Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications and Presentations

What Does it Mean to Assess Gifted Students’ Perceptions of Giftedness Labels?

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-2017

Abstract

Measuring gifted and talented (GT) students’ perceptions of their GT label might seem to be a relatively straightforward affair. Most of this research uses survey methods that ask GT students to complete Likert scale or open-ended response questionnaires about their perceptions of the label and then presents results in clear and quantifiable terms, such as “X % of students hold positive perceptions of the GT label.” However, our qualitative study of GT students in two middle school social studies classrooms presents findings that not only trouble, but prompt questions about simple proclamations regarding GT students’ perceptions of the GT label. What we found was that given the opportunity to share their thoughts at length, this group of GT students expressed a range of often contradictory perceptions about their GT label. Students expressed multiple interpretations and perceptions of the GT label, as well as both embraced the label and rejected the label.

Comments

https://rdcu.be/d5Ly7

Publication Title

Interchange

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-016-9281-y

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