Cultivating Hope, Meaning, and Social Connectedness in Gifted Learners: Implications for Educators, Parents, and Policymakers

Paper

Gifted learners flourish when cognitive strengths are coupled with a clear sense of purpose, agency, and belonging. This keynote integrates research on three interrelated constructs—hope (goal-directed agency and pathways), meaning in life (significance, coherence, and purpose), and social connectedness (belonging and supportive relationships). Across studies using validated measures, gifted students demonstrate higher agency, pathways thinking, and presence of meaning than age peers, while showing a comparable drive to search for meaning. Social connectedness consistently predicts well-being, self-efficacy, and career adaptability, underscoring its role as a protective factor during schooling and life transitions. Translating evidence into practice, the keynote offers actionable strategies for educators (embedded social-emotional learning, cooperative and project-based inquiry, mentoring, and psychologically safe classrooms), parents (open communication and culturally meaningful activities that strengthen identity and family bonds), and policymakers (integrated supports for gifted and twice-exceptional learners, school–family–community partnerships, and continuous evaluation for relevance, equity, and cultural responsiveness). By intentionally cultivating hope, meaning, and connectedness, schools and systems can create stimulating and safe learning environments that advance excellence while nurturing resilience, purpose, and belonging among gifted youth across diverse cultural contexts.