This conversation with Joe Renzulli begins by exploring the length of time Renzulli has been involved with gifted education; when his first paper was published; the general tone of gifted education in the U.S. when Renzulli began his career; and the origin of Renzulli's "three-ring conxeptualization." Additionally, Renzulli is asked to…

In this reflective conversation, Ugur Sak discusses the current "state of the art" of gifted education in Turkey. He reviews the use of enrichment, discusses acceleration and reviews curricular procedures in Turkey. He responds to questions about the identification of gifted students and discusses the age old debate of talent versus…

This article offers a conversation with Dr. Jane Piirto, author, and professor at Ashland University, where she teaches in the Department of Inclusive Services & Exceptional Learners and the Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies. Here she discusses what she is currently working on, how the five dimensions of overexcitability relate to ADHD,…

Michael Shaughnessy, shares a conversation with Helen Dudeney, a private consultant who has been actively involved in working with gifted children since 1988. She was originally, trained and worked as an accountant and was very involved with working with children through volunteering for many years as a leader in the Scout Association. She started…

Michael F. Shaughnessy is currently Professor of Educational Studies at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico. Bryan Barnes is a graduate student in Speech Language Pathology at Eastern New Mexico University and is pursuing a Master's degree in that field. In this article, Shaughnessy, and Barnes, offer up a reflective conversation…

James H. Borland, Ph.D. is Professor of Education in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. In this reflective conversation, he reflects on his experiences in an urban environment and the current challenges in gifted education. He argues for ongoing diagnosis of learners' needs without…

Always regarded as somewhat of an "outsider" (the child of an English-speaking (Catholic) mother and an Afrikaans (Protestant) father in an exclusively Afrikaans milieu) and growing up extremely poor, seeing the hardship of others and realising how much talent was going to waste, Kobus Maree took a particular interest in gifted…

Contributing editors Susan Fulgham and Michael Shaughnessy present their interview with David M. Monetti, Professor in the Department of Psychology and Counseling at Valdosta State University. Monetti teaches courses in educational psychology, learning, and measurement and evaluation. He is actively involved with the public schools as a researcher…

In this interview, Seokee Cho, the Director of the Research Center on the Education of the Gifted and Talented, discusses the implementation of gifted education in Korea, key issues in gifted education, the role personality plays in giftedness, the importance of mentors, parental involvement, ability identification, and fostering giftedness. (CR)

In this interview, Dorothy Sisk discusses gifted education, teacher education, gifted identification, encouraging gifted girls, on-line teacher education, and support services for beginning teachers, family involvement, social and emotional needs of the gifted, gifted minority students, vocational occupational awareness for gifted students,…

Discusses issues in gifted education in the context of the coming turn of the century. These include: (1) mentoring (with emphasis on problem solving and cooperation between mentor and child); (2) results of ongoing brain research comparing gifted and regular students; and (3) the increasing importance of technology and computers in education of…

Even for gifted students, the writing process resulting in an effective composition is a complex one, often overlooked in gifted education. The process begins with expressive writing, wherein the writer explores ideas and tries to find a focus. Subsets in the writing process include inventing, gathering outside materials, drafting, and revising…

Ellen Winner is a psychologist and a professor at Boston College. She specializes in psychology of art. In this interview, she answers the following questions including: (1) What are you currently working on, researching? (2) Could you elaborate on the intrinsic value of art education? (3) How might you compare your work today to earlier advocates…

This paper reviews Lev Vygotsky's theories concerning optimizing of potential through assistance, support, or instruction. The paper notes that there is a "zone of proximal development" or a band around intelligence quotient (IQ) scores reflecting one's true potential. IQ tests are generally well-standardized and "static,"…

Robert J. Sternberg, director of the Center for the Psychology of Abilities, Competencies, and Expertise, reviews current concerns regarding giftedness and reflects on his work. He laments the use of programs whose efficacy has not been shown and stresses the need to identify giftedness in all its forms. (CR)