The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented is engaged in a “new brand” of educational research and dissemination with the needs of the practitioners guiding the studies. The multi-site, single year and longitudinal research studies are possible because of the cooperation of Collaborative School Districts. The Collaborative School Districts are the sites where the research will be conducted. Additional school districts may become involved in present or future research studies. The specific responsibilities of Collaborative School Districts follow:

1. To serve as locations at which research data can be gathered.
2. To provide co-investigators who will participate in the design of research studies and who will serve as on-site managers of individual research projects.
3. To provide locations where visitations can be arranged to observe successful practices in operation, to participate in the preparation of consumer-oriented guidebooks and video training tapes, and to provide technical assistance to the school districts that express interest in replicating successful practices.
4. To assist in the documentation of biographical information about subjects so that contacts can be maintained for longitudinal follow-up studies.
5. To participate in the overall process of evaluating the effectiveness of the Center.

The Collaborative School Districts will be involved in state-of-the-art research studies emanating from the perceived needs of practitioners and research scholars. The type of and extent of involvement will vary from study to study. Collaborative School

Districts will benefit from the opportunity to:

1. Receive announcements of materials and staff development opportunities for teachers and students;
2. Participate in experimental curriculum;
3. Network with other school districts throughout the country;
4. Access an electronic bulletin board on the latest research information in the field;
5. Receive copies of the NRC/GT newsletter summarizing the latest research activities;
6. Provide guidance and direction for the establishment of state and national policies for gifted and talented education;
7. Receive copies of all products produced by the Center on a cost-recovery basis; and,
8. Access national databases for research purposes.

Some studies evaluate program outcomes, others experiment with different teaching techniques, and still others involve an assessment of classroom practices. Whatever the extent of involvement in a study, districts are making a contribution to the future directions of the field. As of March 1991, there are over 260 districts, representing 45 states and 1 territory, that have agreed to participate in the Center’s activities. We would like to have every state and territory involved with some aspect of our work over the next four years. If you know of a contact in a school district from one of the following states or territories, please contact us: Delaware, North Dakota, New Mexico, South Dakota, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Trust Territory.

 

Back to Newsletter Articles Page