A cluster concept for giftedness, creativity, and situated cognition

Many definitions exist to define giftedness. A common denominator in these definitions is that they are ‘classical theories of concepts’ based on a set of necessary and sufficient conditions. As a result, a clear borderline is drawn between those belonging to the category and those outside, supposedly making identification of gifted students easy. In this article, a new way of defining giftedness is suggested by a cluster concept. In addition, the article argues that giftedness is situated - a property of the individual in the environment. These two factors are judged to have significance for understanding giftedness in relation to students who are at risk of being left without provision, such as creative students who perform well in a practical setting. Above all, the paper challenges the idea of provision being based on identification which is based on definition. Instead, it is argued that identification should take place within provision.