Online Endorsement

All Students Have the Right to a Challenging Educational Experience

Through the High-Ability Student Initiative Program, an online gifted and talented endorsement has been developed in cooperation with Utah State University (http://www.usu.edu) and the Utah State Office of Education (http://www.schools.utah.gov).  At the present time, 44 teachers are involved in the program. Next year a total of 114 teachers statewide will either have received or be receiving their endorsement in Gifted and Talented Education through the Utah High Ability Program.

The Utah State Office of Education requires a minimum of 16 hours of college classes in gifted and talented education for the endorsement.  Also required are 5 hours of approved credit in curriculum and instruction in a content area.  The endorsement is then added to an educator’s state certification.   The online course allows teachers to get their endorsement regardless of where their district is located in the state.  A goal of the High-Ability Student Initiative is to reach all districts within the state, especially those in rural Utah, where travel is difficult because of time and distance to classroom sites.

Courses offered in the endorsement program are based on the 2010 Pre-K-Grade 12 Gifted Programming Standards (NAGC: http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=546).

The courses are as follows:

• ELED/SCED 6420: Education of Gifted & Talented Learners
• ELED/SCED 6430: Practicum: Individual Case Study
• ELED/SCED 6440: Creativity in Education
• ELED/SCED 6460: Identification & Evaluation in Gifted Education
• ELED/SCED 6470: Practicum: Team Consultation
• ELED/SCED 6480: Methods & Materials in Gifted Education
• ELED/SCED 6490: Practicum: Classroom Applications

In 2012, Social and Emotional Needs of Gifted and Talented Learners will replace ELED/SCED 6440 Creativity in Education.