| Territory | Czech rep. / Europe |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 |
| Website | [2] |
Talnet is a Czech educational project that focuses on the development of gifted and motivated children. The mentioned project was established under aegis of Charles University Prague and aims to educate extraordinary gifted children in natural sciences area. Talented kids needs individual treatment to identification of themselves and their gift's development. Such program, which would deal these goals, is needed. That's why the program Talnet creates a space in the online platform, where its student could meet, discuss the topics they've found interesting ones. In addition, such possibility is there not only with the other Talnet students - with the experts as well. TalnetSpace – online platform of Talnet communication – lets connect students and pupils according to their goals and interests.
Talnet develops also network among partners abroad and seeks the other groups in the world which aims are similar to the Talnet's one - the education of extraordinary gifted students. The main effort is given to the students' meeting across boardings. Thus the meeting has two stages: at first students explore online activities and learn the communication, secondly they meet each other at interesting places of the connected countries.
Talnet aims also pupils', parents and teachers' education. This way, Talnet helps them to find out the gift among all the pupils in the class and support them sufficiently. The organisation uses international knowledge and continues in well-known contests and activities special prepared for students with natural science interests. Talnet cooperates with a group of psychologists, who at the beginning and during the pupils' online study watch the gifted young persons in their developing and consulate their personal problems with them.
"Talnet offers the whole structure of educational and exploring activities to children who are recommended by their teachers or psychologists. Activities differ in topic, forms (face to face, blended, online) teaching approach, work load, complexity and applicability. We prefer active participation of children and youth in rich learning environment according to the results of psycho-diagnostics tests. Since the beginning of the project we have confirmed that many gifted children need more and more challenging, e.g. demanding and complex, activities. The level of challenge may be perceived in many different aspects such as subject, problem solving, creativity, production and social aspects etc. The main purpose of international activities is offering gifted youth further opportunities for development of their competencies and extending the offer of authentic educational and social activities."[1]
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