A goal of gifted education is to enable gifted children to become autonomous learners and, as adults, creative participants in society. In this study, we have implemented a program in which young children are provided with opportunities to become autonomous. The approach is based on a "pull-out" enrichment program in science. Children attend a 10-week series of workshop sessions in which the teacher scaffolds the development of science-related reasoning skills and knowledge construction in a social context that encourages discourse and argument. The children develop the appropriate skills to undertake individual or group project work in a collaborative and creative fashion. Analysis of qualitative data reveals that during the program the participants develop skills, independence and motivation to learn. The findings have significance for programming for the gifted and for teacher education.
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