Persson (2012a) correctly raises the question of how cultural biases may impact giftedness research. He alludes to East-West differences in perceptions of creativity and ways that the collectivist-individualistic approaches may lead to differences in creativity perception. In this commentary, the authors discuss different approaches, and attempt…

In this article, the authors share their experiences and reflections on their trip to Saudi Arabia as participants of a 3-day workshop on giftedness sponsored by King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba). Delisle states that the trip to Saudi Arabia made him realize the importance of firsthand knowledge…

In this essay I examine what it could mean to act courageously in the midst of the troubling, disabling degree of standardization taking hold in schools. What does it take to express what I call "everyday courage"? First, there are no guarantees that one's good work will produce the outcomes one desires and is committed to realizing. I call this…

This commentary looks at the contributions and future research implications of the four articles in this Special Issue of "Thinking Skills and Creativity" to the fields of creativity and creativity education, both in culture-specific and culture-general terms. The articles included in this Special Issue draw attention to issues of…

This paper examines the nature and evaluation of creative behavior, tracing the origins of creativity research and developing an interdisciplinary framework for such research. The first part of the paper is devoted to identifying the nature of some common misconceptions regarding the nature and evaluation of creative behaviors, and tracing their…

The author describes the events that convinced him of the central role of creativity in identification of gifted and talented students. He suggests five policies and procedures, including the need for evaluating multiple talents and for considering the kinds of excellence valued by the child's culture or subculture. (CL)

In considering an ethnographic perspective on creativity research, this article briefly discusses and reviews sample studies on (1) the cultural context of creativity, (2) creativity and cultural transmission and transformation, and (3) creativity in the context of cultural anthropology. (DB)

The growing dominance of the creative economy challenges cities and regions to move beyond the impulse toward "big ticket" economic development strategies like stadiums and convention centres and consider increased support for community-level strategies that encourage social and cultural diversity. Vibrant street scenes, eclectic…

In Scandinavian countries a relatively large percentage of the population is actively engaged in literary pursuits, and there is consensus that creative writers warrant public support. The history and importance of Scandinavian literature are examined. (RM)

No one program can meet the needs of gifted and talented students with diverse cultural influences, learning styles, developmental stages, and creative requirements. (CL)

Addresses issues concerned with the investigation of creativity across various human cultures, including data collection from a limited cultural base, a three-level approach to cross-cultural studies of creativity, identification of basic cultural paradigms characteristic of a specific culture, and barriers to mature cross-cultural relativism. (DB)

Advocates a new sentimental education that recognizes our migrant condition of double consciousness as a normal outcome of creativity and flexibility that plays between the different languages and cultures. (Author/VWL)

A review of research on children's symbolic play discusses ways for teachers to (1) defend the inclusion of play in the curriculum; (2) understand and respect differences in the ways children play; and (3) facilitate play in the classroom. Discusses the complexity of play and the controversy about play as part of the curriculum. (GLR)

The goals of education are literacy, intellectual development, aesthetic perception and creativity, cultural and cross-cultural understanding, and self-realization. How the arts can foster each of these goals is discussed. (RM)

This collection of 64 papers from a 1997 international conference of special educators focuses on the challenges of diversity in education. Topics of the papers include: (1) assessment strategies for individuals with autism; (2) self-determination strategies for at-risk youth with learning, behavior, and emotional disabilities; (3) developing…