VR4GIFTED Experiential Learning and Virtual Reality on Gifted Education

General Aim

The project aims at rendering prospective primary teachers capable of dealing with the complex demands of the education of gifted and talented students in inclusive classrooms. Prospective teachers who will be trained in the project’s context will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with teaching strategies for gifted learners in learning environments in which traditional instruction is combined with experiential learning and use of virtual reality. This combination may create rich learning experiences that can serve as paradigms for the education of gifted learners.

Specific Objectives

The development of a training curriculum – syllabus titled “Classroom management and teaching strategies for gifted and talented children in inclusive classrooms” The production of appropriate virtual reality resources, which will facilitate experiential learning.

INTELECTUAL OUTPUTS

Μajor intellectual outputs of the project will be:

(a) A training curriculum – syllabus for familiarizing prospective primary teachers with the details of inclusive gifted education. Modern teaching strategies will be used for implementing the curriculum, with “experiential learning” playing the pivotal role.

Key components of the training curriculum will be:

-Nature of giftedness and characteristics of gifted and talented students (advantages and disadvantages)

-Underachievement of gifted students

-Strategies for implementing gifted and talented education (development of emotional, cognitive and social skills)

-Types of gifted and talented education and the importance of inclusive education

-Instructional management of inclusive gifted education (scenarios of inclusive practice for gifted and talented learners)

Specific foci of the training curriculum will be:

-Embracing diversity and implementing inclusion

-Differentiated instruction

-Curriculum enrichment

-Curriculum compacting

-Tiered assignments

-Specialized grading criteria

(b) VR resources, utilizing scenarios of gifted students facing difficulties with proper functioning in ordinary classrooms, and requiring inclusive education.

Prospective teachers’ knowledge on inclusive gifted education will be evaluated before the beginning and upon the closure of the training program, in order for effectiveness of the program to be decided.