Views Of Giftedness Research Articles

Orbiting Two Worlds: Shifting Conceptions of Giftedness Amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians

ABSTRACT This article investigates conceptions of giftedness amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. It adopts a qualitative case-study methodology involving 14 participants associated with a scholarship program aimed at developing the academic potential of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth from remote and disadvantaged communities. Using semistructured interviews and a grounded-theory analytical approach, a number of themes were identified. These included an egalitarian basis to the construct, an avoidance of the gifted label, an understanding of giftedness as having learned and innate dimensions as well as a relative view of giftedness. Associations with achievement motivation also were highlighted amongst participants suggesting that views of giftedness have been shifting away from traditional associations. Results further revealed a perception of giftedness linked more to leadership and progress than to previously identified associations with elitism, individualism, and broader Australian societal ideals.

How Giftedness is Understood and Practised in Initial Teacher Education Programmes in Aotearoa New Zealand

This article is drawn from a doctoral study that investigated initial teacher educators’ views of giftedness and the apparent consequences of those views for pedagogical practice in early years educational settings. The aim of the study was to describe teacher educators’ understandings and meanings of giftedness because their perspectives can reflect the extent to which initial teacher education (ITE) programmes value giftedness. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, during which ITE programme leaders and teacher educators discussed their understandings of giftedness, and how to identify and respond to it. The educators explained that supporting the special learning needs of gifted children requires a focus, not only on the individual child, but also on building relationships with the children and their families. Aotearoa New Zealand’s ITE programmes likewise emphasise relationships, which is a core principle of Te Whāriki, Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood education curriculum. The implications from several findings of the study include the need for ITE programmes to provide student teachers with greater awareness of individual giftedness, and the need to develop relationships with gifted children, their parents, and whānau (families) as a strategy to respond to individual needs.

The Mbira Metaphor: Inspiring Creative Thinking through Folktale

The paper presents the author’s views on inspiring creative thinking among stu-dents through a folktale. The mbira metaphor is this author’s interpretation of a unique African (Shona) folktale that has the potential to enrich the pedagogy of giftedness. The mbira metaphor is an informative and thought-provoking folktale originating from previous studies on Shona culture’s views of giftedness. The rec-ognition of the mbira folktale as a metaphor that has the potential to enrich gifted programming follows new thinking in research that values the contribution of so-ciocultural perspectives to our understanding of giftedness and creativity. The author recommends that the mbira metaphor be used in gifted programming to in-spire creative thinking among students.

Ndebele culture of Zimbabwe's views of giftedness

This study explored Ndebele culture of Zimbabwe's views of giftedness. Using questionnaire narratives, data were collected from thirty Zimbabwean teachers and lecturers of Ndebele cultural background. The study established that Ndebele culture views giftedness as an unusually outstanding ability blessed in an individual from birth, which manifests in extraordinary performances and expertise including creativity and inspirational power. The hallmarks of Ndebele culture's views of giftedness are achieving exceptionally outstanding success, creativity, ability to solve problems and inspirational power. Indigenous views warrant attention since contemporary psychology now recognizes multiple views of giftedness. The study therefore recommends considering the implications of indigenous views in planning and implementing broad‐based culturally sensitive gifted programs in Zimbabwe.

Shona culture of Zimbabwe’s views of giftedness

In an exploratory study designed to investigate Shona culture of Zimbabwe’s views of giftedness, data were collected from sixteen Zimbabwean academics of Shona cultural background. Using questionnaire narratives, the study established that Shona culture views giftedness as an unusual ability blessed in an individual through ancestry which enables him/her to perform with unparalleled expertise even in challenging domains. The hallmarks of Shona culture’s views of giftedness are ability to succeed, solve problems, creativity, interpersonal relationships and spirituality. When values are held constant, Shona culture’s views of giftedness do not differ from views in contemporary psychology. The study recommends fusing together cultural and modern views of giftedness in the school curriculum in order to develop a diversity of talents in students.

Fostering liberal views of giftedness: A study of the beliefs of six undergraduate education students

Fostering liberal views of giftedness: A study of the beliefs of six undergraduate education students

Gifted Adolescents' Attitudes Toward Their Giftedness

The purpose of this study was to assess gifted adolescents' views of their own giftedness and their perceptions regarding how giftedness is viewed by others. One hundred eighty-four gifted adolescents completed an open-ended questionnaire on giftedness. Resutts indicated that their views of giftedness were not unidimensional. They were positive about their giftedness but did not believe that others were positive. Also, gifted adolescents viewed giftedness as positive with regard to their personal growth and academic performance but as negative in social relations with others. Gifted adolescents have strongly mixed attitudes about their giftedness.