In this article, the author talks about the normal curve of intelligence which he thinks is flawed and contends that wrong conclusions have been drawn based on this spurious normal curve. An example is that of racial and ethnic differences wherein some authors maintain that some ethnic and racial groups are clearly superior to others based on…

The University of Pennsylvania places great emphasis on talent management, specifically on attracting and retaining top-notch people. One way it accomplishes this is by offering several avenues by which its employees can further their careers. Penn's large, decentralized structure provides significant opportunities for career growth; however,…

Human capital planning is an important tool in predicting future talent needs and sustaining organizational excellence over the long term. This article examines the concept of human capital planning and outlines how institutions can use HCP to identify the type and number of talent needed both now and in the future, recognize and prioritize talent…

For years, scores on IQ tests and standardized achievement tests were the principal means for determining whether or not persons were gifted. Early literature often referred to them as fluent, flexible, original, and elaborate thinkers; as persons who were extremely curious, sensitive, attracted to aesthetic values; and as individuals who could…

The shortfall of young people, particularly women, in the field of Science, Mathematics and Engineering (SME) has been shown in many national studies. Schreiner and Sjoberg (2007) indicated that boys outnumber girls in physics and engineering studies, while the gender balance is shifted towards the girls in studies including medicine, veterinary…

For more than 30 years, underrepresentation of certain racial, cultural, and income groups in gifted and talented programs has been documented as a serious problem. Not only does this issue make gifted programs appear as if they are designed solely for upper class, dominant-culture individuals, but it also means that talented students from diverse…

The researcher's purpose in the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an Accelerated Mathematics Program (AMPS) for sixth and seventh grades, using the accelerative practice of curriculum telescoping in a rural school district in North Carolina. The mathematics achievement of students served in the locally developed Accelerated Mathematics…

This article includes an introduction to the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM), with its three components: a total talent portfolio for each child, curriculum differentiation and modification, and enrichment opportunities from the Enrichment Triad Model. Also included is a brief history of the SEM and a summary of 30 years of research underlying…

Positive psychology is a deliberate correction to the focus of psychology on problems. Positive psychology does not deny the difficulties that people may experience but does suggest that sole attention to disorder leads to an incomplete view of the human condition. Positive psychologists concern themselves with four major topics: (1) positive…

There is a fallacy about identifying gifted and talented children and youth that refuses to go away: It is the notion that a single score is "sufficient" for determining giftedness. In this article, the author addresses several reasons for the longevity and ubiquity of this myth, as well as the data that call the myth into question. These include…

Cassidy, a talented artist in my third-grade classroom, struggled with classroom assignments. It's not that she wasn't capable of high-level work, but tasks such as spelling tests, arithmetic practice, and test preparation worksheets were making for a very unhappy child. Cassidy was consistently eager to participate in learning activities that had…

In metro Milwaukee, as a part of the WIRED Initiative, the Regional Workforce Alliance (RWA)--a collaboration of organizations representing workforce development, economic development and education across southeast Wisconsin--has established the framework for pursuing the local talent dividend goal and a regional strategy for increasing…

The present study sought to uncover relationships between the personal characteristics of teachers and their preferences for models of teaching. A purposeful sample included 12 elementary instructors of heterogeneous classes with a cluster of gifted students in urban school districts within Southern California, all of who were participants in a…

In the 1950s Terman summarized the results of his longitudinal study of the gifted and compared the "life success" of the 150 most successful men (Group A) with the 150 least successful men (Group C) at the midpoint of their careers (age 30). The objective of this article is to replicate the original Terman work with a modern sample of the most…

This study investigated whether adolescents' appraisals of their education-related goals change during the transition from comprehensive school to postcomprehensive secondary education (academic vs. vocational track) and how such appraisals contribute to their self-esteem. Six hundred and seven 16-year-old adolescents were surveyed three times:…