Sidney M. Moon
Purdue University

The Indiana Association for The Gifted (IAG) is currently sponsoring a new initiative—the creation of a statewide model for research that would complement existing statewide models for training and service sponsored by the Indiana Department of Education.

In January, 1990, Sidney Moon was appointed the first Chair for Research on the executive board of the Indiana Association for the Gifted. Sidney was asked to form a committee that would encourage research on the nature and nurture of gifted children that would be relevant to the needs of practitioners — research in the schools, action research, research into the special needs and characteristics of highly gifted students, research that will help parents understand and guide their gifted children.

In the spring of 1990, the IAG Research Committee developed the following vision statement, purpose statement, and goals:

Vision Statement
One of the goals of the Indiana Association for the Gifted is:

 
The Indiana Association for the Gifted (IAG) believes that educational progress for gifted/talented students is contingent upon the effective blending of research, theory, and practice. The IAG Research Committee will encourage excellence in research by and for practitioners and will model statewide coordination of cooperative research efforts.

Purpose Statement
The IAG Research Committee will develop a model for bridging research, theory, and practice in gifted/talented education at the state level.

Goals

1. To encourage research into the nature and nurture of gifted/talented children in the state of Indiana
2. To encourage the dissemination of research information
3. To develop linkages among researchers, educators, counselors, and parents of gifted/talented children
4. To facilitate training of educators, counselors, parents, and students in the interpretation and application of the research literature on the nature and nurture of gifted/talented youth
5. To promote increased funding for research on the gifted and talented in the state of Indiana

Next, the Committee wrote measurable, pragmatic, one-year objectives for 1990-91. These objectives are listed below in order of priority.

Objectives for 1990-91

1. To develop a three year plan for accomplishing the goals of the IAG research committee
2. To sponsor regular columns in IMAGES and IDE’s GT newsletter
3. To develop a research strand for the 1991 annual IAG convention
4. To create a linkage between the IAG Research Committee and the IAG Coordinator’s Network
5. To develop guidelines for an IAG research award and introduce the new award at the convention
6. To explore the possibility of creating an IAG research foundation
7. To initiate planning for a mini-grant program with the aid of a special projects grant from IDE

Readers interested in developing a similar initiative in other states can call or write Sidney for more information:
Dr. Sidney M. Moon
Purdue University
Department of Child Development and Family Studies
MFT Building
523 Russell Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Office phone: (317) 494-8448

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