Contribution of research studies to gifted education

The paper contains a review of research studies about gifted students conducted as national scientific-research projects in Serbia, with the expectation that their results can also be useful for educational systems in the region, due to similarities among Balkan countries. Results of studies related to students’, parents’ and teachers’ opinions about psychosocial characteristics of the gifted, their implicit theories of giftedness, and their attitudes toward gifted education were analyzed. Implications of the research findings for designing appropriate educational settings for the gifted and development of students’ giftedness and talents at school are discussed. In the conclusion, gifted education is related to the current social context in the region, brain-drain process, and capacity of local economies to accept gifted professionals and engage their creative capacities.Rad sadrži pregled istraživanja o darovitim učenicima koja su realizovana u okviru nacionalnih naučno-istraživačkih projekata u Srbiji, sa pretpostavkom da njihovi rezultati mogu biti od koristi i za druge obrazovne sisteme u regionu, zbog sličnosti koje postoje među zemljama Balkana. Analiziraju se ispitivanja učenika, njihovih roditelja i nastavnika o psihosocijalnim karakteristikama darovitih, implicitnim teorijama darovitosti i stavovima prema obrazovnoj podršci za darovite učenike.Diskutuju sе implikacije koje istraživački nalazi imaju za dizajniranje adekvatne obrazovne podrške za darovite učenike i razvoj darovitosti i talenata učenika u školi. U zaključku se obrazovanje darovitih učenika dovodi u vezu sa aktuelnim društvenim kontekstom u zemljama regiona, odlivom mozgova i kapacitetima lokalnih privreda da uposle darovite kadrove i angažuju njihove kreativne kapacitete.First International Conference „Excellence, education of the gifted, innovation and creativity in education and psychology“, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Hercegovina, 25th-27th October, 201