This document discusses Academic Talent Development at MyPal, an online school focused on personalized learning in math and computer science for gifted and talented students. It outlines how the internet has changed learning and why subjects like math and computer science are important. MyPal provides an online, learner-centric model to give students control over their learning. The school partners with other institutions globally to provide teacher training, student summer programs, and recognition of excellence in talent development. The goal is to identify and cultivate talents in students beyond just intelligence through psychological strength training and coaching.

1. Academic Talent Development at MyPal
- Personalized Learning in Math and Computer Science
for Gifted / Talented Students
DV Satya Kumar
CKO, MyPal Online School LLC
Knowledge Seminar
31st October, 2013

2. Learning Environment has Changed
• Internet and Communications Technologies (ICT) has affected
Services based Industries such as Banking, Financial
Services, Insurance, Aviation etc
• It is yet to impact the most basic service in any Society –
Education
• Education and how we learn will change fundamentally in 21st
Century like the invention of printing press by Guttenberg in
the medieval times
• Signs of change are evident from how online courses are
impacting Higher Education

3. Learner Centric Model of MyPal
The Role of the Teacher is like a facilitator / co-learner in today’s
resource rich learning environment

4. What is Personalized Learning?
• MyPal is an acronym for My Project Active
Learning. In active learning the learner has
control over all the work, the learning
resources, how to access them and when and
where to use them. Active learning occurs in
classrooms through projects and group
discussions whereas in a digital world and
internet space, active learning acquires a
different dimension and a whole new
meaning.

5. Why Math and Computer Science?
• The field Computer Science and Programming
which was once thought of as a useful tool
that supports various core subjects of
science, mathematics and engineering but has
now emerged as core subject on its own.
• Jeannette Wing, Professor of Computer
Science at Carnegie Mellon University, said “It
represents a universally applicable attitude
and skill set everyone, not just computer
scientists, would be eager to learn and use”.

6. Why Math and Computer Science?
• A Mathematician’s Lament: How Schools
cheat us out of the most fascinating and
imaginative art form, by Paul Lockhart
• Keith Devlin, Stanford Math Professor said “'it
should be obligatory reading for anyone going
into mathematics education, for every parent
of a school aged child and for every school
and government official with responsibilities
towards mathematics education”.

7. Why MyPal is Online?
• Gifted / Talented students come from
• different geographical regions
• different economic backgrounds
• need acceleration courses to supplement school
curriculum
• Using technology for teaching as it is natural
to those born into technology
• Work with Schools and Teachers for training
them to meet the needs of today’s learners
• Create a country wide impact in educating the

8. Knowledge Partnerships with
Schools
• It is very challenging for the boards (like CBSE, ICSE, etc.) or
the schools to cater to the accelerated learning needs of
gifted / talented students.
• MyPal Online School plans Knowledge Partnerships with
schools with Personalized Learning.
• Global Professional Development for Teachers can be
facilitated through online courses of University of Iowa’s
College of Education.
• MyPal’s partner Institute of Mathematics and Computer
Science (IMACS), USA, designs courses specially for gifted and
talented students who have been placed in Universities like
Stanford, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Yale etc.

9. Global Professional
Development
Recognition of Excellence in Talent Development
• MyPal will facilitate Teachers/Educators in
India to enroll and to obtain “Recognition
of Excellence in Talent Development”
which consists of 18 semester hours of
course work which is
online, convenient, challenging and
rewarding. Maximum time allowed to
complete all requirements is 5 years.
• The Global Professional Development
concentration is designed to provide

10. Summer Camps in USA
• MyPal will identify, counsel and facilitate talented
students in Indian schools to attend prestigious
international Summer Programs designed
especially for Gifted / Talented students at
• - John Hopkins University, Center for Talented
Youth (CTY),
• - Stanford University’s Education Program for
Gifted Youth (EPGY),
• - Northwestern University’s Center for Talent
Development (CTD),
• - Duke University’s Talent Identification Program
(TIP)

11. Beyond Genes and IQ
• Outstanding academic achievement requires more than intellectual ability
• High levels of task commitment
• A positive growth mindset
• Psychological characteristics such as task persistence, creativity, and
motivation are as important to creative productivity as is intellectual or
academic ability and these characteristics should be sought out and
cultivated in school programs
• Elite sport and performing arts programs are exemplary in combining
identification on the basis of demonstrated ability with the honing of
talents through psychological strength training and coaching

12. Thank You
• DV Satya Kumar
• dvsk@ssael.co.in or dvsk@mypalonline.com
• http://www.linkedin.com/in/satyakumarsolarindia
• https://www.facebook.com/satyakumar.dv
• https://twitter.com/DVSatyaKumar