Singing off the same hymn sheet? Examining coherence in a talent development pathway (part 2)

2022 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Orlaith Curran ◽  
David Passmore ◽  
Áine MacNamara
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liandi van den Berg ◽  
Petronella Jonck ◽  
Jhalukpreya Surujlal

The past two decades witnessed increased participation in professional as well as amateur sport, giving impetus to concomitant amplified interest in long-term athlete development (LTAD). LTAD has been described as the structured and progressive growth of an athlete through different stages of development resulting in some athletes achieving elite sport status. Furthermore, the interest in athletic career development from a holistic perspective has contributed to management approaches underscoring sustainable talent development and participation in sport. The current study investigated youth sports development pathways through both models of development within a South African context. A descriptive quantitative cross-sectional design was used to generate a convenient sample of athletes (N = 267). The Talent Development Environment Questionnaire (TDEQ) was administered, which in previous studies produced acceptable psychometric properties. Principal factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, Monte Carlo parallel simulation, MANOVA, and hierarchical regression were performed to analyze the data. The TDEQ was validated for the South African context and was found to measure four components, namely supportive and challenging environment, development fundamentals, support networks, and long-term development. Respondents in the various developmental categories of novice, advanced and elite student-athletes were not statistically significantly influenced by any of the four factors. Controlling for the talent developmental phase, the model proposed did not statistically significantly predict the development pathway of youth athletes. The results provide evidence with some practical significance as supportive and challenging environment and long-term development focus reported a small effect. Further research is warranted to develop a more suitable measuring instrument to measure the talent development pathway within the investigated athlete environment.


This is an interview with Dr Wilma Vialle, Ph.D, Professor in Educational Psychology and Gifted Education in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Dr Vialle is the author of several books, articles, and chapters on gifted education and child psychology. Her research interests are centred on giftedness and talent development and she is predominantly interested in issues concerning social justice. Recent research projects include an international study of effective teachers of the gifted, a longitudinal study of adolescent academic and social emotional outcomes, the development of expertise in competitive Scrabble players, popular culture and giftedness, and the development of spiritual understanding in children. Dr Vialle is the chief editor of the journal Talent Development and Excellence and is on the editorial board of several international journals. She is also on the Executive Board of the International Research Association for Talent Development and Excellence (IRATDE). In 2006, Dr Vialle was awarded the Eminent Australian award by the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented (AAEGT) for her contributions to gifted education.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 220
Author(s):  
David Yun Dai ◽  
Xian (Stella) Li

This study looks at the educational experiences, from the preschool years to advanced professional training in STEM fields, of a targeted sample of 10 (7 male, 3 female) early college entrants in China who later became professors at prestigious USA research universities. The purpose of the study was to find out (1) what some identifiable endogenous factors were about these individuals that facilitated the success of their accelerated learning and development; (2) what kinds of exogenous factors (e.g., environmental opportunities, resources, support) they experienced from childhood to adulthood that enhanced the successful acceleration experience; and (3) how these endogenous and exogenous factors facilitated their developmental transitions every step of the way, especially from the role of a student to that of an aspiring scientist. These questions are addressed in light of evolving complexity theory. Retrospective interviews were used for data collection. Thematic analysis of the codes from interview data yielded a conceptual map. A distinct set of endogenous and exogenous factors at different developmental junctures were identified, and their dynamic interplay was delineated to account for accelerated trajectories toward a scientific research career. The theoretical significance and practical implications of the study for talent development in science are discussed.


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