Meeting Pattern
Hybrid (Primarily Asynchronous with Synchronous Checkpoints)
Description
This course examines principles and practices of assessment in gifted and talented education with emphasis on ethical decision-making, equitable identification, and responsible interpretation of data. Participants develop conceptual understanding of reliability, validity, norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessment, universal screening, bias minimization, and twice-exceptionality. Teachers learn to interpret cognitive and achievement profiles, evaluate identification systems, monitor growth beyond grade-level expectations, and align assessment results with programming decisions.
Prerequisites: None. There are no formal prerequisites for this course; however, it is strongly recommended that students complete Introduction to Gifted Education prior to enrollment. This course has been approved by the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board and fulfills one of the required courses within the Program of Study for the North Dakota Gifted Credential. Students seeking the North Dakota Gifted Credential are advised to review all Standards and Practices requirements. The Program of Study form and application guidelines are available here.
Syllabus, Objectives, and Outcomes
Objectives:
You will:
- Explain foundational assessment concepts including reliability, validity, and norm-referenced assessment.
- Analyze how definitions of giftedness influence identification practices.
- Evaluate gifted identification systems for fairness and equity, including universal screening and local norms.
- Interpret cognitive and achievement data patterns in gifted learners, including twice-exceptional patterns.
- Recognize characteristics of twice-exceptional learners and masked giftedness.
- Use assessment data to inform instructional decisions and programming.
- Examine district-level identification and program data to identify inequities, disproportionality, and growth patterns.
- Communicate assessment findings effectively to families and colleagues.
- Articulate a professional philosophy of gifted assessment grounded in ethical practice and advocacy.
Required Student Resources:
Course resources may include journal articles, professional reports, videos, recorded webinars, and sample student data sets. All materials will be provided through the course platform.
The following texts are not required readings for this course; however, they are highly recommended for educators who plan to work in the field of gifted education. These resources represent both foundational and contemporary perspectives on gifted assessment, identification, programming, and equity. Collectively, they serve as staple references for building practical expertise and a deeper understanding of best practices in assessment.
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Registration Instructions
Online registration closes @ 5:00 p.m. on October 16, 2026.
You will receive an email when you have successfully registered. Allow 48 hrs. (2 business days) to process your registration form. You will receive an email with access information prior to course start date.