The Gifted Learner: Defined

In order to understand how to use technology with gifted learners, one must first know what a gifted learner is. The Association for Bright Children of Ontario (ABC Ontario) defines giftedness as:

"...an unusually advanced degree of general intellectual ability that requires differentiated learning experiences of a depth and breadth beyond those normally provided in the regular school program to satisfy the level of educational potential indicated."

Furthermore, ABC Ontario defines bright as:


"...one who has the potential for unusual accomplishment in any of several areas, including intellectual and creative ability, musical, artistic and athletic performance and social and leadership skills."

Given that gifted and bright learners are generally (but not solely) perceptive, inquiring, creative, exploratory and original, the implementation of technology would be beneficial as it would foster these gifts, talents and passions that these learners possess; thus, deepening and/ or broadening understanding of concepts, and empowering these students to communicate their understandings in rich and powerful ways to a potentially mass audience, which, in turn, provides authenticity to the learner.

Coming up next...Kohler's Apes gather bananas...

Why not Technology?

I have been reading about gifted educations and learners lately, and I am disappointed that in most recommendations for differentiation that I have found thus far, that technology does not feature more prominently. For example, the Duke Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP), offers numerous "accelerative options," but the only option that deals directly with technology is "online classes that yield high school or college credit (these often lead to early high school graduation)." While this is a viable and valuable option, it is unfortunate that more suggestions were not made. This neglect to technology is not isolated to the Duke TIP site; unfortunately, many other sites and journals that I have read in the last few days are similar in their recommendations.

Being a teacher of "academically talented" students, and working and learning from other teachers in this field, I feel that the opportunities to enhance understanding for gifted and academically talented students with technology is endless. While I am not saying that we should neglect the other end of the special education spectrum, it is unfortunate that more attention is not given to gifted students. An unfortunate reality for many of these students is that when they quickly finish an assignment they are given more questions to complete. This does not make sense. If a student can demonstrate an understanding of a concept in ten questions, why make her do another 20 questions on top of that? This is where technology can be implemented. Give that student the opportunity to explore the concept with technology, and she will run farther or faster with it. Hold technology from her, on the other hand, and she will become bored with education. This is a shame.

Throughout this blog, I plan to make suggestions about the implementation of technology into gifted education- both in congregated settings and in a "mainstream" program- in order to help the student reach a higher ground.