Science Education for Gifted Learners
The rapid expansion and qualitative changes in the field of science from the late 20th century to the 21st century have had a great impact on the social structure, cutting down routine jobs and physical labour while increasing jobs dealing with abstract a
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35. SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR GIFTED LEARNERS
INTRODUCTION
The rapid expansion and qualitative changes in the field of science from the late 20th century to the 21st century have had a great impact on the social structure, cutting down routine jobs and physical labour while increasing jobs dealing with abstract and creative challenges. The expansion and diversification of science in the 21st century is likely to throw up a variety of issues concerning the conventional style of science education and classes. For example, given that over one million scientific papers are published annually, how do we define the basis and basics of science education? What are the talents and skills that need to be developed in science education intended for all children in compulsory education? While scientific research has become increasingly global, there is a dearth of scientific specialists. What kind of science education can develop people who can put forth new ideas and pass on the benefits of innovative science and technology? In addition, from what perspectives can we improve the quality of conventional science education that is taught to students at large? Research on science education for the gifted is a key research area in education that seeks to eliminate the gap between children’s everyday life, school science, and real science. No matter how naturally gifted a child (or an adult for that matter) is, some kind of educational support is necessary for the inherent talent to bloom. This opportunity to receive educational support must be provided to all regardless of gender, race, place of residence, or household income. Gifted education is a kind of special education as well as an equal education. Although the number of countries where ‘giftedness’ is included as a part of the national law is limited, including Europe (e.g. Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia), almost all countries have some type of legislative regulations and guidelines related to providing for gifted education from early childhood (Mönks & Pflüger, 2015). These can be in a variety of formats, such as early entrance into kindergarten, grade skipping, cooperation with companies or non-profit organisations, extra-curricular activities, personal mentoring, participation in school internal/external competitions, psychological counselling, and summer camps. Partially because the IQ test has been historically used to certify gifted children, the certification is often based on indicators, such as IQ based on intelligence test or creativity, that demonstrate general talent rather than aptitude/advanced ability in any specific area. Simple indicators such as the achievement of the student K. S. Taber & B. Akpan (Eds.), Science Education, 479–491. © 2017 Sense Publishers. All rights reserved.
M. SUMIDA
are mainly used to measure the results of gifted education. However, educational research focusing on talent in specific areas is becoming popular; science education, in particular, is drawing attention in recent years to g
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