1. The 21st-Century Gifted and Talented Postsecondary Learner
Socioemotional Characteristics:
Issues and Strategies for Parents
The 21st-Century Gifted and Talented Postsecondary Learner
Morgan P. Appel
Director, Education Department

2. Moving Toward the Conceptual Age in the 21st Century
To survive in the Conceptual Age/Knowledge Economy requires creativity; empathy; happiness; meaning; critical thinking; problem solving; effective communication; metacognitive abilities (sound habits of mind) and collaboration – all driven by smart use of technologies.
The college experience is more than coursework grades—it is about learning to work with others in cooperative, holistic and reciprocal ways. It is about taking risks and cultivating networks of support.
Big fish do fine in small ponds but can easily become lost in the vast expanse of the open ocean.

3. Giftedness is for Life!
Although we tend to lump together high achievers, creatives and traditional gifted into one definitive category, each has distinct cognitive and socioemotional characteristics that become magnified exponentially in the postsecondary setting.
We will talk about the most relevant here, but do remember that giftedness does not begin at the end of second grade and end at high school graduation.
Thus, it is important to attend to these matters in an ongoing and progressively more sophisticated manner.

4. In Service of High Achievers
Remembers answers and needs about 6-8 repetitions to master
Alert and observant; attentive and interested
Pleased with own learning and gets high marks
Works hard to achieve, learns with ease
Is a technician with expertise in his/her field, responds with interest and opinions
Perf0rms at the top of the group and absorbs information
Is accurate and complete, memorizes well
Understands complex humor
Enjoys company of age peers
Completes assignments on time, answers questions in detail
Source: B. Kingore, High Achiever, Gifted Learner, Creative Learner. Understanding Our Gifted

5. In Service of Gifted Poses unforeseen questions and is curious
Knows without working hard and is beyond the group
Needs 1-3 repetitions for mastery
Prefers company of intellectual peers
Ponders with depth and multiple perspectives
Is intellectual and anticipates/relates observations
Infers and connects concepts
Creates complex/abstract humor and is intense
Initiates projects and extensions of assignments
Enjoys self-directed learning and is original/continually developing
Is an expert who abstracts beyond the field; guesses and infers well
Is self critical and may not be motivated by grades
Source: B. Kingore, High Achiever, Gifted Learner, Creative Learner. Understanding Our Gifted

6. In Service of Creatives
Sees exceptions and wonders
Plays with ideas and concepts
Relishes wild, off-the-wall humor
Comprehends in-depth and complex ideas
Enjoys improvisation and creating
Is his/her own group
Questions the need for mastery
Brainstorms
Intuitive
Inventor
Enjoys working alone, but the company of creative peers
Shares bizarre and often conflicting opinions
Source: B. Kingore, High Achiever, Gifted Learner, Creative Learner. Understanding Our Gifted

7. The Can-Do Curse: Multipotentiality
Leonardo da Vinci, for example
Multiple interests and abilities across domains
Capable of success in many professions
May cause stress and anxiety; confusion and over scheduling for fear of ‘missing something’
Social alienation; purposelessness; apathy and depression
Many university students compelled to choose a specialization (major) before being allowed to sample disciplines
Lack of interdisciplinary majors*
Multipotentiality or lack of decision-making skills?

8. Perfectionism/Unrealistic Expectations
Perfectionists= own worst enemies
Exaggerated expectations of self and others
Cannot forgive themselves or others/mismatched efforts
Anxiety, fear of failure and underachievement
Risk burnout and indecision (professional student/college dropout/changing majors)
Must pursue personal fulfillment (versus expectations of others)
Emphasis on particular colleges or careers (Harvard or NOTHING!)

9. Early Cognitive Maturation
Certainty in career choices ahead of other students
May actually limit pupils by forestalling exploration of interests and careers
Asked to choose careers and postsecondary institutions without sufficient information
Asynchrony: choices made with cognitive maturation, but perhaps not affective or social-emotional maturity

10. How Parents can Help
Collaborate with professionals in helping academic and career choices focus on more well-rounded lives
Be aware of expectations and pressures
Help realize that college and career aspirations change over time
Need for greater individualized counseling that is differentiated (aptitude, ability and interest)
Guidance counselors not solely responsible for career and college counseling , but rather part of a collaborative team of professionals that includes parents

11. Comments and Questions

12. Contact Information
Morgan Appel, Director Education Department UC San Diego Extension 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0170-N La Jolla, California extension.ucsd.edu/education