In a 2006 report, MDRC comparatively analyzed its evaluations of three comprehensive interventions -- Career Academies, First Things First, and Talent Development -- to identify strategies that address five critical challenges to reform: (1) creating a personalized and orderly learning environment; (2) assisting students who enter high school with…

How to reconcile the needs of the individual with the needs of the community is an enduring problem in the field of educational philosophy. John Dewey, for example, proclaimed the coordination between the individual and social factors as, "the ultimate problem of all education." When evaluating the dynamics of individualism versus the…

This case study explored artistic journeys of six artistically gifted middle school adolescents in rural Montana, USA, in order to ascertain the perceived level of support offered by their schools and communities, for developing their talent. Two primary questions guided the qualitative research, and related to: 1) student perceptions of personal…

Changing demographics in schools around the world have raised questions about the nature and role of gifted education programs. An intense interest in the underrepresentation of students from low-income families and minority groups in gifted education programs has caused the field to re-examine both identification and services. In this article,…

The Center on School Turnaround at WestEd has developed a framework to assist states, districts, and schools in leading and managing rapid improvement efforts. The framework shares, in practical language, the critical practices of successful school turnaround in four domains, or areas of focus, that research and experience suggest are central to…

The future of Malaysia as a high-income and competitive nation largely depends on its pool of highly skilled human capital. Hence, the issue of human capital development has taken centre stage in numerous reform agendas of Malaysia. This paper seeks to provide examples of policy initiatives aimed at facilitating the management of highly educated…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the use of sophisticated talent selection processes such as gamification and training and development interventions designed to ensure that candidates can successfully navigate the talent assessment process. Gamification is the application of game elements to non-game…

There has been much attention given to the opportunity gap between white and minority students, especially African American children. Using research and years of experience "Cultivating the Genius of Black Children" is able to break down the cultural influences on learning style and provides a practical approach to helping Black children…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to provide insight into the experiences of high-potential employees in an education sector leader development program to understand leader identity development. By examining the lived experiences of this population, specifically, how high-potential development shapes leader identity; this research may shed…

In recent months business leaders across the state have committed to a new effort to make Michigan a top ten education state by 2030. The Michigan Achieves initiative is designed to make that ambitious and urgent goal happen for "all" students in the state. These leaders know with certainty what others in Michigan are beginning to grasp:…

This paper details the psychosocial changes in a group of gifted and talented middle-years students who engaged in solving a community-based problem--the lack of a teenage-safe space in their regional Queensland town ("N"). Supported by a Knowledge Producing Schools pedagogy, the young people worked with their local council, teachers, a…

This Model State Policy Agenda aims to provide National College Access Network (NCAN) members and partners, particularly those in networks or coalitions, with a guide to develop their own policy goals. This publication discusses affordability of higher education and talent development of students.

Intermediaries--also referred to as bridge builders, boundary spanners, conveners, and other names--fill the critical role of connecting all the parties in the system to empower people with the skills required in the labor force. Those parties generally include employers, educators, workers, and prospective workers. Within these categories may…

In his work, psychologist Benjamin Bloom concluded that almost all people can learn anything if provided with the right conditions, and that when a child commits to a talent area, parents must commit as well. Author Ken Kiewra studied real-world prodigies in various domains and shares his perspective on the conditions necessary for success and on…

This paper examines the perceptions of vocational expertise and school-to-work pathways among WorldSkills Competition (WSC) achievers and their co-workers and employers within the Finnish context. At the biennial international WSC, young people (aged 18-to-23 years) from over 60 countries demonstrate their skills in more than 40 trades.…