new Executive Director receives Mensa Lifetime Award

The new Executive Director of the Center, Dr. Tracy L. Cross, received the Mensa Education and Research Foundation's Lifetime Achievement award for his contribution to the field of giftedness. Read the full story. Dr. Cross joined the Center this fall with an appointment at the College as the Jody and Layton Smith Professor of Psychology and Gifted Education. He comes to the Center and the School of Education from Ball State University in Indiana where he served since 1997, beginning as a professor of psychology at the school's Teachers College. In 2000, he became the George and Frances Ball Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Gifted Studies and held that title throughout the rest of his tenure at the college.

While at Ball State, Cross also created and served as director of the doctoral program in educational psychology, executive director of the Institute for Research on the Psychology of Gifted Students and associate dean for graduate studies, research and assessment.

Prior to his work at Ball State, Cross worked as the executive director of the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities - a state-supported, residential school for academically gifted adolescents.

What Works: 20 Years of Curriculum Development and Research

Thisdocument highlights “what works” based on the curriculum development and research work of the Center for Gifted Education during the past 20 years. Research findings include the areas of curriculum development, instruction, assessment, and professional development. Through the use of the Integrated Curriculum Model as a template for design, coupled with curriculum reform emphases in content areas, the Center curriculum has produced positive outcomes in student achievement and teacher use of differentiated strategies. This document is available for download.(pdf)

NSTA review of units

The National Science Teachers' Association reviewed two Center-developed science units, Water Works and What's The Matter. "If you're looking for engaging, hands-on investigations for the primary grades, this is a wonderful resource. Although geared toward gifted or high-ability learners, the activities could be adapted to be used with the entire class." Read the entire review at the NSTA site.

Water Works

What's the Matter

Both units are available for purchase from gifted education publisher Prufrock Press.

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