The status of goal development for gifted programs as perceived by interested groups

Authorities in the field of curriculum development recommend the establishment of goals and the inclusion of interested groups in the goal development process for educational programs at all levels. This study was an attempt to assess the status of goal development for gifted programs, particularly at the elementary level, as perceived by national leaders in gifted education; and administrators, teachers, and parents of gifted students in the state of Tennessee.

The Delphi technique, a method to obtain reliable group consensus through a series of questionnaires interspersed with controlled feedback, provided the means for gathering necessary data. A review and synthesis of the literature related to recommended goals for gifted programs yielded eleven goal statements. These were presented to a panel of experts, administrators, teachers, and parents for ranking. Four related questions pertaining to participation in the goal development process, responsibility for instructional decision-making, procedures to determine goal implementation, and a definition of giftedness, were also presented to the panel in an attempt to reach consensus.

The Delphi panel agreed that three goal statements,

to provide a learning environment which will permit and encourage the capable student to develop to his/her individual potential while interacting with intellectual peers,

to establish a climate which values and enhances intellectual ability, talent, creativity, and decision-making,

to encourage the development of and provide opportunities for using higher level thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, evaluation),

represent priority needs of the elementary gifted. In addition, the panel reached consensus that the goal development process should be a cooperative effort among interested groups, that systematic observation by trained personnel is the best procedure to determine goal implementation, and that giftedness is a multi-faceted concept including unusual awareness/perception/curiosity, extraordinary skill/talent, and advanced intelligence.