(EDI 640) Fundamentals of Talent Development
Syllabus of Record
Catalog Description: This course prepares students to develop their rationale for differentiation by studying the history of special provisions for talent development and contemporary approaches. It addresses both the cognitive and affective needs of students.
Offered once a year. 3 Credits
Unit Mission, Philosophy, Values:
Our Mission:
“Teaching, Leading and Learning in a Democratic Society”
The College of Education prepares candidates who enhance the individual growth of their students while working to establish policies and practices that promote the principles of democratic education. The College articulates this mission as Teaching, Leading, and
Learning in a Democratic Society.
Philosophy:
Student Potential, Ethical Implications
Believing that schools function as social and political entities as well as for the growth of individuals, the College of Education prepares teachers and leaders a) to enhance the academic and personal potential of their students b) to evaluate the social and ethical implications of educational policies and practices.
Values:
“Expertise, Equity, Liberal Education, Social Responsibility”
The College of Education values expertise to guide our practice, equity to guide our interactions, liberal education to guide our perspectives, and social responsibility to guide our commitment to democratic education. We value these ideals in our preparation of candidates, our development of faculty, and our relationships with the larger community we serve.
Unit and Program Standards:
Common Unit Standards: Michigan Department of Education (MDE), National Council for the
Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
Standards for Advanced Programs Preparing Teachers: National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards (NBPTS); Council for the Social Foundations of Education (CSFE);
College of Education Research Standards
Course Standards and Assessments:
Course Standards This course was developed based on the standards developed by
The Council for Exceptional Children Talented and Gifted Division (1989), the National
Association for Gifted Children (1998) and their combined standards adopted in 2007.
In this course students will study and apply the standards pertaining to identification, diverse populations, technology, classroom and programming options and program evaluation, affective concerns and communication with parents. Students will demonstrate their competence in these standards with position papers in which opinions are supported by research.
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Course Objectives:
NBTPS: Proposition 4: Systematic Thinking about Practices and Experiences-Draw on research and Scholarship to improve practice.
Course Assessment: Research-Based Position Paper
The common assessment for this course is to develop an individual research-based position paper on an important issue in talent development in the area of identification, programming, classroom practice, or a special topic. The paper should apply existing knowledge to the topic and should include recommendations for practice.
In addition, students will develop ways to:
1. Identify the differentiating characteristics of gifted, creative, and talented learners.
2. Evaluate the appropriateness of various program models for gifted, creative, and talented learners.
3. Apply the differentiation techniques to content, process, product, and learning
environment in instructional design to meet the talent development needs
of students representing diverse needs.
4. Analyze the dynamics of program administration, teachers' roles, and special adaptations for gifted populations.
5. Use technology to research and extend knowledge of the course content.
Note: An extensive list of recommended readings will be provided.
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