1st Edition
Confronting Dogmatism in Gifted Education
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.
Section 1. CLEARING AWAY CONCEPTUAL FOG IN THINKING ABOUT GIFTEDNESS AND TALENT
Ch 1. Considering the Effects of Dogmatism on Giftedness and Talent Development Don Ambrose, Robert J. Sternberg, & Bharath Sriraman Ch 2. You Can’t Teach an Old Dogmatist New Tricks: Dogmatism and Gifted Education James Borland Ch 3. Dogmatism and Definitions of Giftedness, and Talent LeoNora M. Cohen Ch 4. The Nature-Nurture Debate Regarding High Potential: Beyond Dichotomous Thinking David Yun Dai Ch 5. Overcorrecting: Spinning Out and Missing Many Jean Peterson Ch 6. Dogmatism, Policy, and Gifted Students James J. Gallagher Ch 7. Equity Issues and Multiculturalism in the Under-Representation of Black Students in Gifted Education: Dogmatism at its Worst Donna Y. Ford
Section 2. SHORTSIGHTED, NARROWMINDED INDIVIDUALS AND DOGMATISM-SATURATED CONTEXTS: THE WARPING OF BRIGHT MINDS
Ch 8. The Not-So-Invisible Hand of Economics and Its Impact on Conceptions and Manifestations of High Ability Don Ambrose Ch 9. Dogmatism and the Knowledge Industry: More Accurately Assessing the Work of Gifted Scholars Bharath Sriraman Ch 10. Motivated Dogmatism and the High Ability Student Jennifer Riedl Cross & Tracy L. Cross Ch 11. Facing Influences From Dogmatic Contexts with Consciousness Work Diane Montgomery Ch 12. Dogmatic Influences Suppressing Discovery and Development of Giftedness and Talent in the Arabian Gulf and Middle Eastern Region Taisir Subhi Yamin & Don Ambrose
Section 3. COMBATTING NARROW-MINDED, SHORTSIGHTED CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, AND RESEARCH
Ch 13. Curriculum and Dogmat
Biography
Don Ambrose is Professor of Graduate Education at Rider University.
Robert J. Sternberg is Provost and Senior Vice President of Oklahoma State University.
Bharath Sriraman is Professor of Mathematics at The University of Montana.
