This study aims to examine in depth the argumentation-based inquiry experiences of teachers working in Science and Art Centres (BILSEM) in developing the scientific thinking skills of gifted students. In Turkey, the institutions that enable gifted students to be identified and receive support education in addition to formal education institutions are called BILSEM. In these institutions, gifted students are raised as productive, problem-solving, self-actualised individuals who combine scientific behaviours and thoughts with aesthetic values. By recognising gifted students' skills, talents, and creativity at an early age, they are supported in using these elements accurately and at the highest level. In BILSEM institutions, projects are carried out for students to gain creative thinking, discovery, invention, leadership, communication and artistic skills, interdisciplinary thinking, solving problems and meeting the foreseen needs by having scientific working discipline in line with their special talents. The teachers working here are selected based on their success and experience. BILSEM teachers are expected to have at least three years of teaching experience in their field and receive at least 30 hours of in-service training on gifted education. In addition, teachers are expected to have an education degree, award, foreign language knowledge, project and scientific publication.

BILSEM institutions support argumentation-based questioning in the education process by its vision. Argumentation-based inquiry falls within this definition as a strategy that allows students to formulate claims or explanations about scientific problems, debate them with peers, gather information, and utilise evidence to support them. Argumentation-based inquiry is an approach used for students to acquire 21st-century skills. In this study, the experiences of BILSEM teachers regarding argumentation-based inquiry, which has taken place in the literature in the context of developing 21st-century skills of gifted students, aroused curiosity. For this reason, the study aimed to determine the experiences of BILSEM teachers by focusing on the implementation, benefits and difficulties of the argumentation-based inquiry approach.

Among the qualitative research methods, the phenomenology approach will be utilised. The research study group is planned to consist of 10 BILSEM teachers. The research data will be collected through semi-structured interviews, and the data obtained will be analysed through content analysis. In the process of developing the scientific thinking skills of gifted students in the research, it is considered critical in the context of the dissemination of the vital practices that will emerge with the argumentation-based inquiry experiences of BILSEM teachers in the process of developing the scientific thinking skills of gifted students and the inclusion of the strategies to be used to overcome the difficulties in both pre-service and in-service teacher training. Therefore, the results of this study will guide researchers and teachers.

Keywords: Scientific thinking skills, gifted students, teacher education, 21st century skills.