1. A Comprehensive Talent
Development Model
- Confluence of Psychology and Pedagogy
DV Satya Kumar
CKO, MyPal Online School LLC
Knowledge Seminar
31st October, 2013

2. I know so much that I don’t know where to begin !

3. Is intelligence in the genes or can it
be developed ?
“Some philosophers seem to have given their
moral approval to deplorable verdicts that affirm
that the intelligence of an individual is a fixed
quantity, a quantity that cannot be augmented. We
must protest and react against this brutal
pessimism; we have to try and demonstrate that it
is founded on nothing.”
- Alfred Binet, inventor of the first IQ test

4. Over 100 years research later …
Modern Psychological Science vindicates Binet’s
assertion and holds that abilities are malleable and
that practice, commitment and effort and
psychological strengths such as mental skills,
persistence etc play an important role in talent
development.

5. Some Views on Academic Talent Development
• Renzulli (1978) defined giftedness as a dynamic interaction
among three traits – above average abilities, high levels of
task commitment, and high levels of creativity.
• Carol Dweck, 2006, in her book “Mindset, the New Psychology
of Success” explores the idea that it is the mindset we
approach issues with that bring success rather than ‘talent’ or
‘intelligence’ alone.
• Rena F. Subotnik, Paula Olszewski-Kubilius, and Frank C.
Worrell - a monograph article published 2011 in Psychological
Science titled ‘Rethinking Giftedness and Gifted Education: A
Proposed Direction Forward Based on Psychological Science’.

6. Dr Carol Dweck

7. PoP Quiz
Albert Einstein won the Noble Prize for ……..

8. Talent Development Model
Rena F. Subotnik, Paula Olszewski-Kubilius, and Frank C. Worrell,
(2011)

9. Talent Development Model
Two Stage Process – Talent Identification and Talent Development
abilities
matter, doma
ins of talent
have varying
development
al trajectories
opportunities
need to be
provided to
young people
and taken by
them as well
psychological
strength
training is as
important as
content and
skill
instruction
and practice
in a talent
area
eminence is
the aspired
outcome of
TALENT /
GIFTEDNESS

10. Accelerated Talent Development …
Arvind Mahankali, a 13year old from NY wins the Scripps
National Speliing Bee Contest. Over four years, Arvind
spent more than 5,000 hours studying more than 300,000
words.
Rohan Agarwal who is not even a teenager and is building
Robots for OLogic in California. The VP Engg of OLogic was
quoted "The challenge for us was keeping one to two steps
ahead of him and keeping him busy.”
Sushma Verma, a thirteen-year-old child prodigy has made
it to the MSc Microbiology course at Lucknow University.
Her Father is a daily wage earner.

11. Talent Development Process
Identify
Talent
Develop
Talent
Formal and
informal processes
of talent
identification
Continuous
targeting of precursors to domain
specific talent
Instruct, guide
and encourage
Provide
opportunities for
systematic and
targeted efforts

12. Schoolhouse giftedness Vs
Creative Productive giftedness
Renzulli distinguished between schoolhouse giftedness
(manifested by high test scores) and creative productive
giftedness (manifested in recognized high level performance and
innovative ideas).
Teachers with high levels of content knowledge and technical
expertise are needed even at the earliest levels of education or
training to meet the needs of young, very advanced children.
Understanding talent development trajectories in different fields
is critical so that windows of opportunity for talent identification
and talent development are not missed.

13. Power of ‘Yet’
A Take Home to develop a POSITIVE MINDSET in yourself & your kids
Set limits to control what you buy and what you keep

14. Q&A