Data of item responses to the Impossible Figures Task (IFT) from 492 Chinese primary, secondary, and university students were analyzed using the dichotomous Rasch measurement model. Item difficulty estimates and person ability estimates located on the same logit scale revealed that the pooled sample of Chinese students, who were relatively highly…

The Philippine Thematic Apperception Test was administered to 22 intellectually superior Filipino children aged 4 to 9 years from private and public school settings as a means to explore their socio-emotional concerns. A grounded analysis of their narratives revealed the following themes: (a) importance of family relationships, (b) perceptions on…

Gifted and talented students who also have a specific learning disability (SLD) are typically referred to as twice-exceptional and are among the most underserved students in our schools. Previous special education laws promoted a wait-to-fail approach; therefore, gifted students with SLD often were overlooked because their average academic…

A nine point checklist is provided as a guide to critically evaluating research reports. The checklist includes questions on these components: soundness of theory base, statement of the problem, definition of the variables, description of the population, type of research design, reliability and validity of test instruments, consistency of results…

The author suggests that, although measuring creativity is a challenge, it is not impossible. Measures of the creative process are available, such as the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. (CL)

An evaluation process and model are described for formative evaluation of gifted programs. The model incorporates two approaches: process-oriented evaluation which defines essential program components and standards of acceptance and outcome-oriented evaluation which assesses components via student outcomes. (CL)

Protocol analysis techniques, in which subjects are taught to think aloud, can provide information on the mental operations used by gifted learners. Concerns over the use of such data are described and new directions for the technique are proposed. (CL)

Two evaluation design issues in gifted education are examined as they relate to outcome evaluations: selection of comparison groups and manipulation and control of variables. Alternative approaches are suggested for each aspect. (CL)

Six issues in the evaluation of gifted programs are considered: the purpose of evaluation, difficulties in defining student objectives in behavioral terms, potentially unrealistic and inappropriate expectations for the program, lack of valid measurement instruments, and lack of appropriate evaluation designs. (CL)

The article examines problems associated with the design of identification studies and suggests three alternative designs: performance criteria in academic mastery in a domain specific area, creative productivity in domain specific or interdisciplinary areas, and long-range creative productivity. (CL)

Ethnographic qualitative assessment methods can be used to evaluate gifted programs. Noted are the use of multiple tools in fieldwork, allowing an extended time span, the research as the research instrument, ethnographics research cycle, and use of both macro and micro approaches to the evaluation product. (Author/CB)

This article reviews recent research on assessment techniques for divergent thinking and examines their predictive validity. Techniques include those using either lenient or stringent solution standards, those assessing total idea output, and those involving qualitative aspects of ideation. Special considerations for the creativity of gifted…

This article highlights the Talent Profile, a cumulative record that describes and visually synthesizes students' outstanding achievements from K-12 in any valued field of human activity in which children and adolescents are active. The profile highlights individual differences and offers a range of expectations/benchmarks for the high-end…

This research focuses on problems involved in identifying children who are both gifted and learning disabled (GLD). The state of the art is demonstrated by surveying procedures in use in Texas by special education and gifted programs. Results yield characteristics of GLD children that are consistent with observations in the literature. (Author/PB)

This interview with Howard Spicker discusses his early leadership in the Head Start programs of the mid-1960s, his establishment of the Indiana University College for Gifted and Talented Youth, and his development of alternative procedures, instrumentation, and programs for gifted students from special populations. His work on Project SPRING is…