Analysis of an identification procedure in which teachers, counselors, and principals nominated gifted students from 168 second graders indicated that nominations were highly inaccurate when judged against a standardized test as criterion. However, some improvement occurred when a screening test was used to establish cutoff scores. (Author/CL)

Among findings of the study involving 278 contestants (seventh graders) from the 1976-77 Mathematics Talent Search conducted by the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth was that the Mathematics Usage and Natural Sciences Readings tests of the American College Test battery have adequate ceiling and floor for this group. (SBH)

An interview with the director of the Office of Gifted and Talented in the Department of Education, Harold C. Lyon, considers such topics as trends in the education of the gifted, growth in state consultants, myths concerning the gifted, and the role of parents. (CL)

The Governor's School of North Carolina (West) offers a six-week summer program designed to develop creativity in gifted high school students. (SBH)

The final part of an article on the process of identifying gifted and talented children presents data and discusses implications of the use of the Guidance Institute for Talented Students' Screening Instrument (GIFTS). (For Parts 1 and 2, see EJ 216 146 and EJ 221 686.) (PHR)

The author describes the role of minicourses, in-depth study sessions of short duration for gifted and talented students in elementary and secondary education. Examples of successful minicourses from around the U.S. are cited, and the implications for minicourses of gifted characteristics (such as curiosity, flexibility and decision making…

The author discusses the concept of leadership in general and makes suggestions for developing leaders in the area of gifted child education. (CL)

By presenting cases of prodigies who entered college as early as William James Bidis but who succeeded, this paper attempts to dissuade the public from its opposition to educational acceleration for precocious children, to which the "Sidis fallacy" has helped give rise. (Author)

Introduces Flow Theory as framework for understanding authentic engagement. The individual learner's quality of experience should be an essential criterion for judging efficacy of educational challenge. Flow Theory emphasizes that our most powerful experiences of engagement are shared; they involve us with activities matching our capabilities and…

Within a context of ambivalence and limited resources, school administrators are challenged to create conditions that enable gifted students to thrive. This article discusses how to create learning environments that stimulate talent development; illustrates how the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy created an environment that fosters deep…

Describes how the All Stars Talent Network, a youth development program, transformed a pilot donor-acquisition project into a combined site visit and evaluation that engaged youth participants, donors, and adult volunteers in a unique community-building partnership. (SLD)

A study of 358 fine arts students at three large universities indicated that 23 percent experienced synesthesia in a spontaneous and consistent manner, and 49 percent reported no such experience. Results of comparative analysis are consistent with anecdotal reports that synesthetes are often successful in artistic fields, and possess high degrees…

This study explored the relationships between creativity and cognitive skills, and the implications for arts education. High school seniors (n=65) were given a battery of psychological tests emphasizing creative thought. Results indicated significant correlations of the arts orientation with five domains of creative behavior and three cognitive…

Presented are a literature review, model, and case study for effective local program development for gifted and talented students. The model applies the research on educational change and institutional excellence to the task of developing excellent programs for gifted/talented youth in school districts of various types and sizes. (PB)

Interaction of gifted individuals with their society is explored in two different cultures, the Hopi and the dominant Anglo culture of the United States. Described are the role various societal ethos play in the careers of its gifted and how each society's treatment of its gifted affects its own ongoing development. (JDD)