Empowering Gifted Students as Environmental Change Agents: A Transformational Education Model

Abstract

According to Sternberg (2020), transformational giftedness is the ability to enact enduring, significant, and constructive societal change. Gifted individuals can substantially influence environmental and sustainability issues, which are increasingly critical. Current study examined the practices of 9th-grade gifted students and their teachers to increase environmental awareness in 5th and 6th-grade gifted students. Drawing on Sternberg’s concept of “other transformational giftedness,” the research emphasizes high school students leading initiatives to improve younger students’ understanding of environmental challenges. A simultaneous nested mixed methods research model was adopted in the current study. In the eight-week study, environmental education activities planned by talented high school students, educators, and experts were implemented. Gifted students raised awareness among their peers about the greenhouse effect, the causes of global warming, and environmental pollution. Both qualitative and quantitative data confirmed the program’s success in boosting environmental consciousness through peer-led efforts. The model highlights interdisciplinary, interactive methods to foster transformational giftedness and address global issues.