The training of teachers for a meaningful use of all that contemporary technology offers to developing curriculum requires constant vigilance, experimentation, innovation, revision and updating. The lifestyle of today's gifted students includes a range of ever-unfolding technologies, such as text messaging, blogging, social networking, personal webpages, video pods, streamed television, online textbooks, online knowledge base, web searching, presentation tools, desktop publishing, graphics infused in word processing, simulations and complex gaming. At the same time, the technology literacy of most teachers is in 'catch-up mode' with constant retraining about how to provide curricula that includes webquests, virtual field trips, virtual passports, interactive maps (Google Earth) and webliography (TrackStar), presented in diverse formats.

choice and perceptio n of control: the effect of a thinking skills program on the locus of control, self-conce pt and creativity of gifted students Abstract Thinking skills programs incorporate a range of objectives, including self-management of learning; independent thinking; effective problem-solving; increased creativity; increased accuracy; decreased rashness of judgement (de Bono, 1976). Implicit within many of these objectives is motivation to learn, both in terms of choice to participate and the way in which learning is structured within the program itself. This study aimed to investigate two levels of choice and control of learning: choice to participate (nominated and self-directed) and level of structure within the program (prestructured and flexibly structured)-serving as independent variables. A Block Design was used with the pre and post testing with random sampling and random allocation to two comparison treatments. Treatments included 10 hours exposure to COAT 1 Thinking skills (prestructured) and the Integrated Education Model (I EM) approach to thinking skills (flexibly structured). T-tests were computed on pre and post tests on dependent variables for both treatments. In the Cort 1 treatment, significant differences were found for locus of control, fluency, flexibility and originality. In the IEM treatment, significant differences were found for locus of control, fluency and flexibility. Analysis of covariance showed no significant differences between the Cort 1 treatment and the IEM treatment of posttest scores across all dependent variables after adjusting for differences on pretest scores. A two-way analysis of variance for the block design between structure of treatment and choice of participation showed a significant interaction on locus of control. Results showed that thinking skills programs can have a significant effect on locus of control but have no significant effect on self-cocept.

This article explores the role that global connections play in developing curriculum for gifted and talented students. It also examines how converging technology trends, or virtual connections, are impacting the daily lives and learning of gifted students that is accessible anywhere at any time. It also crosses boundaries, or authentic connectedness, as it examines trends in defining giftedness, particularly for marginalized groups, and the role of global and multicultural education for the gifted that includes the development of intercultural skills in gifted world citizenship. Opportunities to develop creative productivity through international service learning are explored.A review of technology trends indicates that we already have: intelligent search engines; virtual selves; biological monitors; new language terms; expert systems; individuals constructing information; resurgence of ethnic connections; and continuous asynchronous learning (World Future Society, 2009). This analysis examines how these current innovations have already produced social and educational changes that impact and transform the lives of our students around the world and our concepts of giftedness. Two core concepts are presented here: authentic connectedness that examines real world empathic, ethnic and social relationships that empower individuals, particularly the underserved gifted; and virtual connectedness that examines an age of conceptualization .*Email: isluti@mail.ucf.edu through converging communications technologies in virtual spaces. While connections are specific and temporary relationships, "connectedness" describes a constant state of alertness, that can either be authentic, where individuals have a sense of belonging or purpose that has personal significance and becomes part of their identity; or virtual, where the openness to interact at any time with anyone around the world in an area of interest or creative thought is possible and anticipated. The importance of these in creating a global perspective in serving gifted students and the development of skills of intercultural excellence for the 21 Century and beyond are reviewed.

It is the year 2025 and I am compiling this article for an instant VPD (videopod) that is streamed over the world. An EESR (Educational Expert Service Request) came from an empathetic computer HIAS (Hi, I am Sam) that matched my qualifications with a quest by online activists SFT (Searching for Truth) to examine global interactions in education. This online SFT think tank is examining brilliance in action with ideas generated through WCN (wireless communications networks) in their brains. I have consulted and updated my IM (I am) virtual self that contains my visual image and bodily movements with facial expressions, having internalized video images with my values and actions, and monitored my biological rhythms. My IM will present my best contemporary self via a virtual social network system with a database of my past interactions and intelligent decisions. I have spoken certain words: gifted students; global issues; sustainability; social change, etc. The intelligent search site has screened millions of information bits from journal articles, research studies, multimedia presentations and contemporary thought; related this to my previous compilations; compared this with other expert trends in thoughts and compiled my VPD. My global (and galactic) audience

The Schmerenbeck Multi-Racial Educational Centre provides extra-mural enrichment to challenge gifted and talented children. In terms of a broader concept of identification, the Centre differentiated a Creative Arts Programme for talented children which has been in operation since 1983. This aims to extend children beyond their technical competence to develop creative excellence; to encourage psychological growth in developing perceptual, cultural, social and self-awareness; to develop aesthetic judgement, critical thinking and self-evaluation; and to develop metacognitive processes.The design of the programme includes workshops in several art disciplines (fine art, dance, music, drama, writing, etc.); Integrative Courses (Communication, Study, Thinking, Research Skills); and Integrated Art (Creativity) workshops. This paper discusses the nature and development of creative thinking in relation to expression and communication in the arts based on the results of an evaluation study of an Integrated Arts Programme. In the Integrated Arts Workshops, professional artists and teachers are brought into contact with groups of talented children to give exposure, encourage participation and develop understanding of the nature of creative thinking as expressed through different art forms. Herein, a concept or idea, initiated by the children, is explored through sensory stimulation (developing perceptual skills); through creative problem-solving (developing cognitive processes); and through reflection (developing affective processes).