Finding the missing Einsteins: Expanding the breadth of cognitive and noncognitive measures used in academic services |
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| Institution: | 1. University of Arkansas, Department of Education Reform, Department of Psychology, 201 Graduate Education Building, Fayetteville, AR 72701, United States;2. University of Alabama, Department of Educational Studies, Psychology, Research, Methods, and Counseling, Carmichael Hall 201, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, United States |
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| Abstract: | Education researchers, policymakers, and practitioners are concerned with identifying and developing talent for students with fewer opportunities, especially students from historically marginalized groups. An emerging body of research suggests “universally screening” or testing all students, then matching those students with appropriate educational challenges, is effective in helping marginalized students. However, most tests have focused on two areas: math and verbal reasoning. We leverage three nationally representative samples of the U.S. population at different time points that include both novel cognitive measures (e.g., spatial, mechanical, and abstract reasoning) and non-cognitive measures (e.g., conscientiousness, creativity or word fluency, leadership skill, and artistic skill) to uncover which measures would improve proportional representation of marginalized groups in talent identification procedures. We find that adding spatial reasoning measures in particular—as well as other non-cognitive measures such as conscientiousness, leadership, and creativity—are worthwhile to consider for universal screening procedures for students to narrow achievement gaps at every level of education, including for gifted students. By showing that these nontraditional measures both improve proportional representation of underrepresented groups and have reasonable predictive validity, we also broaden the definition of what it means to be “gifted” and expand opportunities for students from historically marginalized groups. |
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| Keywords: | Academic selection Standardized tests Spatial reasoning Conscientiousness Creativity Leadership |
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