Including opportunities for students to conduct independent investigations is a mainstay of gifted education programs and services. When carefully designed and skillfully facilitated, students' interest-based, independent study experiences result in increased intrinsic motivation, growth in 21st-century critical and creativity skills, greater…

Guidelines are offered for facilitating independent or small group investigations by gifted and talented students. Steps include exploring student interest, developing the chosen topic, using the management plan, implementing and monitoring the project, and helping students with evaluation. (CL)

Teachers may choose from one of three options in completing an individualized project as part of inservice mainstreaming training: (1) product completion, (2) creation of instructional practices/procedures, and (3) planning and conducting an inservice session. Sample summaries of each type are included. (CL)

The final report discusses objectives and achievements of a career education program designed to develop a self instruction module for special and regular educators concerning career education for exceptional students in grades K through 12. It is explained that a kit, which included a self instructional manual, filmstrip, cassette, and…

The first report details the computer education plans of the school district in Palo Alto (California), where the use of the computer is part of normal school activities in grades K-6, all seventh grade students participate in a computer awareness unit, and students in grades 9-12 are encouraged to enroll for one quarter in a computer studies…

The Learning Exchange System, or Learnxs, was created in Toronto in 1973 as a three-year demonstration project concerned with the use of informal community-based learning resources for individual and group learning. The system produced a detailed directory of organizations, places, and individuals which could offer learning experiences. (JN)

This paper presents an argument for self-study of teacher education practices as a means-and-ends tool for promoting reflective teaching. The assertion is that self-study serves a dual purpose: as a means to promote reflective teaching and as a substantive end of teacher education. The argument consists of a five-part theoretical rationale for the…

Operating on the premise that teachers who continue to learn make more effective instructors, this book describes several strategies and approaches for continued teacher development. Activities such as coaching or advising each other, attending institutes, learning and putting into practice new teaching techniques or strategies, or conducting…

This paper reviews the current status of gifted education in South Africa and makes recommendations for improvements. Characteristics of the gifted and procedures for identifying gifted children are described, emphasizing the importance of identifying the gifted as early as possible. Provisions for differentiated gifted education, as currently…

Intended as a resource for developing individualized education programs (IEPs) for gifted students, the manual lists annual goals and terminal behaviors for cognitive and affective development. Goals and behaviors coded to expedite the IEP process are set forth for four cognitive areas (subtopics in parentheses): independent study (research,…

This article describes a federally supported program of the American Federation of the Blind, which has developed training materials for individuals working with students who are deaf-blind. The article offers a rationale for the program; notes critical shortages of qualified teachers; discusses materials development; and reviews the program's…

The self instructional manual is designed to assist regular and special educators in providing meaningful and appropriate career education experiences for exceptional students. Section 1, "Fundamentals of Career Education," provides an overview of the concept of career education, its theoretical foundations, definitions, differences in terms of…

Literature on the goals, barriers, and trends in inservice education is reviewed here, and criteria for development of an inservice program as well as a checklist of possible activities are provided. Specific activities outlined are: courses; workshops; conferences; exchanges and secondments; comparative educational tours; study leave and study…

This manual is designed to supply the information needed to enable schools, school districts, county offices of education, trainers of educators, and others to offer the independent study instructional strategy to students at all grade levels through high school. It contains the California state guidelines and legal requirements for independent…

Presented is a review of literature and research on identification, personality and educational needs, and effective programing for gifted children. Among the topics discussed are the difficulties of defining giftedness operationally, pros and cons with regard to using intelligence tests and informal teacher assessment to identify the gifted,…