Approaches to the development of student talent: A cross -cultural case study of three schools in developing countries

Given the proliferation of "talent development" schools and the expanded notions of talent in recent years (Gardner, 1983; 1999), this study explored talent development in three schools in developing countries. The research examined how schools with missions related to individual talent development translated this goal into educational practice. What were effective educational practices at each school, the effects of political and cultural constraints in diverse national environments, and perceived outcomes to talent development efforts? The researcher visited the Cita Buana School in Indonesia, Colegio Amor in Colombia, and the Pestalozzi School in Ecuador for three weeks each. A talent development taxonomy, adapted from a taxonomy by P. W. Jackson (1993), was designed to analyze observations, interviews and documents.;The study found a number of interventions for fostering the development individual student talent: (1) Explicit school wide practices fostering talent. (2) Presentation forums acknowledging diverse talents. (3) Pedagogical approaches reinforcing student interests. (4) Strong leadership fostering mission of talent development. (5) A harmonious school community. (6) Family and community interventions extending the school into the home. (7) Loving and respectful student-teacher relationships. (8) Attending to the psychological needs of students. These interventions manifested themselves differently at the three schools.;This investigation probed constraints to talent development in each country. Economic constraints, such as lack of resources, political constraints, such the war in Colombia, and government schools with large class sizes and archaic teaching methods blocked talent development, as did certain cultural attitudes such as gender bias. The schools overcame these constraints differently.;Outcomes at the schools overlapped: student happiness; the opportunity to practice special interests; enhanced sense of self; staying out of trouble; and desire for further education. Contrasts in approaches yielded different outcomes. One approach emphasized self-actualization; other approaches stressed preparation for work and higher education.;A holistic talent development model was proposed with four dimensions. The impact of cultural context on the approach of each school to talent development proved formidable.;The study expands the talent development literature by offering an investigation of cultural context and a holistic approach to talent development extending to family, personal development, and spiritual interventions.