Researchers have called for further investigation into appropriate professional development (PD) for gifted education teachers. In the current digital age, PD often takes place in an online environment. While many researchers have suggested approaches to e-learning and online PD, few have considered these issues in the context of gifted education. Thus, in this paper I develop and test a theoretical model of online PD for gifted education teachers. This work builds upon Anderson’s (2008) theory of online learning interactions and Siegle’s (2001) essay regarding professional development for gifted education teachers.
Fundamentally, the paper asks:
To what extent does the implementation of the proposed model create positive change in five areas of inquiry: content learning, classroom practice, professional goals, teaching attitude, and pedagogical knowledge?
Over a 5 year period 161 gifted education teachers completed graduate-level online PD. This PD was designed using the model proposed in this paper. All teachers were asked to complete an online self-report survey concerning this PD experience. The response rate was 66% (n=107).
Findings from this study indicate a strong positive change in all of the five areas of inquiry mentioned above. The most significant changes occurred in the participant’s gifted education content learning and their classroom practice. For example, a third of the participants indicated that they now develop lessons geared specifically toward their gifted students. Additionally, two-thirds of participants reported a strong positive change in their overall understanding of gifted education. The results of this study offer significant implications for directors of professional development and practitioners within the field of gifted education.