The purpose of this study was to examine gifted students' preferences for models of teaching and the specific factors contributing to those preferences. The sample population included students in grades 2-5 from economically, linguistically, and culturally diverse backgrounds, in urban, suburban, and rural districts. Students in the experimental groups were taught with instructional models by teachers who had participated in the differentiated professional development plan. Gifted and potentially gifted students were included. The research questions sought to determine the following what factors influenced gifted students' (in grades 2-5) preferences for a model of instruction related to the teaching and learning of various subject matter; if there was a difference between gifted and not identified as gifted students' preferences for a model of teaching; and what factors (interest, challenge) affected students' preferences for instructional experiences in each model of teaching, to what degree, and why.

In this mixed methods study, students were administered a survey in which they chose the instructional model they preferred math, social studies, science, and language arts. A Q-sort asked students to choose the specific instructional experiences they found to be most, somewhat, and least challenging, and most, somewhat, and least interesting and why. Chi-square tests of significance were used to scrutinize the survey responses, while factor analysis was utilized to study the responses to the Q-Sort. A qualitative examination of interview data identified trends amongst the responses.

No significant differences were found between gifted and non-gifted students' preferences for a model of teaching by grade level. Students cited interest and challenge as the primary factors influencing their choices. Gifted students preferred the group investigation model in 3 of 4 content areas and the advance organizer to the concept attainment model in language arts. A principal component analysis of the factors influencing students' preferences for steps of the teaching models revealed marginal differences between the choices of gifted and non-gifted students; however, all students preferred steps involving research, and working with the big idea.