What educational approach emphasizes the development of higher-order thinking skills among gifted students?

Inquiry-based learning is an educational approach that emphasizes the development of higher-order thinking skills, which are essential for gifted students. This method encourages students to ask questions, explore topics in depth, and engage in critical thinking and problem-solving. Rather than simply absorbing information, students actively participate in their learning by investigating concepts and collaborating with peers. This fosters creativity, promotes curiosity, and supports the application of knowledge in novel situations, which are important aspects of fostering the potential in gifted learners.

In contrast, approaches such as direct instruction only focus on imparting knowledge through a more teacher-centered model, limiting opportunities for exploration. Memorization techniques emphasize regurgitating information rather than fostering understanding or deep cognitive processing. Likewise, standardized test preparation is primarily geared towards achieving specific scores and does not necessarily cultivate the analytical or innovative thinking skills that gifted students require for advanced learning and future challenges.