Confronting dogmatism in gifted education

"This title looks at the dogmatism that limits the perspectives of professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders in gifted education. In a field where concepts and definitions surrounding high ability have been contested for many years, there is increasing interest in clarifying these notions today. This book offers such clarity, searching outside of the predominant conceptual frameworks that dominate thinking about giftedness and talent, and examining ways in which this conceptual fog stunts and warps the development of gifted minds and limits the effectiveness of curriculum development and instruction. The book directly addresses the connection between dogmatism and high ability, exploring ways in which otherwise bright individuals can make unintelligent decisions.Each contributor in this edited collection connects educational theory with teaching practice, examining the impact of policies such as No Child Left Behind. The chapters also explore the ways in which economic, cultural, and academic contexts affect both the gifted mind and education of the highly able in America and the rest of the world, while making recommendations for positive changes that can be enacted within gifted education in the future"-- Provided by publisher. "Concepts and definitions in the field of gifted education have been unsettled and contested for many years, and interest in clarifying notions of high ability has been growing. While discussions and arguments are ongoing, most of them don't go deep enough or range broadly enough to reveal the dogmatism that limits the perspectives of professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders in gifted education. This book looks beyond the predominant conceptual frameworks that dominate thinking about giftedness and talent. Leading thinkers in the field of gifted education question fundamental assumptions about high ability and probe the larger contexts that influence gifted education. The first section of the book includes explorations of big-picture issues pertaining to fundamental assumptions about giftedness and talent. The second section addresses ways in which economic and academic contexts in today's globalized world can affect otherwise gifted minds. Section three explores the effects of these contextual influences on curriculum and instruction in the education of the highly able. Finally, a synthesis chapter analyzes patterns in the other contributions and makes recommendations for refinement of gifted education"-- Provided by publisher.