Construction of a theoretical model based on the systems approach and stakeholder interaction in gifted education

Purpose: The education of gifted students requires a holistic approach that encompasses the complex interactions among various stakeholders such as students, teachers, parents, school administrators, and field experts. Despite the increasing attention to the needs of gifted students in recent years and the implementation of various educational models, significant challenges remain in ensuring effective collaboration among stakeholders and systemic integrity. At the core of these challenges lies an insufficient theoretical understanding of the interactions among stakeholders during the education process of gifted students. The aim of this study is to examine the interactions among students, teachers, parents, administrators, and field experts in the educational process of gifted students at the primary school level within the framework of a systems approach and to develop an original theory that explains gifted education based on stakeholder interactions. Method: The grounded theory approach, one of the qualitative research designs, was adopted in this study. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured inter-views conducted with gifted students, their parents, teachers, administrators, and field experts. In addition, relevant national policy documents were analyzed. Participants were selected through purposive and theoretical sampling until theoretical saturation was reached. The collected data were analyzed using initial, focused, and theoretical coding, along with the constant comparative method. Each data set was compared with the others, and a theory grounded in the data was constructed. Results: The "Systemic Interaction Model in Gifted Education" (ÖYESİM) theo-ry developed in this study reveals that the educational process of gifted students is shaped by multi-layered and dynamic interactions among stakeholders. The findings demonstrate that the quality and effectiveness of gifted education are directly related to transparent, collaborative communication among students, teachers, parents, and administrators. Moreover, it was determined that systemic thinking, a culture of collaboration, and clarity of roles are critically important for overcoming the challenges encountered in gifted education. The study shows that stakeholder interactions are not independent of each other; the actions of each stakeholder occur within a dynamic network structure that can influence the entire system. In this context, the ÖYESİM model offers a theoretical framework that explains the systemic and dynamic relationships in gifted education. Conclusion and Suggestions: This study highlights the importance of multi-stakeholder interaction in the gifted education process. In addition, it introduces a systems approach-based theory that can guide both policy and practice. The findings indicate that strengthening communication among stakeholders and adopting a systemic perspective are critical for improving the educational experiences and outcomes of gifted students. The developed ÖYESİM theory also offers significant implications for future research, educational practice, and policy development in the field.