Goals for Gifted Programs: Perceptions of Interested Groups

Abstract

This study assessed the status of goat development for elementary school gifted programs as perceived by national leaders in gifted education, administrators, teachers, and parents of gifted students. Opinion was sought using the Delphi technique, a method for obtaining reliable group consensus through a series of questionnaires interspersed with controlled feedback. The Delphi panel, consisting of 36 respondents, reached consensus for three goal statements from among 11 goals presented for consideration as appropriate for elementary school programs for the gifted: to provide a learning environment that will permit and encourage the capable student to develop to his/her individual potential while interacting with intellectual peers; to establish a climate that 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, evaiuation).