Definitions,Ideologies,and Hypotheses in Gifted Education

Abstract

This article argues that issues in gifted education and the study of giftedness can be usefully categorized under three headings: definitions, ideologies, and hypotheses. Seven central issues regarding educational programs for the gifted are classified according to their basic orientation: (a) level of excellence and the gifted label, (b) types of giftedness, (c) individual versus societal perspectives on the gifted, (d) giftedness in different ethno-cultural backgrounds, (e) origins of giftedness, (f) procedures for identifying and screening the gifted, and (g) effectiveness of educational programs. These issues are either definition oriented (a and b), ideology oriented (c and d), or hypothesis oriented (e, f, and g). It is argued that practitioners and researchers must pay attention to the type of issue being discussed so that discussions and controversies concerning giftedness will be relevant and productive.

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