South Korean University Lecturers’ Opinions About Initial Teacher Education in Gifted Education

Despite the importance of initial teacher training, no primary education courses in South Korean universities provide a compulsory course in gifted education and elective courses are limited. Individual in-depth interviews with seven lecturers of gifted education courses were conducted to elicit their opinions about initial teacher education in gifted education. The lecturer interviewees suggested that there should be more of an emphasis on gifted education in initial teacher education programs. They also emphasized the importance of practical teaching experience with gifted students. The expansion of initial teacher education in gifted education in South Korea has the potential to improve preservice teachers’ understanding gifted students, ultimately improving the outcomes of this population.