Gifted students’ experiences with participation in enrichment programs at talent centers in Norway

Abstract

Gifted students may be at risk of school disengagement due to lacking intellectual challenges. Four talent centers were established to offer makerspace enrichment programs, because makerspace activities promote engagement and science, mathematics, and technology learning. In the current study, we investigated gifted students’ experiences with makerspace enrichment programs in Norway in terms of social aspects, learning aspects and teacher support aspects. We conducted semistructured interviews with 15 participants (15–16 years) from four different talent centers across the country. Findings suggested that the informants had an overall positive experience of participation and that most were more engaged at talent centers than at their home schools. In addition, the makerspace approaches seemed to suit gifted learners’ need for more complex subject content and facilitate interaction with peers and teachers with similar content knowledge/interest. We concluded that makerspace activities at talent centers constitute an important supplement to ordinary school for gifted students.