Technology and the Gifted Adolescent: Higher Order Thinking, 21st Century Literacy, and the Digital Native

Today’s adolescent is a native in a digital world to which adults can only hope to immigrate (Prensky, 2001). Students live in a world of instant communication, infinite information, and ever-changing technology. It is crucial that schools prepare their students for a 21st century literacy that goes beyond reading and writing text. Today’s literate individual utilizes higher order thinking, is creative, is at ease with technology, and can work collaboratively. Gifted students typically possess skills that are particularly effective with and enhanced by current technology, and it is incumbent upon educators of the gifted to incorporate technology within instructional practices. Benefits of applying constructivist theory and technology to teaching gifted adolescents as well as an example lesson plan are provided to illustrate successful use of technology with gifted middle school students