Evaluation of Gifted Programs: Current Practices

Abstract

In an effort to describe current gifted program evaluation practices, a review of articles, ERIC documents, and dissertations were supplemented by evaluation reports solicited by The National Research Center on the Gifted e) Talented at The University of Virginia from public school, private school, and professional sources. Seventy evaluation reports were received. These were coded according to ten variables dealing with evaluation design, methodology, and usefulness. Frequencies and chi squares were computed for each variable. A major concern brought out by this study is the paucity of evaluation reports/results made available to the NRC G/T. This may be due to a lack of gifted program evaluations, or to dissatisfaction with evaluation designs and results. Other concerns included lack of methodological sophistication, reporting, and utility concerns. Some promising practices were apparent in the studies reviewed. A large sub-set of the evaluations were done for program improvement and employed multiple methodologies, sources, analysis techniques, and reporting formats with utility practices that produce needed changes. In addition, most evaluations focused on a number of key areas in the gifted program rather than settling for generalized impressions about the program.