Science education practices as educational capital for gifted students: A case study from Türkiye

The Actiotope Model of Giftedness conceptualizes talent development as a dynamic process shaped by interactions between learners and educational environments rich in educational capital. Guided by this perspective, this study investigates science education practices in Science and Art Centers (BİLSEMs) in Türkiye as manifestations of didactic capital supporting gifted students’ development. A qualitative case study design was employed with science teachers and gifted students from BİLSEMs selected through maximum variation sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis. The findings indicate that science education practices function as important forms of didactic capital by promoting interdisciplinary learning, higher-order thinking, and active student engagement. However, limitations were identified in supporting abstract reasoning and in facilitating the production and assessment of original student work, suggesting that some aspects of didactic capital require strengthening. Overall, the findings demonstrate the value of interpreting science education through the lens of educational capital and provide a theoretically grounded understanding of how instructional practices contribute to talent development. The study highlights the need for targeted teacher professional development, stronger support for creativity and abstract reasoning, and assessment practices that better foster gifted students’ development.