A Design Based Study: Characteristics of Differentiated Tasks for Mathematically Gifted Students

Abstract

Nowadays, the necessity of designing proper differentiated tasks for mathematically gifted students is a remarkable subject in international literature and practice. In this design-based study, it was aimed to analyze and construct characteristics for designing differentiated tasks of mathematically gifted students. Through this design process, preliminary and prototyping phases were used as a general framework to reveal these characteristics as design principles of the study. Literature reviews, experiences of practitioners and needs analysis studies about suggestions and key points reflecting the characteristics of differentiated tasks were conducted in preliminary research phase. After this phase, initial form of differentiated tasks with draft design principles were applied in classrooms in try-outs and field test with 12 mathematically gifted students and 4 mathematics teachers of these classrooms. The data obtained through qualitative methods lead to three categories; initial design principles as characteristics obtained through preliminary phase, modifications for tasks, and final design principles as characteristics obtained through prototyping phase.

Investigating the status of highly able students through the lens of the Lebanese national policy and the mathematics and science centralized curricula and textbooks

“…The common pedagogical approaches are test-centered and mostly utilize traditional instruction and rote learning (Frayha, 2009), with limited attention to interactive and inquiry-based learning practices, especially in the mathematics and science classrooms (BouJaoude & El-Hage 2016;Salloum & BouJaoude, 2019). Most models for educating the highly able advocate a constructivist approach to teaching and learning, whereby problem-solving, creativity and discovery are underscored (Maker et al, 2006;Ozdemir & Bostan, 2021). Alternatively, traditional learning environments could be 'restrictive' and may suppress students' further inquiry, motivation, and desire to learn.…”

“…Highly able students require differentiated educational services to enable them to excel and reach their full potential (Henderson, 2006;Kaplan, 2009;Ozdemir & Bostan, 2021). In addition, many researchers have forewarned about the consequences of not providing them with enough educational challenge (Maker & Shiever, 2010;Pfeiffer, 2013).…”

Through Their Eyes: Gifted Students’ Views on Integrating History of Mathematics Embedded Videos Into Mathematics Classrooms

“…As far as mathematics education provided for gifted students is concerned, providing an education in the quality of making gifted students think about mathematics, teaching them mathematics in detail, and improving their creativity, meta-cognitive, and abstract skills are necessary (Aygün, 2010). Gifted students should be able to explore the relations of mathematics with other disciplines in daily life using the history of mathematics (Ozdemir, 2016). In that sense, history is a vehicle to reflect the nature of mathematics as a socio-cultural process, and history is also a possible way to conceive and make gifted students understand mathematical concepts (Michalowicz et al, 2000).…”

The Needs of Gifted Middle School Students for Developing an Effective Mathematics Program

“…According to the National Association for Gifted Children (2014), gifted students constitute nearly 6% of the overall student population and have special skills and needs that necessitate curricular modifications (Assouline & Lupkowski-Shoplik, 2011;Ozdemir & Isiksal-Bostan, 2021;Winebrenner & Brulles, 2012). Many countries in the world have shown mixed attitudes towards gifted students and their education throughout the years.…”

“…The common belief is that gifted students would develop their extraordinary abilities and lead societies, even if they did not get the necessary training. Although there are various perspectives on whether gifted students receive training in the same class as their regular peers or in a separate class, the opinion that these students need a qualitatively distinct program outside of the standard curriculum to satisfy their unique learning demands is widely accepted (Chan, 2001;Ozdemir & Isiksal-Bostan, 2021;VanTassel-Baska & Stambaugh, 2005).…”