The Gifted Education program focuses on the characteristics and needs of gifted children, and methods of teaching and assessment techniques appropriate for identifying them. We develop and evaluate gifted programs and services as well as analyze and contribute to research.
Ideologically, our current research and service work focuses on a broad spectrum of giftedness and talent including investigation of specialized programming for gifted students in pull-out programming, as well as more broadly developing potential giftedness and talent in students from underrepresented groups in STEM fields and Advanced Placement courses. Our work with Differentiated Instruction is founded upon the belief that learners in any setting will predictably vary in terms of readiness, learning profiles, and interests, and thus educators should proactively respond to this academic diversity in planning curriculum, establishing classroom communities, and in providing avenues for assessment. Our program actively seeks participation from students and professional colleagues from all cultures and language groups as well as international students and others interested in our work.