Submitted Fall, 2005
Methodology:
Each student completing the Multidimensional Identification Plan portion of the Assessment portfolio during the summer of 2005 was evaluated by the Identification Checklist in June, 2005. Program Objective #3 was being evaluated:
- Students will demonstrate the ability to select and apply a combination of standardized and informal methods of assessment to identify gifted learners.
Students were required to develop a multidimensional method of screening, identifying, and placing gifted students for services that were equitable and inclusive. This assignment was a class syllabus requirement for all graduate students in the endorsement class TESE 824 Identification, Assessment, and Evaluation for Gifted/Talented Education
Results:
| Descriptor |
Unacceptable |
Acceptable |
Commendable |
| Demonstrate understanding of equitable and inclusive identification strategies |
2 incomplete |
1 |
3 |
Conclusions:
- This was a complex task and required a radical paradigm shift from the students, so I am extremely pleased with the results: All students who were graded completed this assignment at more than an acceptable level.
- The Assessment Portfolio which subsumed this project contained all work except quizzes and discussions for the short 4-week summer session and could not be fully complete until the end of class. Two class members had unavoidable time conflicts at the end of the course meetings and I agreed to the incompletes.
Use of Results:
- While these are desirable results, I still need to find effective teaching methods to make the paradigm shift easier and hopefully will ensure a strong enough belief system that they will withstand peer pressure to use a single test score for program inclusion.
- I also need to require some of the portfolio components to be submitted when they come to campus during the third week of class so they have a manageable amount to complete at the end, thus reducing the need for an incomplete even during the short summer session.