PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES USED BY GIFTED SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS TO SOLVE MATH PROBLEMS

Abstract

The general purpose of this study was to determine the strategies used by gifted secondary school students in solving mathematics problems. To collect data about the problem solving strategies of the gifted students, a case study was used. The research was performed at the Science and Arts Center of Ankara Province in Turkey. The study was conducted with five 7th grade secondary school students. In the sample chosen, first, the necessary permissions were obtained from the Ministry of National Education in Turkey, and then, the random sampling method was used. A problem solving test that was developed by the researcher was used as the measurement instrument. There were 5mathematics problems in the test, and each problem was checked whether specific problem solving strategies were used or not. Additionally, problems were developed by following the objectivesof the secondary mathematics curriculum. The responsesof the students were evaluated through semi-structured interviews for each problem according to the strategies used, and field notes were taken during the semi-structured interviews by the researcher. The data were analyzed using descriptive analyses and voice thinking techniques. The results of the study revealed that the students used 8 different strategies for solving the mathematics problems. They most frequently used logical reasoning and finding pattern problem solving strategies during the solution of these problems, however the working backward and considering extreme cases strategies were never used by the gifted students.