Using Technology for Acceleration and Enrichment

How did online learning during the pandemic influence GT educators’ & students’ view of virtual learning? Prior to the pandemic, many GT educators, students, and their parents viewed virtual learning as a poor substitute for irl gifted education; an alternative which diminished learning experiences. During the months of remote learning resulting from schools closures, many in the GT community began to see benefits of virtual learning. Learning online presented GT students with the ability to learn at their own pace, complete assignments on their timeline, and enjoy time to pursue personal interests and passions. Virtual learning during the pandemic was greatly enhanced with new technologies widely accessible which allowed GT students to also meet and collaborate online with mentors and like-minded peers. Pandemic online learning for GT students also accelerated the development of virtual supports to meet the social and emotional needs of students via access to school counselors and mental health check-ins with teachers.

For several generations, advocates for gifted education have struggles to convince school districts to appropriate funds for acceleration as well as in-person enrichment experiences for GT students. Accelerating students in traditional brick and mortar schools encountered scheduling, transportation, and budget restrictions which often led to mediocre results. Online options afforded GT students the opportunity to be taught by master teachers, access higher-level academic classes, and more opportunities to interact with intellectual peers. Acceleration delivered online and virtually can benefit GT students by allowing them to learn at their own pace, receive individualized instruction, gain independence, learn to manage their time, and graduate faster.

Most GT students comprise a small segment of the student population in their respective school districts. Enrichment opportunities are often limited to a one hour a week pull-out program available only at the elementary level. With the exception of well-funded school districts, most GT students only have access to a GT specialist on a limited basis which severely restricts enrichment learning and need for personalized instruction. Technology can open doors to enrichment for GT students in ways unthinkable just a few years ago. Students can participate in livestream classes, go on virtual field trips, or collaborate virtually with VR tech. Enrichment provided via tech can give GT students access to advanced courses not offered at their local schools; quality, affordable tutoring; and self-paced programs.

Technology can benefit GT student collaboration by bridging geographical barriers (such as those experienced by rural school students) to allow them to collaborate across campus or globally. GT students can use technology to attend higher-level learning opportunities at colleges and universities at any time from their local school or from home. Forward thinking educators and advocates have long acknowledged the benefits of collaboration with like-ability peers to challenge, motivate, and accelerate learning for GT students.

Virtual classes are no longer simply recorded lectures lacking real time interaction. Interactive opportunities are available via Zoom, MS Teams, and Google Meet. Students can access instructors, mentors, and experts in the fields of their personal interests at virtually anytime they have access to tech via text, email, etc. Technology resources are accelerating with the introduction of AI resources, virtual reality platforms, and innovative live streaming on multiple platforms.GT students can participate in web-based research projects; access coding and programming learning opportunities from Scratch, Python, and Code.org; or take classes from platforms such as Coursera and Kahn Academy. They can also benefit from asynchronous instruction delivered via tech allowing them to complete lessons at their own pace and with respect to individual time constraints.

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 1AM GMT 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.

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:

An Analysis of the Impact of School Closings on Gifted Services: Recommendations for Meeting Gifted Students’ Needs in a Post-COVID-19 World | Gifted Education International

Profoundly Gifted Students’ Perceptions of Virtual Classrooms | Gifted Child Quarterly

Virtual PLCs at Work®: A Guide to Effectively Implementing Online and Hybrid Teaching and Learning (Tools, Tips, and Best Practices for Virtual Professional Learning Communities)

Excellent Online Teaching: Effective Strategies For A Successful Semester Online

Is Your Gifted Child Ready for Online Learning? | Davidson Institute

How Gifted Students Benefit From Online Learning

5 Ways Gifted Students Can Benefit From Online High School

Gifted Distance Learning Schools and Programs | Davidson Institute

How To Support Learning at Home for Gifted Students

For Frustrated Gifted Kids, A World of Online Opportunities

Successful Online Learning with Gifted Students: Designing Online and Blended Lessons for Gifted and Advanced Learners in Grades 5–8

Online Learning Can Work for Gifted Students

Challenging Your Gifted Student

Schools for Gifted Students: What to Know | U.S. News & World Report

Gauss’s Law Concepts | Vizit Solutions

Why Gifted Student Enrichment Needs to be Digital

Cybraryman’s Technology Pages

Unleash Your Inner Supercomputer | Vizit Solutions

Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.

Academic Competitions for GT Students

GT students should consider participating in academic competitions because they can showcase their talents, provide a platform for creative thinking, challenge them, and connect them with like-minded peers. Colleges value participation in academic competitions as they can demonstrate proficiency exceeding levels required in classrooms and on standardized tests. Top-tier competitions can confer prestige and recognize high performance. Academic competitions can give GT students insights into their capabilities allowing them to see their strengths and to counter weaknesses by setting goals and establishing a strong work ethic.

There are a wide range of benefits associated with participating in academic competitions including academic challenge in particular areas, building confidence in public speaking and presentation, and recognition from peers, teachers, and the wider community. Academic competitions benefit students through involvement in teamwork and collaboration as well as by developing research skills and critical thinking. Participation in academic competitions can develop skills necessary to be successful in college and eventually careers – problem solving, higher-order thinking, communicating, connecting with peers, and discovering passions. Teachers can also benefit from academic competitions through access to student data gleaned from student participation. Many competitions compliment classroom curriculum and can supplement existing lesson plans.

Not all students benefit from participating in academic competitions and disadvantages versus potential benefits should be assessed taking into consideration a student’s personal goals, interests, and abilities. Academic competitions can be sources of high anxiety, pressure to perform, and many place unduly emphasis on winning creating unhealthy competition. Last, but not least, cost can be an enormous burden on students, their families, and schools through participation fees, material costs, and travel expenses.

Academic competitions require a significant commitment of effort and time, and should not infringe on other academic pursuits. All stakeholders should be aware of the competitions rules, format, and guidelines. Consideration should be given to the student’s interests, abilities, strengths/weaknesses, and resources before entering a particular competition. Beyond practice, practice, practice; students should familiarize themselves with associated study materials, seek support from teachers and mentors, and practice self-care.

There are many different types of academic competitions spanning local campuses as well as state, national, and international competitions with varying degrees of difficulty. Common types of competitions include debate, essay and poetry writing, and STEM topics such as engineering, robotics, mathematical modeling, and computing. Some popular competitions include First Robotics Competition, Destination Imagination, Invention Convention, Math Counts, Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Science Olympiad.

A transcript of this chat can be found at Wakelet.

Resources:

List of Academic Competitions for Gifted Students | Davidson Institute

30 Impressive High School Academic Competitions in 2023 | CollegeVine

Top 20 Competitions for High School Students in 2022-2023 | Inspirit AI

PA: Academic Competitions | IU 13

The International Academic Competitions Portfolio

The Pros And Cons of Academic Competitions

50 Competitions Every Student Needs To Know About

The Big List of Student Contests and Competitions

2023 Elementary and Middle School National Championships

Mini-Guide to Competitions for Elementary Students | Institute of Competition Sciences

Benefits of Entering Academic Competitions

The Ultimate Guide to STEM Competitions & Events for 2023

Array Global Academic Competitions

Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence

The Role of Academic Competitions in Education

International Academic Competitions Asian Division: World Competitions

University Interscholastic League Essay Contests | UT Austin

University Interscholastic League A+ Chess Puzzle | UT Austin

FIRST Robotics Competition

Destination Imagination

Invention Convention

Math Counts

Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

Science Olympiad

Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.

Coaching in Gifted Education

This week at #gtchat, we chatted about coaching in gifted education. Our guests were Vicki Phelps and Emily Mofield, authors of a new book on coaching. Vicki Phelps, Ed.D. is Head of School for Quest Academy, a school for gifted learners, in Palatine, IL, USA.. She has been involved in gifted education for 25 years, including teaching and leading gifted services, serving as an assistant professor, working as a gifted consultant, and serving in various capacities through NAGC. Emily Mofield, Ed.D. is an Assistant Professor in the College of Education at Lipscomb University, USA. She has over 20 years of experience in the field of gifted education as a teacher, district leader, researcher, assistant professor, consultant, and author, also serving as curriculum studies chair for NAGC.

GT coaching is an enhancement of educational coaching which helps GT teachers to build capacity to identify, serve, and teach gifted and talented students. It’s important to realize that traditional professional development may result in less than 20% implementation, whereas coaching can achieve 80% to 90% implementation in the classroom. GT coaches are co-thinking partners who guide reflection rather than give advice. They strive to develop a coach’s mindset – thinking about relationships with others and ways to help teachers achieve their goals (Phelps/Mofield).

Coaching in gifted education enhances the competence and confidence of GT teachers, contributes to the overall effectiveness of gifted education programs, and better equips teachers to create stimulating learning environments. Gifted education coaching recognizes the unique needs and abilities of GT students requiring personalized approaches to empower students to thrive academically, emotionally, and socially to become successful. It builds teacher buy-in through leveraging relationships, building efficacy through explicit demonstration of instructional methods, and linking teacher actions to student outcomes (Phelps/Mofield).

Communication is an important part of successful coaching. A good coach should be a committed listener who is willing to respond to all teachers; both those who seek out coaches and those who are resistant to coaching intervention. A GT coach should presume positive intent by how questions are asked to the use of open-ended questions as well. Additional communication skills include paraphrasing and seeking reflective feedback which asks for focus, affirms potential, and activates possibilities (Mofield/Phelps, 2023).

The GT Coaching Circuit (Mofield/Phelps, 2023) begins with Setting a Purpose – evaluating need, establishing a goal, and exploring options. The second stage is Plan and Act which provides teacher support in selecting and learning how to use a particular strategy. The final stage involves Reflection on goal attainment, the process of growth, and next steps forward.

A framework for GT coaching which builds trust at a foundational level is envisioned in TEAM (Trust, Engage other’s expertise, Align, and Maintain). Some thinking models include Dimensions of Creative Thinking (Torrance, Guilford), Depth of Knowledge (Webb), Elements of Reasoning (Paul & Elder, 2019), and Bumping Up Bloom’s Taxonomy (Mofield). Strategies to support teachers include Depth and Complexity Thinking Tools (Kaplan), Six Thinking Hats (deBono), Analysis Wheel (Stambaugh & Mofield), and Stretch Prompts (Mofield).

A transcript of this chat may be found at Wakelet.

Resources:

Coaching Tool for Classrooms Supporting Gifted Education (pdf)

Coaching in Gifted Education: Tools for Building Capacity and Catalyzing Change 1st Edition (book)

Collaboration, Coteaching, and Coaching in Gifted Education (book)

A Teacher’s Guide to Curriculum Design for Gifted and Advanced Learners (book)

Curriculum Planning and Instructional Design for Gifted Learners (book)

Gifted Guild’s Guide to Depth and Complexity (book) | Lisa Van Gemert

Developing Creativity in the Classroom Learning and Innovation for 21st-Century Schools (book) | Todd Kettler

Vertical Differentiation for Gifted, Advanced, and High-Potential Students 25 Strategies to Stretch Student Thinking (book) | Emily Mofield

Methods and Materials for Teaching the Gifted (book)

Classroom Strategies Teaching Gifted Students

Classroom Instruction and Teacher Training for Gifted Students from Diverse Populations

5 Benefits of Instructional Coaching | TCEA

The Case for Instructional Coaching Throughout a Teacher’s Career | Edutopia

Exploring Various Coaching Models in Education

How Schools Thrive: Building a Coaching Culture for Collaborative Teams in PLCs at Work (book)

David Rock’s SCARF Model: Using Neuroscience to Work Effectively With Others

Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Learning and Your Life (book, Paul & Elder)

Methods And Materials For Teaching The Gifted (book)

Creative Talents: Their Nature Uses and Development (book, Guilford)

Stretch Prompts (.pdf @MofieldEmily ) | Indiana Association for the Gifted

What Is Kaplan’s Depth And Complexity Chart?

Scamper: Creative Games and Activities for Imagination Development (book)

Cybraryman’s Instructional Coaching Page

Photos courtesy of Vicki Phelps and Emily Mofield.

Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.

Measuring Academic Growth in Gifted Students

What specific skills should be measured to determine academic growth in GT students? Primary skills should focus on 1) Thinking, 2) Self-Directed Learning, 3) Research, and 4) Communication across core content areas including math, ELA, science, and social studies (Sodergren, 2023). Additional skills to be considered include creativity, information literacy, success skills, and affective skills (MS Dept. of Education, 2017). In 2022, Missouri added complex reasoning, executive functioning, and global mindedness to skills necessary to determining growth in GT students.

Documents outlining existing guidelines that examine skills to show academic growth in GT students do exist in several states. Some of the existing guiding documents include Texas Performance Standards Project, MS Outcomes for Intellectually Gifted Programs (2017), AL Gifted Education Programs (2015), and MO Gifted Learner Outcomes (2022). State gifted organizations and departments of education can offer resources specific to students participating in district gifted programs.

What does skill progression look like for students identified as gifted and talented? First and foremost, all descriptive terms related to progression need to be accurate and specific. Expectations for academic growth should specifically relate to GT students beyond what is expected in general education standards. It’s important to delineate measurable objectives to ensure the efficacy of how skill progression should look for GT students.

Classroom teachers can use skills standards to support GT students through student learning objectives, differentiation, and as a vehicle to understanding student capabilities (Sodergren, 2023). GT specialists can use skills standards when pre-assessing and post-assessing students as well as in developing differentiated instruction. They can also use skills standards to enhance communications with district admins and parents.

Assessment tools which are currently available include diagnostic assessments (pre-tests, interviews, portfolios), summative employing above level assessments (i.e., EXPLORE tests used in Talent Searches), and criterion-referenced assessments (rubrics, benchmarks, etc.). Assessment procedures should be conducted BOY and EOY, and can be done by the student (self-assessed) and teacher (collective growth over time). Norm-referenced assessments (standardized tests, IQ tests, achievement tests) can be used to assess student performance relative to peers or to consider student potential.

A transcript of this chat may be found at Wakelet.