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Posted By Developing Talent: Building on Student Motivation in a Rural Band Program and Beyond,
Monday, September 25, 2023
Updated: Saturday, September 23, 2023
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As a band director, when I suggested to a new band student that playing the same instrument as his sister was a bad idea, my advice was overruled by the head director, my husband. When I taught Eduardo in his Kindergarten music class, he showed no signs of being a brilliant musician, but in sixth grade, he successfully made a sound on each band instrument he tried. Then, in the brass class he began to master the fundamentals of the French horn faster than any other 6th grader we ever started. He began to meet with me after school one or two times a week. Bored with the short, simple lines in the beginner book, he became driven to learn the scales he would need for All-region Tryouts for the next two years. He eagerly mastered those, and toward the end of that year, he began working on the scales for high school. His goal was to play his scales on the French horn faster than I could play them on the flute. He became one of the few students to make the state’s Small School All-State band all four years of high school. We lent him books with études, solos, books about famous horn players, and recordings of well known pieces featuring the horn. We continued to work together even after my family moved from the rural town to the big city, with Eduardo calling me on his cell phone for a quick lesson when he needed help. Eduardo earned a scholarship to the state university where he double-majored in horn performance and accounting. He also commuted to a nearby metropolitan area to take lessons from a top horn professor. Eduardo and his older sisters were first-generation college students. Their father immigrated to the US from Mexico and worked in agriculture. He taught his children the value of hard work. Eduardo later received a fellowship at Yale for his master’s degree, then finished his music studies with a doctorate in music. He now prepares for future auditions while working as an accountant. He is also saving money to buy another horn.
Eduardo is an excellent example of Joseph Renzulli’s three-ring model of giftedness, with his combination of above average ability, creativity, and task commitment. Of these three, his most exceptional trait was the motivation he displayed in middle school for his chosen instrument. Looking back, I’ve come to realize that motivation is embedded deep within a student. Motivation cannot be taught but must be nurtured, and the teacher needs to provide the tools and opportunities the student needs to be successful in the years ahead. I somehow made the correct steps with Eduardo, encouraging him to improve as a musician with practice. He loved playing music, and I fed his passion with instruction in technique. There were two other students in Eduardo’s grade who also had unusual musical ability. They also stayed after school for lessons, but they lacked his desire. To truly develop talent, the student must have all three: ability, creativity, and persistence.
The task for teachers begins with recognizing an emerging talent potential. Talent is not limited to the fine arts. Young mathematicians love solving difficult problems and can compute many of the steps mentally. They may carry around books of math-based brain teasers or like to draw geometrical figures with letters identifying angles or line segments. Instructing them in advanced operations is the next logical step. Students who enjoy writing stories may have notebooks full of papers or computer files filled with story ideas or scenes. There are many directions the teacher can guide the student, such as helping to make the connection between reading and being an author, modeling on the work of favorite writers, and exploring new works by excellent writers. A potential scientist may question everything and follow up why questions with extensive, teacher-guided investigations and participation in science fairs and weekend science camps.
These talented students may see working on their talents as fun, and that becomes an opening for a teacher. With a little guidance, students can see what is possible even as a basis for a future career. I have learned from my experience with Eduardo to be open to the possibilities students may present in doing something they love, and discovering the passions of their students. Identifying students who score at the upper end of special tests is still typical in gifted education, but using models of talent development that also recognize the element of motivation opens doors to other students who may not score as high on a test, but will grow their potential into lifetime accomplishments with the help of a teacher, whether in music, math, writing, science, or any other subject of their chosen, intense interest.
Deborah Edmondson is an experienced educator in Music and Social Studies. She is working on a PhD in Educational Psychology with emphasis in Gifted and Talented at the University of North Texas. She also teaches U. S. History and AP World History at Anna High School just outside of the Dallas Metroplex. She has had the pleasure of working with gifted children who are highly intelligent or greatly talented, including her grown children. She still plays her flute in a local flute ensemble.
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Arts
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Posted By Special Populations Network,
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
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The nomination deadline has been extended for the Special Populations Network Awards! Nominate deserving individuals for the Dr. Marcia L. Gentry Early Career Award and the Dr. Alexinia Baldwin Gifted & [Special Population] Award.
For more information:
Nominations are due September 30.
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Awards
Network
Special Populations
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Posted By Jeff Danielian,
Thursday, August 31, 2023
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“Well the first days are the hardest days, don’t you worry anymore.” - Robert Hunter
The start of the school year can bring about feelings of exhaustion, apprehension, confusion, and difficulty for teachers and their students. I know for me the first two weeks of school always prove to be the hardest to get through, and in truth, each year feels like starting over again. Apart from not knowing the names of the students sitting before me, I’m unaware of what their interests are, how they like to learn, what their work ethic is, what talents they have, knowledge they possess, and how they like to express that understanding. Additionally, I am aware that they come to me from a variety of backgrounds, situations, and experiences. Apart from instruction and skill development, they will need individualized attention when it comes to their affective needs.
Throughout the years I have come to realize that each year is like beginning anew. The material and overall theme of each unit of instruction does seem familiar, however, the experience for those seated before me is always different. Questions dictate discussion. Preferences and attitudes determine group dynamics. Levels of knowledge demonstrate competency and as students become comfortable with the material, the information uncovered and creative problem solving is often unique in nature. Each day becomes full of excitement and challenge. Curricular responsibilities, faculty meetings, and a host of other back to school tasks can often cloud up the first and most important order of business in any educational environment, getting to know who the students are. Many readers can relate to this annual ebb and flow of the educational profession, but there are others who will step into a classroom for the very first time, and despite what plans lie ahead, you should know who is seated before you.
I begin each year by issuing interest-a-lyzers, brief questionnaires intended to have the students reflect upon their own passions and interests, and in turn, allow their teacher to learn about them in an informal manner. You can read about this helpful method of questioning by visiting https://nrcgt.uconn.edu/underachievement_study/curriculum-compacting/cc_section11/ and access samples of these and other instruments here.
Even though interest surveys have always worked very well I decided to do something different to start the year, and I would like to pass along the idea to you. I call the assignment The NPR Interview, as it presents a simulated interview conducted by a host of one of the National Public Radio’s shows. I have shared the template document at the end of this column but first let us look at the basics.
I like to preface the lesson with time spent listening to an NPR podcast. There are a great variety of programs to listen to and by downloading a transcript of the interview you can offer students a chance to see the text of the chosen program, which comes in handy when they begin to answer the mock questions on the template transcript used in class. You can access the NPR Podcast Directory by clicking here.
Simply click on one to listen and use the transcript link to access the pdf. Once the students have listened to a podcast and viewed a transcript, they are ready to start their own interest interview form. It is easy to create. I construct a series of open-ended and follow-up questions asked by the host of the program. Each question is followed by a series of blank lines intended for the student to write in their responses. Think advanced Mad-Libs.
Never have I received such insight into my student’s interests, motivations, and passions. And, as I did not have the time to sit and conduct a lengthy interview with each and every student, this method provided me with a wealth of information all at once. I was even able to infuse some instruction about the skills related to interviewing during the introduction of the lesson.
Once completed, finished forms are collected and read, with suggestions and feedback offered individually. You could also utilize Google Forms to create an online system for responses. This provides responses in an easy to use and sort excel sheet. Click here for my new podcast template, which uses the show Fresh Air with Terry Gross as a vehicle for interest exploration.
I have come to realize that by using an interest form such as the mock interview, one can assure a great start to the school year, with an enthusiastic outlook for both the teacher and the student, who will, at the very least, feel understood.
Have a great start to the school year!
--Jeff
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Posted By Meagan Roloff,
Friday, July 28, 2023
Updated: Friday, July 28, 2023
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This past May, all NAGC members were invited to participate in the Member Needs Assessment. This assessment was as chance for members to let NAGC leaders and staff know what we're doing well and where we can improve. About 14% of all NAGC members (370 of you) shared your valuable feedback with us.
What We're Doing Well
You shared that NAGC membership is a satisfying experience overall. In particular, you value the publications that are included with your membership - Gifted Child Quarterly, Teaching for High Potential, and Parenting for High Potential. You also valued many of the NAGC programs and resources that are available to both members and non-members. It was no surprise that the Annual Convention was at the top of the list, but the PreK-Grade 12 Gifted Programming Standards and State of the States in Gifted Education Report were also important to you.
The chart above shows how members responded to questions about their relationship with NAGC. We're proud so many of you feel knowledgeable about what NAGC does for the field of gifted education but we have some work to do to help you feel a personal connection to NAGC and understand what NAGC does directly for you.
Where We Can Do Better
You shared that NAGC Engage can be difficult to access and hard to navigate once you are on the platform. You also shared that you were not sure how to join Networks and Special Interest Groups or how to control the number and frequency of emails you receive through Engage. You shared that it would be helpful to connect with the entire NAGC membership in space.
Aside from NAGC Engage, you said you miss some resources from the old website that were not moved over. You also shared concerns about the costs of NAGC programs. Finally, you emphasized the importance of maintaining focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion for both NAGC members and students in gifted education programs.
What You Can Expect from Us
- We will create how-to guides for NAGC Engage to help members use the platform to connect with peers.
- We will explore options to enhance NAGC Engage functionality and user-friendliness.
- We will continue reviewing and transferring resources from the old website to ensure you have access to the updated resources you need. In addition, some older resources are already being considered for revision.
- We will continue providing quality professional development at a variety of price points.
- We will explore options to enhance the value of NAGC offerings and make them accessible to a broad audience.
- We will continue to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion as outlined in the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan.
Meet Jan Morris
 Everyone who took the survey was entered into a raffle for a free registration to NAGC23. Congratulations to our winner - Jan Morris!
Jan shared:
I teach Math, STEM, and Language Arts to advanced gifted and neuro diverse students in the Topsfield Advanced Academics Program (TAAP) which serves grades 4-6 at the Proctor School, Topsfield, Massachusetts, part of the Tri Town School Union.
I completed the survey because I appreciate that NAGC is always trying to find ways to best connect educators. Massachusetts does not mandate gifted education, so my lifeline to what is happening to support these amazing students and their families comes from NAGC.
I am looking forward to attending the conference and having conversations with other educations across the country. Networking and connecting with others will inspire and lead me to be the best advocate for my students. Thank you for this opportunity!
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Posted By Administration,
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
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The NAGC Research & Evaluation Network is holding their Graduate Student Research Gala, to be held during the 2023 NAGC Convention in Walt Disney World, FL. The Research Gala provides an opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students to receive valuable feedback on their research, network with experts in the field of gifted
education, and showcase their research. Click here for Gala guidelines, rubrics, and a submission link.
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Posted By Meagan Roloff,
Thursday, June 15, 2023
Updated: Thursday, June 15, 2023
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It was another excellent election cycle at NAGC, and the results are in. Drum roll, please!
With an overwhelming number of outstanding candidates, it proved the Election Committee had their work cut out for them. With a strong pool of candidates, it was impressive to have brought forth a fantastic ballot of passionate and qualified professionals for the members to vote for.
We know it's not the Presidential Elections. Still, to the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) and its members, it's just as important because our election of Board of Directors and Network Chair-Elects are member leaders who will help the organization and the membership move forward by working together on initiatives to address the pressing issues faced by gifted and talented children, their families, and the field of gifted and talented education.
Having so many qualified submissions, the review process was no easy feat. Jonathan Plucker, Elections Committee Chair, thanks the committee members for their time and diligent effort in developing a strong slate of candidates for the 2023 election.
Please join us in welcoming NAGC's newest Board of Directors and Network Chair-Elects whose term will begin September 1, 2023
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Catherine Little, Ph.D.
Professor, University of Connecticut, Neag School of Education
AT-LARGE MEMBER
D. Betsy McCoach, Ph.D.
Professor, University of Connecticut, Department of Educational Psychology
Dornswalo Wilkins-McCorey, Ph.D.
Teaching and Learning Coordinator, Virginia Beach City Public Schools
SCHOOL/DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE
April Wells
Gifted Coordinator, School District U-46
NETWORK REPRESENTATIVE
Antonia Szymanski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Gifted Studies, Western Kentucky University
COMPUTER & TECHNOLOGY CHAIR-ELECT
Philip Cottone
Gifted Manager, Florida Virtual School
CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATION CHAIR-ELECT
Joyce Miller
Team Lead for Gifted Education, Texas A&M University
CURRICULUM STUDIES CHAIR-ELECT
Jessica Potts, Ph.D.
Curriculum Coordinator and Humanities Teacher, Davidson Academy Online
GIFTED COORDINATOR CHAIR-ELECT
Michelle DuBois, Ed.D.
Gifted and Talented District Coordinator, Boulder Valley School District
PARENT, FAMILY & COMMUNITY CHAIR-ELECT
Kali Fedor, D.Ed.
Associate Professor, Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CHAIR-ELECT
Elizabeth Warner, M.Ed.
Gifted Program Mentor, Paradise Valley Unified School
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CHAIR-ELECT
Megan Parker Peters, Ph.D.
Associate Dean & Professor, Lipscomb University
SPECIAL POPULATIONS CHAIR-ELECT
Karen Arnstein, Ed.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Purdue University
STEM CHAIR-ELECT
Monica Meadows, Ed.D.
Research Associate, Jodie Mahony Center for Gifted Education, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
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Posted By Lauri Kirsch, Ed.D., Shelagh Gallagher, Ph.D., & John Segota, MPS, CAE,
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
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Update: June 7, 2023
NAGC is working with Disney and the NAGC23 Host Committee on steps and accommodations to create a safe and welcoming environment at the convention. These will include activities such as additional information and resources for attendees, presentations and discussions on the impact of some of these laws and steps educators can take, and other accommodations on site. A member town hall will also be announced this summer.
In addition, NAGC has partnered with SocialOffset to offer meeting attendees the opportunity to contribute to local organizations in Florida that make a difference in people’s lives. Making a donation provides a way to channel the discomfort or internal conflict felt by some attendees about the location into meaningful action. We invite you to use this campaign to offset any tax spending in Florida that doesn’t align with your values by supporting local charities that do. More information on the details of this campaign, including the charities the NAGC23 event will support, will be shared this summer.
Original Post: March 3, 2023
Later this spring, registration will open for NAGC23, which will be held November 9-12, 2023, at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. There is a lot of excitement building for this year’s convention, as NAGC has had a long partnership with the Walt Disney Company. However, some concerns have been raised recently about holding the convention in Florida, which has been in the headlines over the past year due to its passage of several controversial laws that impact education and stand in contrast to many of NAGC’s values.
At its most recent meeting, the NAGC Board of Directors discussed this issue at length. The board framed the discussion by emphasizing its priorities and values: creating a safe and welcoming environment at the convention, demonstrating NAGC’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and organizational sustainability. After thoroughly examining the alternatives, the board decided to keep the 2023 convention at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
One factor the board considered is that our presence will undoubtedly have a greater impact than our absence. Through the convention, we can support Florida educators and help them in their efforts to provide thoughtful and meaning-filled learning experiences for their students. In this way, NAGC23 can become a platform to bring attention to important issues and promote our values, such as inclusiveness, diversity, and equity.
Another key factor in the board's decision was the support of the Walt Disney Company. Disney has a long history of supporting many of the same values that our organization holds dear. The corporation's commitment to these values, along with the state-of-the-art facilities and unparalleled guest experience at Walt Disney World, make it a strong choice to host our convention, as it did in 2016.
A third factor was maintaining the association’s financial well-being. Venues for the NAGC annual convention are usually selected 2-3 years in advance. The contract with Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort was originally signed in 2018 for our 2020 convention, well before the current political controversies surfaced. Disney agreed to work with NAGC during the pandemic to reschedule the convention and waive any penalties; however, moving the convention now would incur a cancellation fee of over $750,000.
While we understand that each person’s decision on whether to travel to Florida and attend the convention will be personal, Walt Disney World is known for creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone, something we also aim for NAGC23. Moreover, we will seek out ways to create a positive impact through the convention. To that end, we will reach out to talk with stakeholders and constituent groups in the weeks and months ahead, including a town hall for members, to listen to concerns and identify opportunities for positive impact.
Our goal is to ensure that NAGC23 is a positive and enriching experience for all attendees and has a beneficial and meaningful impact on gifted and talented children in Florida. This is something we can work towards together, and we hope that you will help be a part of that positive change.
Lauri Kirsch, Ed.D. Shelagh Gallagher, Ph.D. John Segota, MPS, CAE
President President-elect Executive Director
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Posted By Jeff Danielian,
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
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It only takes one visit to the NAGC website for members to notice that a host of research-based materials and resources are only a click away. Whether you are an educator or parent, administrator or policymaker, there are resources for YOU.
As NAGC’s Teacher Resource Specialist, I have the opportunity to work on a variety of projects, most notably the publication Teaching for High Potential (THP). Designed with educators of grades K through 12 in mind, each issue of THP is filled with practical guidance and classroom-based materials for educators striving to understand and challenge their high-potential and high-achieving students.
In just four 20-page issues each year, THP delivers 12-15 feature articles and 32-35 rotating columns each year, covering just about every facet of the educational field. Through the presentation of material grounded in research and demonstrating best practice with regards to the identification, service, and evaluation of gifted and talented students, THP strives to be the premier publication for practitioners at any level. Since early 2005, THP has provided readers with this diverse collection of material, and can be categorized into four key areas, Curriculum Content, Classroom Practice, Meeting Student Needs, and Diversity in Education.
As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, I would like to take a moment to share with you some of the highlights found in the pages of recent issues. Below you will find a description of each of the four areas and a selected article and column from each.
Curriculum Content
THP offers materials relating to curriculum content for those who teach in these specific content areas. Students need educational programs that present challenge. For gifted and talented students, this means having access to advanced and differentiated curriculum.
In the article "Making Things Write: Supporting Mathematically Promising Students," Tutita Casa makes the case for providing students the opportunity to develop communication and reasoning skills, using mathematical arguments as the starting point.
The column, "Socially Scientific" covers the “soft skills” of science research and highlights their importance in fostering the next generation of engineers.
Classroom Practice
THP values the importance of the variety of approaches that exist in literature and practice. Educators must have access and the knowledge of these research-based strategies and tools designed for high-ability students.
In the article "Using Curiosity to Differentiate the Classroom," author Tracy Cloninger looks to questioning as the gateway to engage gifted students and offers practical strategies to try in your classroom right now.
The column, "Curriculum Café," discusses four research-based ways to appropriately differentiate content.
Meeting Student Needs
THP understands the importance of meeting student needs and what is required to do so. Enhancement of student performance is determined by a range of external factors. Learning environments should direct students to explore their individual, intellectual, and creative characteristics.
The article, "Jumpstarting Your Students’ Self-Advocacy," by Deb Douglas, reminds us that we are in a position to encourage and support our students, and the author offers insight and the tools needed to promote students’ personal growth.
The column, "Social and Emotional Learning," reminds us that in this unprecedented time, the social-emotional well-being of our talented students should be a top priority and the process of videotherapy might offer a solution.
Diversity in Education
THP recognizes that special populations’ needs and services may differ from traditional considerations and methods. As the student population becomes increasingly diverse, it is imperative that educators understand how to identify and serve students who have been historically underrepresented in gifted education programs and services.
The article, "Curriculum Approaches That Build Learning Bridges for Diverse Gifted Students," by Beth Hahn and others, discusses high expectations, collaboration, and differentiation as key components to consider when planning curriculum for diverse learners.
The column, "Taking the Creative Leap," presents Dr. Mary Frasier’s Traits, Aptitudes and Behaviors (TABs) identification instrument, designed to aid in creating talent development opportunities for students from diverse populations.
These are just a small sampling of what THP has to offer throughout the year. I hope that you enjoy reading Teaching for High Potential as much as the editors enjoy developing each issue. As members of NAGC, you have access to every issue going back to the very beginning. And if you’re not yet a member, you can join today and get access!
In addition, all articles and columns are available to be reprinted for use in a variety of formats. For permission requests, please visit the permissions page on the NAGC website. Happy reading and Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
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Posted By NAGC,
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
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We are excited to welcome Meagan Roloff, CAE, to the NAGC team as Director of Member Services & Engagement. We asked Meagan to share her background and introduce herself to the NAGC membership.
 As I start my experience with NAGC, I am eager to learn from the organization and join the staff and membership in promoting gifted education. I started my professional life as a child life specialist. I studied child development in college and pursued child life because it combined my interests in social-emotional well-being and teaching.
As a child life specialist, I provided individualized medical education, coping support, and therapeutic and developmental play opportunities to pediatric patients and their families. I loved tailoring information to the exact developmental level, strengths, and interests of each child I encountered and watching them master healthcare experiences that challenge adults. I will never forget one 6-year-old patient who proudly explained her cancer diagnosis and chemo treatment to the absolute shock of her nurse after we completed a medical education and play session. She may not have used medical terminology, but she clearly understood her diagnosis and wanted to participate in her care actively.
When we empower children with the education and language to discuss their diagnosis, their social-emotional well-being is better during their care, and their medical outcomes also improve. Children receiving personalized medical education and coping plans can complete invasive procedures without the additional risks or costs of sedation and anesthesia. Every day as a child life specialist was a reminder that children are capable of mastering so much more than adults often give them credit for. All it takes is a little time and a willingness to meet them where they are with honest, accurate, age-appropriate information, and a strengths-based approach – something I suspect NAGC members know well!
After some time as a child life specialist, I sought a way to have a more significant impact. The work I did was so important, but I felt limited by the number of children and families I could personally impact. I jumped into association management, first at the Association of Child Life Professionals and then at the Health Industry Distributors Association. While I miss the direct interaction with children and families, I find so much fulfillment in knowing my work connects professionals with the resources, services, and community they need to succeed. I take great pride in knowing my work’s impact is exponentially greater through the members we serve than anything I could achieve individually.
Joining the NAGC staff feels like coming home. My family has multiple generations of educators, ranging from classroom teachers to administrators, elementary school to higher education, special education to AP Calculus, and fine arts to ELL. In a roundabout way, I’m finally entering the family business. As a former gifted student, I know the impact gifted programming had on my personal and professional trajectory. In just my first few weeks here, I’m learning so much about who I was as a gifted student and how some of those helpful and unhelpful traits have carried into my adult life.
As Director of Member Services & Engagement, my role is ensuring NAGC membership is a valuable experience. We’re conducting a member needs assessment in May–I encourage everyone to participate and share your unique perspective. I am also eager to learn the personal experiences of our members, so please reach out! You can reach me at mroloff@nagc.org or 202-621-5762.
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Posted By Keri Guilbault, Ed.D.,
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
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Over the past few months, several open artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Bing have become hot topics of conversation in K-12 schools and higher education. ChatGPT is a word predictor technology application that can be used to generate human-like responses to prompts. From summarizing an article to enhancing classroom lessons, ChatGPT has the potential to disrupt education—which has some educators concerned, while others adapt strategies to embrace its use in classrooms. To learn more about this tool and practical strategies that can be applied to advanced academics, I interviewed Spencer Burrows. Spencer has been a podcast guest and authored several recent commentaries on ChatGPT. He is a history teacher and the 11th-grade dean at Pacific Ridge School, an independent middle and high school in Carlsbad, CA.
KG: For those who are new to ChatGPT, can you briefly explain how it works?
SB: ChatGPT is a large language model word predictor technology. When you ask it a question it will give you an answer that is an approximation based on information it collects from readily available sources. The quality of the answer depends on the scope of its sources, which need to be current to give an accurate answer. For example, I made queries regarding the Ukraine conflict a few months ago when ChatGPT was released, and the responses were quite vague, because there were not many sources for ChatGPT to draw upon. However, when I input the same queries a few weeks later, the answers were much more accurate, because that information was now more readily available. I should note that this seems to give the impression that ChatGPT is “learning,” but I don’t think that is a fair statement. ChatGPT is not producing or evolving its own “knowledge,” but rather, its answers become more refined as the sources it can draw upon increase.
KG: You have written and spoken about possibilities that tools like ChatGPT offer to promote skills such as civic education, literacy, and critical thinking. ChatGPT results are sometimes inaccurate. What are some tips to help students think critically about results generated from AI software like ChatGPT?
SB: A ChatGPT answer essentially gives you what seems like a collection of the top Google hits in one particular area. Hence, the answer is often moving in the right direction, but is sometimes not entirely correct. For example, as a demonstration to my colleagues, I asked ChatGPT “What is Pacific Ridge School?” (my school). The answer it produced had most of our facts and demographics correct but indicated that we were a 7th through 12th grade school, when we had in fact added a 6th grade this year. That shows that the information ChatGPT was drawing from had not been fully updated to include our current profile.
Herein lies the issue for students. When ChatGPT gives an answer, it appears to be valid and trustworthy, but is oftentimes not completely correct. This provides a prime opportunity for students to practice and develop their critical analysis skills. A classroom activity I have been using with ChatGPT is to give the app a prompt, have it produce an answer, and then allow students to conduct independent research to fact check that answer. For example, I had my U.S. History 11th and 12th graders fact check a ChatGPT prompt about Reconstruction. Most of the response ChatGPT produced was correct, but students were able to identify points where the dates were slightly off, time period characterizations were out of context, and some important facts were simply left out. This exercise is excellent practice for students to examine sources and content on the Internet to determine which are credible, or not, trustworthy, or not. That is a critical skill going forward into the real world that I hope they carry with them.
KG: As a high school teacher of history, economics, and speech and debate, you have discovered ways to incorporate ChatGPT to make your courses more engaging. Can you give a few examples of how ChatGPT might be used in gifted and talented or Advanced Placement (AP) classes to extend students’ thinking and increase engagement?
SB: I previously served as Academic Dean for gifted and talented summer programs, including Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) and Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG). There, I had the opportunity to work with gifted and twice-exceptional elementary and middle school students. One of the greatest needs for these students in their typical classroom environment is extension activities. They often work at a faster rate than other similar-age peers and need to be challenged more in each lesson. I think this is a great opportunity to employ ChatGPT for extension activities. For example, the Bill of Rights Institute hosts an essay contest each year, oftentimes around such concepts as federalism, freedom of speech, and what it means to be a citizen. A possible extension activity for an elementary or middle school American history lesson would be to give gifted and advanced students the Bill of Rights essay prompt, have them use the chatbot to brainstorm ideas of how the concepts apply to American history past and present, and then have students evaluate those different analyses to determine what are the most salient connections to the modern day and the strongest arguments for how the Bill of Rights connects to those concepts.
For high school AP classes, there's a great opportunity to employ ChatGPT to help prepare students for AP tests. AP U.S. History classes spend much time practicing document-based questions and short answers, preparing for what they will see on the AP test. The newly released ChatGPT-4 appears especially adept at producing thorough sample answers for AP tests. Bill Gates recently announced that he had challenged programmers to create a chatbot that could pass the AP Biology test, and ChatGPT-4 succeeded! Hence, I think honors and AP students will find the chatbot particularly useful as a study partner to prepare them for their more rigorous exams. Honors classes could also use the chatbot for extension activities like I mentioned above.
This is similar to how I engaged ChatGPT with my high school speech and debate team as we were preparing for a tournament. Certain high school debate tournament categories like Parliamentary debate require students to think fast on their feet and deliver arguments and rebuttals on the spot. To practice that exercise, I had the students prepare questions based on possible tournament prompts, feed those prompts to ChatGPT, and display the ChatGPT response developing in real time. Then, students delivered their rebuttals straight to ChatGPT, and I had ChatGPT produce its response in turn. The students reported this exercise was great practice and preparation because they were challenged to develop answers in real time, something that is very difficult to simulate outside of actual tournament debates.
KG: University faculty have begun to discuss policies and ethical considerations of ChatGPT use in undergraduate and graduate courses. Rather than ban it altogether, what suggestions do you have for institutions of higher education as they prepare educators who work with K-12 students to utilize this tool wisely? For faculty who worry that students will use ChatGPT to plagiarize assignments, what are some tips to prevent misuse?
SB: First off, I don’t know any realistic way a university can ban the app. What would they do, block it on the Wi-Fi? I believe the University of Texas system tried blocking TikTok on their school Wi-Fi, so the students just accessed it on their phones . . . Not very effective!
Universities and professors should realize that everything ChatGPT can do is already available on the Internet, albeit the app might make it more accessible. All of the information ChatGPT is drawing from is already in existence. So, if a student wants to cheat with information on the Internet, they can. That is not new.
The better action for teachers and professors right now is to truly examine how we are assessing students. If you are concerned that a student is going to cheat or plagiarize using ChatGPT, what assessment are you giving that allows them to cheat? To reference the notion “control what you can control, and don't worry about the rest,” for all the things that teachers and professors cannot control, like ChatGPT use in or outside of school, we can control what assessments we deliver. Hence, my big push for teachers and professors right now is to take a close look at what assessments they are giving and try to determine the most effective way to structure those assessments. I was told as a student teacher (and I tell my student teachers now) to be very intentional in determining what skills you were actually trying to assess. Why is a teacher or professor assigning a 10-20-page term paper? What are you actually assessing? Stamina? I think there are more effective ways to assess those skills. I have my high school students write essay assessments by hand in class, instead of drafting a 10-page paper on their computer that could very well be doctored with ChatGPT. The handwritten assessment often demands more effort and deliberation than the typed response, and therefore gives me a better indication of what they actually understand.
As for designing assessment questions, as I explained in my Education Week article, here are some tips. In your question, ask for text references because ChatGPT most likely will not have access to the reading that you want referenced (and don’t name that source in the question). Also, ask for modern-day connections. ChatGPT has limited access to events that are new or developing and is thus harder to plagiarize.
The bottom line is that we, as educators, need to be more careful and intentional in the assessments we give, which is best practice in the first place. A common refrain during the COVID-19 pandemic was change that would have taken 10 years in the education system took a matter of a few weeks, because we all had to pivot given the changing circumstances. Maybe the introduction of ChatGPT and other large language models is a good shock to the education system because we have to rethink many of our practices and refine them for the modern day. I hope educators see the silver lining!
Resources
Burrows, S. (2023, March 7). Three steps to prevent ChatGPT misuse: Original or AI? How teachers can prevent plagiarism. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/technology/opinion-three-steps-to-prevent-chatgpt-misuse/2023/03
Burrows, S. (2023, February 16). How ChatGPT made my lessons more engaging. Chalkbeat. https://www.chalkbeat.org/2023/2/16/23600187/chatgpt-lessons-speech-debate-class-history
ChatGPT tool: https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt
Ferlazzo, L. (2023, January 18). 19 ways to use ChatGPT in your classroom. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-19-ways-to-use-chatgpt-in-your-classroom/2023/01
Lopez, D. (Host). (2023, March 20). Spencer Burrows: Dean – Pacific Ridge High School & Professor (No. 9) [Audio podcast episode]. In The AI Conversation. IVOOX. https://www.ivoox.com/en/episode-9-spencer-burrows-dean-pacific-ridge-audios-mp3_rf_104835815_1.html
Spencer Burrows, J.D., is a history teacher and the 11th-grade dean at Pacific Ridge School, an independent middle and high school in Carlsbad, CA. He serves as an education adjunct faculty at National University and on the Board of Directors of TEACH Public Schools, a K-12 charter network in South Los Angeles. He is a 2018-2019 Teach Plus California Policy Fellow. Follow Spencer @burrows_spencer.
Keri M. Guilbault, Ed.D., is an assistant professor and coordinator of the online graduate programs in gifted education at Johns Hopkins University. She is a former district coordinator of advanced learning programs and 2019 NAGC Early Leader award recipient. Keri recently served on the NAGC board of directors as treasurer. Follow her @drkerig.
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