Bright Sparks: A Study of the Availability of Gifted Education Programs Within Seventh-day Adventist Primary Schools Within Australia

Abstract

This study investigated the provisions made for gifted students in Seventh-day Adventist Primary Schools in Australia, with particular reference to six aspects of gifted education, namely: (1) identification, (2) gender equality, (3) priority, (4) the extent of provision, (5) forms of gifted education, and (6) the qualification and professional development of teachers in the Seventh-day Adventist Education System. Data was collected from 27 principals of Seventh-day Adventist Primary Schools in Australia using a survey instrument specifically designed for this study. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were used to analyse the data derived from the survey instrument. The findings of this study have shown that in the majority of cases, Seventh-day Adventist Primary Schools may not be adequately providing for the needs of gifted children in their care. Although some schools were found to provide better provisions for gifted students than others, many schools failed to even identify minimum expected proportions of gifted students. It was found that an equal overall proportion of males-females were involved in a gifted education program, but that the extent of provision for gifted students was generally quite limited. The various schools identified an awareness of a variety of programming strategies, although these strategies were not always implemented. It was also found that a lack of teacher qualifications and professional development in relation to gifted education was present in many schools. Recommendations and suggestions for further research are included in the study