A research-practice cooperation to support elementary school teachers’ diagnostic competencies based on a working theory of talent development in STEM

ABSTRACT We present a teacher professionalization project for promoting elementary school teachers’ diagnostic competencies in recognizing their students’ potential in STEM subjects. Teacher professionalization is fostered through the teachers’ personal involvement in the development of subject-specific diagnostic materials as well as through continuing training on the fundamental knowledge needed to detect and support gifted students. On the basis of the Talent Development in Achievement Domains (TAD) framework, we reached a common working theory of talent and its development in mathematics and science for elementary school-aged students based on the available scientific evidence and approved by teachers. We share a multidimensional, dynamic view of talent development that includes abilities, personality traits, and skills. We describe how our working theory and diagnostic materials can foster teachers’ diagnostic competencies as well as talent discovery and promotion in order to foster students’ development of creative productivity in STEM fields.