What is it?
ICM is a research-tested and tried model that is proven to increase growth specifically in gifted learners. The idea was created by Joyce Van Tassel-Baska, with the College of William and Mary. It focuses on ensuring that curriculum is content-appropriate for gifted learners, integrates processes and products that utilize higher-level critical thinking skills and problem solving, and is formatted around concept development.
Content: Assessment is a critical part of enriching content in the ICM. Pre-assessments are used to see what students already know to be able to advance curriculum so that it is meaningful. By bypassing unnecessary information, students can reach deeper into the curriculum and cover a wider range of information.
Process and Product: Critical thinking and problem solving skills are a vital part of gifted education. Van Tassel-Baska recommends Paul's Elements of Reasoning or another similar framework to implement critical thinking skills. This requires students to understand the reason behind learning, and be able to analyze, evaluate, and elaborate upon an idea while maintaining awareness of their own perspective and possible assumptions that can be made. Using this helps to enrich both the process skills and product development in a curriculum.
Concept: This portion of the model is necessary for gifted learners to develop an understanding of generalizations that exist across curricula. This extend beyond the specific curriculum expected to be learned and encourages students to formulate universal ideas that are more-so socially constructed rather than proven as facts. One method used to facilitate this understanding is the Taba Concept Development Lesson Format.
Why use it?
This model has proven success with gifted students, but can be used to initiate growth with all levels of learners. It is limited to greater success with core academic subjects, but can lead to comprehensive content and skill mastery. It also lends to extensive enrichment for advanced learners.
ICM is a research-tested and tried model that is proven to increase growth specifically in gifted learners. The idea was created by Joyce Van Tassel-Baska, with the College of William and Mary. It focuses on ensuring that curriculum is content-appropriate for gifted learners, integrates processes and products that utilize higher-level critical thinking skills and problem solving, and is formatted around concept development.
Content: Assessment is a critical part of enriching content in the ICM. Pre-assessments are used to see what students already know to be able to advance curriculum so that it is meaningful. By bypassing unnecessary information, students can reach deeper into the curriculum and cover a wider range of information.
Process and Product: Critical thinking and problem solving skills are a vital part of gifted education. Van Tassel-Baska recommends Paul's Elements of Reasoning or another similar framework to implement critical thinking skills. This requires students to understand the reason behind learning, and be able to analyze, evaluate, and elaborate upon an idea while maintaining awareness of their own perspective and possible assumptions that can be made. Using this helps to enrich both the process skills and product development in a curriculum.
Concept: This portion of the model is necessary for gifted learners to develop an understanding of generalizations that exist across curricula. This extend beyond the specific curriculum expected to be learned and encourages students to formulate universal ideas that are more-so socially constructed rather than proven as facts. One method used to facilitate this understanding is the Taba Concept Development Lesson Format.
Why use it?
This model has proven success with gifted students, but can be used to initiate growth with all levels of learners. It is limited to greater success with core academic subjects, but can lead to comprehensive content and skill mastery. It also lends to extensive enrichment for advanced learners.
References:
Karnes, F. A. & Stephens, K.R. (2008). Achieving Excellence: Educating the Gifted and Talented. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. (ISBN # 978-0-13-175562-8)
Van Tassel-Baska, J. (2008). What works in curriculum for the gifted. Keynote address, Asia Pacific Conference on the Gifted.
Karnes, F. A. & Stephens, K.R. (2008). Achieving Excellence: Educating the Gifted and Talented. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. (ISBN # 978-0-13-175562-8)
Van Tassel-Baska, J. (2008). What works in curriculum for the gifted. Keynote address, Asia Pacific Conference on the Gifted.