Identification of Gifted Students in Higher Education

ABSTRACT

The National Policy on Special Education from the Perspective of Inclusive Education (Política Nacional de Educação Especial na Perspectiva da Educação Inclusiva - PNEEPEI) provides that gifted students receive Specialized Educational Service. However, research indicates that the number of students identified and followed in Higher Education is still far below expectations. The objective of this paper was to describe the procedures of the Global Disclosure Program of Giftedness in Universities - known, in Brazil, as PEGAHSUS, to identify university gifted students from the State of Paraná. To this end, a descriptive, retrospective study of students accessed and evaluated during the period from 2017 to 2018 by the Program was performed. The instruments used were a questionnaire for identification of intelligence expression (QIIE) and the WAIS III intelligence test. For the assessment of intelligence, 76 students participated, from which 63% had a total intelligence quotient equal to or above 130. Regarding the reliability of the screening instrument, the QIIE had a sensitivity of 64.2% in the indications to giftedness. The instrument had a positive impact on identification as it accessed several students who, in fact, had above-average intellectual potential. Finally, the importance of identifying and monitoring gifted students in the academic scope is pointed out, since it highlights data about this population and allows strategies to be developed that are consistent with the profile of the students.

KEYWORDS:
Gifted students; Special Education; Identification; Intelligence