EPSY 6770—Curricular Options for High Ability Learners

The major purpose of this course is to study the theoretical and practical aspects of curricular experiences for gifted and talented students. The course has been designed to familiarize educators with the various theories, principles, and models of curriculum development for gifted and talented students. A variety of curricular models will be explored, including The Multiple Menu Model, which will be used as a framework for developing differentiated and defensible curriculum for gifted students. Additionally, the class will explore curriculum modification techniques, methods and materials for enrichment learning, assessment strategies, methodological resources, and teacher collaboration techniques that support the principles underlying curriculum differentiation. As a final project each student will choose a content area-ology or ography and design a comprehensive unit following the guidelines of the Multiple Menu Model and aligned with the appropriate state standards. Students taking this course will want to begin collecting instructional unit ideas, supporting curricular materials, state standards, and a listing of any how-to books that can be used to design an instructional unit using the MMM framework.