Gifted Education Non-Degree Seeking Student Orientation

Spring 2007

Table of ContentsTopic Slide• Welcome 3• Gifted Education at USF 4• Faculty & Staff 6• Getting Started at USF 10

– USF ID 11– USF NetID 12– Forwarding USF E-mail 13

• Sequence of Courses 14• Permitting/Registration 17• Online Learning 20

– Professional Standards 21– Accessing the Courses 22– Time Considerations 23– Computer Issues 24– Participation 25

• Advocacy for Gifted Learners 28• Important Resources 35

Welcome

Welcome to the Gifted Education Program at the University of South Florida! We are excited you will be joining us. This orientation will assist you in becoming familiar with the program and USF. Please read through it carefully and let us know if you have any unanswered questions.

Gifted Education Program at USF

• Florida's only entirely online Master's Degree in Gifted Education

• Provides advanced training for certified teachers to work with gifted and talented children and to work with other teachers on a consultant and/or collaborative basis

Gifted Education Program at USF

• Graduates are prepared to be:– Reflective practitioners– Collaborative professionals– Affirming of diversity– Professional, ethical, competent and

knowledgeable of theory and research as evidence by "best practices" of gifted education

Program Faculty and Support Staff

Dr. Shaunessy• Program Coordinator• Assistant Professor• B.A. in English from University

of Miami• M.A. in English from Florida

State University• Ph.D. in Special Education

with an emphasis in Gifted Education from University of Southern Mississippi

• Research interests include gifted children with Asperger Syndrome, culturally diverse gifted learners, the use of technology in gifted education, and public policy in gifted education

Dr. Matthews• Assistant Professor• B.A. in Chemistry and a minor in

Anthropology, magna cum laude from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

• M.A. in Anthropology from University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Gifted & Creative Education from University of Georgia

• Research interests include culturally and linguistically diverse gifted learners, talent search programs, youth leadership, science learning, and underachievement among gifted learners

Jennie Farmer• Assistant Program Coordinator• B.S. in Special Education with

an emphasis in Specific Learning Disabilities and Mental Retardation from USF

• M.A. in Gifted Education from USF

• Pursuing Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in Special Education with an emphasis in Gifted Learners with Learning Disabilities from USF

• Research interests include gifted children with learning disabilities, the affective needs of students, the care and cruelty of teachers, and the professional development of teachers

Getting Started at USF

USF ID Card• If you do not already have one, you will need to obtain a USF photo

ID. You can do this online by going to http://www.auxsvc.usf.edu/form_distance_learning.asp. You will need to print out the form and include the following items with your completed application:– Copy of a valid driver’s license AND– Recent passport quality (minimum 2’x2’) AND– $10 check made out to USF

• All USF students must obtain a USF Card. We encourage you to do so now before the rush of the new semester.

• Your USF ID is your library card. As a distance learner, you are able to check books out and access various databases. Your library number (number beginning with a 2) is printed on your USF ID and is different from your U ID.

USF NetID

• In order to log into classes, you must have a USF NetID, which can be obtained with either your U ID (begins with a U and is followed by 8 numbers) OR USF Card number (begins with 640013 . . .), your birth date, and the last five numbers of your Social Security Number.

• When you have either your USF ID Card or U ID, please go to http://una.acomp.usf.edu. – Click on “New User.”  – Follow the prompts for obtaining a NetID. – It will be very important that you write down your NetID and the

password that you create. We do not have access to this information and will not be able to supply you with your password or NetID.

Forwarding USF E-Mail Account• Please note that you will receive all e-mails through the USF e-mail system,

so be sure to check this daily.

• If you do not check e-mail account, you will not receive critical e-mails that your instructors send to students, which may include information about assignments, grades, and due dates. It is your responsibility to access this e-mail regularly throughout the semester.

• For your convenience, you can forward your USF e-mail account to your personal account. Once you have your NetID, – log back into https://una.acomp.usf.edu. – On the left side of the screen, click on “Student E-Mail.” – Select “Set Forwarding Address” and follow prompts.

Some external e-mail accounts have difficulty with forwarding. It is recommended that students check the USF e-mail account regularly.

Sequence of Courses

Courses

Five Endorsement Courses1. EGI 5051 Nature and Needs of the Gifted

- First Endorsement course taken; may be taken with EGI 64142. EGI 6416 Consultation, Guidance, and Counseling of Gifted Students3. EGI 5325 Theory and Development of Creativity4. EGI 6936 Seminar in Special Populations of the Gifted5. EGI 6232 Advanced Educational Strategies for Gifted Students

- Final Endorsement course taken

Sequence for Non-Degree Seeking Students

• ND students follow the same course sequence as our degree seeking students

• Exceptions are granted based on proof of successful completion of a district course– Professional development record or transcript from college or

university– Example - a student may enroll in Theory & Development of

Creativity as his/her 1st class with USF if Nature & Needs was completed as a district course

• Only courses taken with accredited institutions count toward the completion of a Graduate Certificate or MA degree

Permitting/Registration Process

Requesting a Permit/Registration

1. You will need the following information:1. The course prefix & number from your Program

Plan2. The course reference number (CRN) from the USF

schedule of classes2. Go to the Gifted Education Program Website (

http://www.coedu.usf.edu/main/departments/sped/gifteded/index.htm)

3. Click the Permitting/Registration link4. Follow the directions provided 5. Only complete permit requests will be

processed

Receiving a Permit/Registration Status

1. After your request has been processed you will receive an e-mail confirmation within 5 business days

2. If your confirmation states you have been registered for classes,

1. Verify your schedule on OASIS2. Go to the Course & Textbook Information link on the Gifted

Education Program Website

3. If your confirmation states you have been provided a permit,

1. Register for the course on OASIS2. Go to the Course & Textbook Information link on the Gifted

Education Program Website

Dropping a Course

• Courses must be dropped by the end of Drop/Add week in order to avoid paying tuition.

• Student may drop a course later in the semester without academic penalty– This must be completed by the date set by the

University – Date available on the Registrar’s Calendar

(http://www.registrar.usf.edu/forms/0607Calendar2007-01-04_11_17_16.pdf)

Retroactive Drops• Effective immediately the Graduate School will only consider

petitions for drops following the tenth week of the semester if they meet one of the exceptional circumstances noted below.

• Exceptional circumstances:– Illness of the student of such severity or duration to preclude completion

of the course(s) as confirmed in writing by a physician (M.D.).– Death of the student or death in the immediate family (parent, spouse,

child or sibling) as confirmed by documentation (death certificate, obituary) indicating the student’s relationship to the deceased.

– Involuntary call to active military duty as confirmed by military orders.– A situation in which the University is in error as confirmed by an

appropriate University official.– Other documented exceptional circumstances beyond the control of the

student which precluded completion of the course(s) accompanied by explanatory letter and supporting documentation.

Online Learning

Professional Standards

• We encourage learners to adhere to standards for professional behavior

• Please visit the following links for more information about Netiquette

• http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html

• www.NetManners.com

Professional Standards

Professional Standards

Accessing the Courses• You can access Blackboard (where courses are located) by going to https://

my.usf.edu.  – Type in your NetID and password.  – You will be brought to a welcome screen.  – At the top of the page, click on the tab that says “COURSES.”  – You will see all of the courses in which you are registered.  – Click on a selected course title to gain entry. 

• Please note courses and the list of courses may not be available until the official start of the semester.

• Resources for students new to Blackboard are located on the left side of the screen.– Browse the resources area and other facets of the “myUSF” page to learn more about

services, browsers, plugins, and other information and setting available to students.• Once inside the course, you should find directions for how to proceed. Please follow

these steps.

• Students who do not log in to the course prior to the end of week 1 may be dropped from the course.

Time Considerations

• Please be cognizant of the time commitment to an online course; because there is no face-to-face meeting of this class, your week’s work will include the typical 3 hours to replace this face time and then supplement this with additional readings and assignments.

• Therefore, it is realistic to expect to spend 6 to 9 hours per week per 3 hour online course.

• Due to the shorter summer schedule, summer courses may require as much as 20 hours of work per week.

Computer Issues

Please identify an alternate computer to use in case of emergency.

Public libraries and schools often offer an alternate venue for you to access a computer in case you experience difficulties.

Participation• USF’s teaching/learning philosophy is that knowledge is socially

constructed • USF Online Gifted Education Program strongly encourages

collaboration among professionals, which has also been found to be essential for the success of all K-12 learners

• Our online courses are designed to be interactive experiences rather than independent study classes

• Various technologies are utilized through the courses– Discussion boards– Individual and small group assignments– Audio conferencing

• Participation will be evaluated through students’ participation in discussion boards (including reading other students’ postings), group work, and other assignments

Advocacy for Gifted Learners

Advocacy

• While the federal government defines giftedness, it does not mandate gifted education

• States determine whether gifted education should be mandated and if teachers require specialized training

• Not all gifted programs are evaluated for effectiveness • District gifted education is not funded by the federal

government• The Jacob Javits Gifted and Talented Students

Education Act provides only $11 million for national research and demonstration projects

FLAG

• Florida Association for the Gifted• www.flagifted.org • The mission of FLAG is to support educationally

appropriate programs for gifted students through exchanging information, promoting research, supporting constructive changes in all areas of gifted education, and cooperating with local and state organizations in reaching mutual goals and objectives in support of students who are gifted.

• Newsletter• Mini-grants to teachers• 2007 Annual Conference in Tampa

NAGC

• National Association for Gifted Children• www.nagc.org • An organization of parents, teachers, educators, other

professionals, and community leaders who unite to address the unique needs of children and youth

• Supports and engages in research and development, staff development, advocacy, communication, and collaboration with other organizations and agencies

• Gifted Child Quarterly• 2008 Annual Conference in Tampa

SENG

• Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted• http://www.sengifted.org/ • SENG is dedicated to fostering

environments in which gifted adults and children, in all their diversity, understand and accept themselves and are understood, valued, nurtured, and supported by their families, schools, workplaces and communities.

CEC TAG

• Council for Exceptional Children The Association for the Gifted

• www.cectag.org

• Promote the welfare and education of children and youths with gifts, talents, and/or high potential

• Journal for the Education of the Gifted

AERA

• American Educational Research Association

• www.aera.net • Special Interest Group – Research on

Giftedness and Talent• www.aeragifted.org • Focuses research on how giftedness and

talent are developed and nurtured• Dr. Matthews is a Member-at-Large

Important Resources

Gifted Education Website

• http://www.coedu.usf.edu/main/departments/sped/gifteded/index.htm

• Permitting/Registration • Course & Textbook Information• Links

– Schedule of classes– Academic calendar– Graduate forms (including Graduation Application)– Financial aid– Tuition– Chalk & Wire– MyUSF

MyUSF - Blackboard

• http://my.usf.edu • Courses• Library

– Technology Tutorial– Services for Distance Learners– Electronic databases– Electronic journals– RefWorks– Check out books

Our Students Page of USF’s Homepage

• http://www.usf.edu/students.html • Provides links to all services at USF

– Academic calendar (dates for the semester)– Registrar’s calendar (when to pay tuition, when

registration begins)– Schedule of Classes (provides Course Reference

Numbers, titles, and when courses are offered)– Bookstore– OASIS

• Register• View your schedule• Pay tuition• View grades

Distance Learning Resources

• http://www.outreach.usf.edu/distancelearning.htm

• Support for distance learners

• Distance Learning Catalog

• Distance learning courses available at USF

Graduate School

• http://www.grad.usf.edu/newsite/main.asp

• News and events for graduate students

• Link to Graduate Student Council

• Graduate Student Forms