Program Overview

EDGI500 - Gifted Learning in the Classroom

Unit Rationale, Description, and Aim

This unit is one of a suite of four units based on the latest research evidence around how gifted students learn and the most appropriate educational provision for talent development. The unit provides primary and secondary teachers with the knowledge necessary to understand the unique learning profiles of high-ability and gifted students, including twice-exceptional students, gifted indigenous learners, and other cross-cultural gifted learners. The aim of the unit is to provide teachers with the ability to recognize and identify students who have gifted learning profiles.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this unit, students will be able to:

• Critically analyze, evaluate, and explain the various models of gifted learning and talent development.
• Explain the multiple different forms of high ability knowing and learning and gifted learning profiles of gifted students in the classroom.
• Use a systematic and appropriate set of procedures to identify students who achieve high-level and talented outcomes.
• Evaluate the efficacy of procedures intended to identify talented learning outcomes and gifted learning profiles.

Unit Content

Topics will include:

• Characteristics of knowing and learning/thinking patterns that lead to high-level and talented outcomes.
• The concept of twice-exceptional learning and typical learning profiles of gifted students with a second exceptionality.
• Identifying students who display high-level outcomes and students who display gifted learning profiles.
• A personal theory of gifted learning and talent development in the classroom.

Assessment Strategy and Rationale

The assessment tasks allow participants to demonstrate achievement against the unit learning outcomes by demonstrating academic and professional standards. The assessments focus on applying content knowledge and skills to the identification of the multiple forms of giftedness and talent.

Overview of Assessments

• Assessment Task 1: Written Paper-Essay: Analyze contemporary theories of gifted learning and talent development in the classroom and the identification of multiple types of gifted learning profiles. (Weighting: 50%)
• Assessment Task 2: Written Paper-Essay: Describe a research-validated protocol for identifying gifted learning ability and talented outcomes. (Weighting: 50%)

Learning and Teaching Strategy and Rationale

The unit will be delivered via a flexible mode based on sound principles of adult learning, synthesizing both asynchronous and face-to-face teaching in a flipped learning and teaching format.

Representative Texts and References

• Barkatsas, T. (Ed.). (2023). Educating gifted, talented, creative and dissimilar learners: Imagining the future.
• Callahan, C.M., & Hertberg-Davis, H.L. (Eds.). (2017). Fundamentals of gifted education: Considering multiple perspectives.
• Johnsen, S.K. (Ed.). (2018). Identifying Gifted Students: A Practical Guide.
• Johnsen, S.K., & VanTassel-Baska, J. (Eds.). (2022). Handbook on Assessments for Gifted Learners: Identification, Learning Progress, and Evaluation.
• Olszewski-Kubillus, P., Subotnik, R.F., & Worrell, F.C. (2018). Talent Development as a Framework for Gifted Education: Implications for Best Practices and Applications in Schools.
• Plucker, J., & Callahan, C. (Eds.). (2020). Critical Issues and Practices in Gifted Education: A Survey of Current Research on Giftedness and Talent Development.
• Rimm, S. B., Siegle, D. & Davis, G. A. (2018). Education of the gifted and talented.
• Sternberg, R. J., Ambrose, D., & Karami, S. (Eds.). (2022). The Palgrave handbook of transformational giftedness for education.
• VanTassel-Baska, J. (Ed.). (2022). Talent development in gifted education theory, research, and practice.

Locations

• Online

Credit Points

10

Year

2026