The Extent, Nature and Effectiveness of Planned Approaches in ...

Introduction to ResearchThis research is a preliminary investigation of current identification and provisions for gifted andtalented students in New Zealand. It is premised on the acknowledgement of a ‘somewhat limitedresearch’ base (Ministry of Education Working Party on Gifted Education, 2001), but driven by theneed to identify strengths and gaps in provision (Ministry of Education, 2002), so that future directionsin gifted and talented education may be informed by both theory and practice relevant to NewZealand. Hence, the outcomes should guide future initiatives in policy, practice, and research. Thisresearch is based upon the core principles of gifted and talented education as outlined in 2002 in theGovernment’s initiatives for gifted and talented learners:• Schools should aim to provide all learners with an education matched to their individuallearning needs.• Gifted and talented learners are found in every group within society.• Mäori perspectives and values must be embodied in all aspects of the education of giftedlearners.• The school environment is a powerful catalyst for the demonstration and development oftalent.• Parents, caregivers, and whänau should be given opportunities to be involved in decisionmakingregarding their children’s education.• Programmes for gifted and talented students should be based upon sound practice, taking intoaccount research and literature in the field.• Gifted and talented students should be offered a curriculum rich in depth and breadth, and at apace commensurate with their abilities.• Schools should aim to meet the specific social and emotional needs of gifted and talentedlearners.• Provision for gifted and talented students should be supported by ongoing high-quality teachereducation (p. 3).Furthermore, a preliminary investigation of the extent, nature and effectiveness of planned provisionsfor gifted and talented students should enable New Zealand educators to better meet the coreprinciples outlined by the Government, particularly those related to ‘sound practice’ and ‘on-goinghigh quality teacher education.’ The findings of the research will begin to form the basis of ourcollective understandings of provision, enabling better decision-making in the development of giftededucation programmes and the teachers who deliver those. As the Report of the Working Party onGifted Education stated, “Systematic and comprehensive evaluation is essential to judge programmeeffectiveness, respond to change and to inform subsequent planning” (2001, p. 21). Also, the Ministryof Education recognises that all teachers are teachers of the gifted and talented, in need of professionaldevelopment which equips them to cater appropriately for gifted and talented students, and which is“contextually based … to reflect current policies and practices” (2000, p. 10).Finally, the Ministry of Education recommends that in the development of school-based provision forgifted and talented students, a ‘gap analysis’ is undertaken as “a starting point, determining ‘where weare at and where we are going’” (2000, p. 9). This same principle must be applied to gifted andtalented education at a national level, better enabling New Zealand in its aim to acknowledge,recognise and celebrate the individual abilities and qualities of its most able students (Ministry ofEducation, 2002).This research was commissioned by the Ministry of Education to determine key issues in gifted andtalented education and gaps in provisions, a need which has been identified in the current Government1