Science Education for Gifted and Talented Children
Joyce VanTassel-Baska
This is a time of great concern about the continuation and continuity of programs for gifted and
talented children (herein, gifted) in many parts of the United States. It is relatively uncommon to
find pull-out science programs at the elementary level and also somewhat rare to find separate
science programs for gifted children in middle schools. So perhaps it is appropriate to focus on
how gifted children participate and learn in mixed-ability science classrooms.
What Should a Science Curriculum for Gifted Students Include?
Researchers at the Center for Gifted Education at The College of William and Mary have spent
the past six years identifying elements of appropriate science curriculum and instruction for
gifted children and melding those elements to the template of science curriculum reform for all
children. Consequently, the elements essential to the education of gifted children apply to other
children as well. The most important elements are described below.
An Emphasis on Teaching Concepts
By restructuring the science curriculum to emphasize those ideas deemed most appropriate for
children to know and grounded in the view of practicing scientists, teachers allow children to
learn at deeper levels the fundamental ideas central to understanding and doing science in the real
world. Concepts such as systems, change, reductionism, and scale all provide an important
scaffold for learning about the core ideas of science. These core ideas do not change, but their
specific applications do.
An Emphasis on Higher-Level Thinking
Just as children need to learn about important science concepts, they also need to manipulate
those concepts in complex ways. Having children analyze the relationship between a real-world
problem, such as an acid spill on the highway, and its implications for understanding science and
for seeing its relationship to society provides children with opportunities to think critically and
creatively. Such an emphasis is crucial in a science curriculum that claims to be engaging
children in "minds-on" experiences.
An Emphasis on Inquiry Approaches, Especially Problem-Based Learning
The more that children can construct an understanding of science for themselves, the better able
they will be to employ appropriate scientific processes when they encounter new situations.
Through guided questions by the teacher, through collaborative dialog and discussion with peers,
and through individual exploration of key questions, children can grow in the development of the
valuable habits of mind--such as skepticism, objectivity, and curiosity--found among scientists
(VanTassel-Baska, Gallagher, Bailey, and Sher, 1993).
An Emphasis on the Use of Technology as a Teaching Tool
The use of technology to teach science offers children some exciting opportunities to connect
with real-world problems. Access to the world of scientific papers through CD-ROM databases
offers new avenues for exploration. Moreover, the Internet provides teachers with access to
well-constructed units of study in science as well as ideas for teaching key concepts. In addition,
e-mail allows children to communicate directly with scientists and students around the world
regarding questions related to their research projects.
An Emphasis on Teaching the Scientific Method and Using Experiments
Many children know very little about experimental design and its related processes. Typically,
basal science texts offer "canned" experiments in which children follow steps that lead to a
preordained conclusion. Rarely are children encouraged to read and discuss a particular topic of
interest, come up with a problem related to the topic of interest, or follow through in a reiterative
fashion with appropriate procedures, further discussion, reanalysis of the problem, or
communication of findings.
What Can Teachers Do To Make These Reform Efforts Successful?
While the inclusion of the elements cited above will go a long way toward enhancing science
education in U.S. schools, especially for gifted students, it is folly to think that these major
emphases can be effected without the appropriate support structures in place to nurture them. To
ensure that science reform has a chance to succeed, administrators, teachers, and parents need to
consider a variety of resource tools. Some of these are described below.
Select Modular Materials Rather Than Basal Texts
Excellent science materials designed to promote the curriculum elements previously described
are now available (Johnson, Boyce, and VanTassel-Baska, 1995). However, districts must be
willing to use these materials rather than insisting on the purchase of basals, which do little to
promote the desired kind of science learning. Moreover, excellent supplementary materials, also
attuned to science reform, are available to augment any school science program.
Train Teachers in Content-Based Pedagogy
Research suggests that to improve teaching and focus on learning, teachers need help in teaching
for understanding (Cohen, McLaughlin, and Talbert, 1993). Teacher training programs can
provide the necessary help by emphasizing classroom strategies and instructional approaches in
the context of content, rather than separate from it. One good way to ensure the integration of
content and pedagogy is to use high-quality materials as the basis for teacher training sessions.
Monitor Curriculum
No matter what new emphasis schools wish to implement, they need to ensure that it is
implemented faithfully. Research on staff development and effective instruction demonstrates the
need for systematic followup procedures to ensure teacher action (Guskey, 1996; Showers, Joyce,
and Bennett, 1987). Whether such monitoring occurs through peers, administrators, or
curriculum specialists is not as important as the fact that it does take place.
Conclusion
An appropriate science curriculum for gifted children emphasizes some elements at the expense
of others. It focuses on a few concepts that are taught deeply and well. It concentrates on the
real-world act of doing science. It incorporates technology as a resource. It makes the experience
in science classrooms learner centered and dynamic. If the education community can accomplish
such an integrated set of goals, children will be far more likely to function at higher levels of
scientific literacy than is currently the case.
References
Cohen, D., M. McLaughlin, and J. Talbert. 1993. Teaching for Understanding. San Francisco:
Jossey Bass.
Guskey, T. R. 1996. "Exploring the Relationship Between Staff Development and Student
Learning." Journal of Staff Development 17 (4): 34-38.
Johnson, D., L. Boyce, and J. VanTassel-Baska. 1995. "Evaluating Curriculum Materials in
Science." Gifted Child Quarterly 89 (1): 35-43.
Showers, B., B. Joyce, and B. Bennett. 1987. "Synthesis of Research on Staff Development: A
Framework for Future Study and State of the Art Analysis." Educational Leadership 45 (3):
77-87.
VanTassel-Baska, J., S. Gallagher, J. Bailey, and B. Sher. 1993. "Scientific Experimentation."
Gifted Child Today 16 (5): 42-46.
Resources
The Center for Gifted Education at The College of William and Mary offers a catalog of math
and science publications, including seven curriculum units containing different real-world
situations and a related guide to curriculum use. Visit the center online at
http://www.wm.edu/education/gifted.html.
| Joyce VanTassel-Baska is Director of the Center for Gifted Education at The College of William
and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. She is the Jody and Layton Smith Professor in the School of Education at the college.
|
 Mathematics Education for Gifted and Talented Children
 Table of Contents
 Addressing the Needs of English-Language Learners in Science and Math Classrooms
This page was updated on Fri Nov 2 19:14:41 GMT 2001
| 
