This article discusses concepts related to character strengths and positive youth development and how these ideas can be applied to improve outcomes among gifted young people. A theory with roots in public health, The Theory of Triadic Influence (TTI), is discussed with examples applied to gifted populations. Practitioners and researchers from…

Assessment is a crucial component of gifted education. Not only does it facilitate the recognition of the potential and specific needs of gifted students, it also monitors the progress and growth of gifted students, and allows for the evaluation of gifted education programs. In the present review, we synthesize the literature on assessment in…

Describes the use of process-folios with students who are gifted in the visual arts, for assessing student needs, identifying advanced ability, developing specific programming, and evaluating programs. Discusses factors that should be considered to ensure accurate assessment when implementing process-folios and activities for creating the…

The digest presents an overview of program evaluation in gifted and talented education. Reasons for program evaluation are offered, including the need to base decision making on valid and reliable data and the demands of accountability. Eight purposes of program evaluation are briefly considered: (1) documentation of the need for a program; (2)…

A discussion of identification procedures and instruments used for the six talent areas of giftedness is provided. The six areas covered include general intellectual ability, specific academic aptitude, creative and productive thinking, leadership abilities, visual and performing arts, and psychomotor skills. (PHR)

The article proposes an evaluation plan for gifted and talented programs that includes effective evaluation of program objectives as well as a matrix approach to assemble evaluation data. (CL)

Guidelines for use in formative evaluation of gifted and talented programs focus on objectives, obstacles (such as using standardized tests to evaluate gifted programs), and models. Steps are listed for initiating, carrying out, and completing formative evaluation. (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)

Describes how the All Stars Talent Network, a youth development program, transformed a pilot donor-acquisition project into a combined site visit and evaluation that engaged youth participants, donors, and adult volunteers in a unique community-building partnership. (SLD)

The report describes a model used to evaluate gifted programs. The model is said to rely on three sources of data: (1) structured narrative observation (the Gifted Class Activities Observation Scale); (2) teacher interviews; and (3) pupil interviews. (Sample forms appended.) The application of theory with this procedure resulted in an evaluation…

This study attempted to identify efforts to evaluate programs for gifted and talented students in 122 Texas school districts and to compare these practices with those recommended in the literature and with Texas Education Association guidelines. Areas examined included informal and formal assessment of student and teacher identification practices,…

Describes the methodology used (focus groups, classroom observations, interviews, questionnaires, and surveys) and results of the Greenwich (Connecticut) Public Schools' external evaluation of their kindergarten through grade 8 program for gifted and talented students. Also discussed are the implementation of the findings and recommendations into…

This document considers both self-examination and external evaluation of gifted and talented education programs. Principles of the self-examination process are offered, noting similarities to external evaluation models. Principles of self-evaluation efforts include the importance of maintaining a nonjudgmental orientation, soliciting views from…

This study evaluated an exemplary project in differentiated career education for gifted students. The three-phase program utilized laboratory exploration, observation of mentors, and working internship experiences. Evaluations of each phase were conducted with students, teachers, parents, and mentors. The evaluation design and results on each…

This paper suggests methodologies and guidelines appropriate for evaluating projects in the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Program. The paper aims to help projects carry out their evaluations, assist the Javits staff in determining the success of the evaluations, and aid in long-range program planning. (JDD)