, checkout our Pinterest Page and Playlist on YouTube.
About the author: Lisa Conrad is the Moderator of Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT and Social Media Manager of the Global #gtchat Community. She is a longtime advocate for gifted children and also blogs at Gifted Parenting Support. Lisa can be contacted at: gtchatmod@gmail.com
Resources:
Starting a High School Mentoring Program for the Gifted: Opportunities and Challenges (pdf)
Mentors’ Contributions to Gifted Adolescents’ Affective, Social, and Vocational Development (Roeper Review)
Effects of Service Learning on Young, Gifted Adolescents and Their Community
Does Higher Education Foster Critical and Creative Learners? (pdf)
The Role of Creative Coursework in Skill Development for University Seniors (pdf)
‘Honors’ Should Mean a Challenge, Not an Upgrade to First Class
An Investigation of Student Psychological Wellbeing: Honors Versus Nonhonors Undergraduate Education (Journal of Advanced Academics)
Programs and Services for Gifted Secondary Students: A Guide to Recommended Practices (Prufrock Press)
Status of High School Gifted Programs (pdf)
Expanding the Conception of Giftedness to Include Co-cognitive Traits and Promote Social Capital (Renzulli)
Research on Giftedness and Gifted Education: Status of the Field and Considerations for the Future
What the Research Says: Gifted Education Works (pdf)
Who Are The ‘Gifted And Talented’ And What Do They Need?
The Efficacy of Advanced Placement Programs for Gifted Students
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad
Performance-Based Assessments
Performance-based assessments provide a more realistic way of assessing skills which reflect real world lived experiences. Students need to be prepared for workplace environments that don’t rely on standardized evaluations. Employers seek out those who can demonstrate the ability to apply their skills and utilize their knowledge-base to identify and solve problems. Students need to be prepared to meet these challenges. Performance-based assessments showcase or measure a student’s use of higher order thinking and their ability to create products and complete processes.
Performance-based assessments provide a way for students to be able to apply knowledge across multiple disciplines and increase their worth as productive and valuable employees. Students learn to be contributing members to group work and able to develop viable action plans in new situations on a timely basis. Performance-based assessments make students more responsible for demonstrating what they have learned.
What are some drawbacks of performance-based assessments? These types of assessments can be difficult to conduct in larger classes as compared to standardized testing. They are more costly and time consuming which can be problematic in tight budget environments.
We know that standardized testing can affect outcomes for marginalized groups of students, but that doesn’t necessarily imply that performance-based assessments are a superior alternative. In order to better meet the needs of diverse learners, how project-based assessments are designed and implemented is a better indication that greater equity will be achieved. Performance-based assessments can benefit diverse learners when paired with technology, customization, teacher collaboration and professional development for teachers and staff.
How can teachers create performance-based assessments for their students? They must first have a clear and definable understanding of their subject matter and then be able to identify goals they intend to assess. Teachers should set course standards, be prepared to identify students’ learning gaps, design the course, provide materials and implement educational learning plans.
Performance-based assessments become authentic when they are considered meaningful and students are engaged. Consideration should be taken that the product created or final activity provides a way for students to demonstrate their understanding of the subject matter. Authentic assessments such as presentations, portfolios, performances or projects must be open-ended and open to multiple potential outcomes. A transcript of this chat is available at Wakelet.
Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at 2PM NZST/Noon AEST/1 AM UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Facebook Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community. Also, checkout our Pinterest Page and Playlist on YouTube.
About the author: Lisa Conrad is the Moderator of Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT and Social Media Manager of the Global #gtchat Community. She is a longtime advocate for gifted children and also blogs at Gifted Parenting Support. Lisa can be contacted at: gtchatmod@gmail.com
Resources:
Performance-Based Assessment for 21st-Century Skills (Prufrock)
Performance-Based Assessment: Reviewing the Basics
Taking Teaching to (Performance) Task: Linking Pedagogical and Assessment Practices (pdf)
Stanford: What is Performance-Based Assessment? (pdf)
What is Performance-Based Learning and Assessment and Why is it Important?
Authentic Ways to Develop Performance-Based Activities
Does Performance Based Assessment Produce Better Students?
Performance Assessment and Authentic Assessment: A Conceptual Analysis of the Literature (pdf)
Fairness in Performance Assessment (ERIC)
Guidelines for the Development and Management of Performance Assessments (ERIC)
Developing and Implementing an Assessment Plan
Program-Based Review and Assessment (pdf)
Basic Steps of Program Assessment
Performance Based Assessment & Learning (YouTube 3:08)
Performance-Based Assessment: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners
Performance Assessment: A Deeper Look at Practice and Research
Image courtesy of Pixabay CC0 Creative Commons
Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad