Toward a Global Vision of Gifted Education: An Interview with Michael S. Matthews

Dr. Michael S. Matthews is professor and director of the Academically & Intellectually Gifted graduate programs at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is incoming Coeditor of the "Gifted Child Quarterly" and a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association for Gifted Children. Dr. Matthews also currently is chair of the special interest group Research on Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent of the American Educational Research Association. He is a former board member for the Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy, a charter school in Charlotte, North Carolina, serving highly gifted students, and has contributed to the field as a board member of the North Carolina Association for the Gifted & Talented and the Florida Association for the Gifted. Dr. Matthews' professional interests in advanced academics and gifted education include research methods; education policy; science learning; motivation and underachievement; parenting; and issues in the education of gifted and academically advanced learners from diverse backgrounds, specifically those who are English language learners. Dr. Matthews is the author or editor of five books, over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, and numerous book chapters in gifted education. He presents regularly at state, national, and international conferences in education. In this interview he discusses: (1) what lead him to the field gifted education; (2) the challenges of developing online versus traditional courses; (3) books published about science education; (4) work that has focused on talent development and identification; (5) advice for how educators can nurture global learners in the 21st century; (6) lecturing around the world; (7) where he is headed with his future research; and (8) individuals who have influenced his thinking.