Giftedness from an Indigenous Perspecitve

One of the biggest challenges for the field of gifted education is to ensure that our identification procedures, programs, curriculum models, and educational practices are: 1. supported by the best research evidence available; 2. inclusive of all social and cultural groups; and, 3. respectful of different knowledge and belief systems. Giftedness is not a static construct. Over the course of the twentieth century, we have observed a shift from views that conflated giftedness with IQ to the broader and dynamic perspectives reflected in Gagné’s (2003) Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent, Sternberg’s (2003) model of successful intelligence, Gardner’s (1983) theory of Multiple Intelligences, and Ziegler’s (2005) Actiotope Model of Giftedness. Percentages of the population that may be regarded as gifted have likewise shifted from around 2% to 10%. A key message in this broadened and dynamic view of giftedness is that potential needs to be cultivated. In Australia and New Zealand, Gagné’s model has been widely adopted in state and school policies and has been useful in drawing to the attention of educators, the need to provide conducive environments for talent to flourish. Sadly, giftedness is still viewed in many quarters as an elitist undertaking, which does not sit well with egalitarian nations such as Australia and New Zealand. While giftedness, by definition, exists equally in all populations, we are still a long way from recognising this in practice. Indigenous students comprise one group that is still underYrepresented in educational programs for gifted students. This collection of papers focuses the spotlight on giftedness in indigenous populations.