Olympiad participation: Problem-solving skills in mathematically gifted disadvantaged learners
Background: Gifted learners are South Africa’s future leaders and investment in the skills of disadvantaged learners would benefit the country. Objectives: This study investigated whether Olympiad participation could develop problem-solving skills in mathematically gifted disadvantaged learners. M...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2023-11-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Career Development |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ajcd.africa/index.php/ajcd/article/view/97 |
| _version_ | 1797386275442917376 |
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| author | Beccy Stones Jacobus G. Maree Joyce Jordaan |
| author_facet | Beccy Stones Jacobus G. Maree Joyce Jordaan |
| author_sort | Beccy Stones |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Gifted learners are South Africa’s future leaders and investment in the skills of disadvantaged learners would benefit the country.
Objectives: This study investigated whether Olympiad participation could develop problem-solving skills in mathematically gifted disadvantaged learners.
Methods: The methodology of the study was quantitative. A total of 100 mathematically gifted Grade 7 learners from two quintile two schools in the same disadvantaged area of South Africa were exposed either to Olympiad-style questions (South African Mathematics Challenge past papers), or traditional Department of Education worksheets. Five aspects of Study Orientation, including problem-solving behaviour, were assessed using the Study Orientation in Mathematics (SOM) before and after the intervention.
Results: The findings revealed a correlation between success in traditional mathematics and study attitude, study habits, and overall study orientation, as well as an interaction between disadvantage and success in mathematics. The intervention did not increase problem-solving skills. Participants found the Olympiad-type questions unfamiliar and difficult, which is indicative of the limited enrichment opportunities for mathematically gifted learners in disadvantaged areas of South Africa.
Conclusion: Poverty and giftedness were shown to interact: the gifted disadvantaged learners in this study were less disadvantaged by their surroundings than one would expect and conversely had higher mathematics anxiety than expected for their achievement level.
Contribution: This study highlights the need to nurture the skills of mathematically gifted disadvantaged children. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T22:07:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eaaa27d5f48547fabafbf42a534cd0ab |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2709-7420 2617-7471 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T22:07:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Career Development |
| spelling | doaj.art-eaaa27d5f48547fabafbf42a534cd0ab2023-12-19T08:28:03ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Career Development2709-74202617-74712023-11-0151e1e1210.4102/ajcd.v5i1.9753Olympiad participation: Problem-solving skills in mathematically gifted disadvantaged learnersBeccy Stones0Jacobus G. Maree1Joyce Jordaan2Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Pretoria, PretoriaDepartment of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Pretoria, PretoriaDepartment of Statistics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, PretoriaBackground: Gifted learners are South Africa’s future leaders and investment in the skills of disadvantaged learners would benefit the country. Objectives: This study investigated whether Olympiad participation could develop problem-solving skills in mathematically gifted disadvantaged learners. Methods: The methodology of the study was quantitative. A total of 100 mathematically gifted Grade 7 learners from two quintile two schools in the same disadvantaged area of South Africa were exposed either to Olympiad-style questions (South African Mathematics Challenge past papers), or traditional Department of Education worksheets. Five aspects of Study Orientation, including problem-solving behaviour, were assessed using the Study Orientation in Mathematics (SOM) before and after the intervention. Results: The findings revealed a correlation between success in traditional mathematics and study attitude, study habits, and overall study orientation, as well as an interaction between disadvantage and success in mathematics. The intervention did not increase problem-solving skills. Participants found the Olympiad-type questions unfamiliar and difficult, which is indicative of the limited enrichment opportunities for mathematically gifted learners in disadvantaged areas of South Africa. Conclusion: Poverty and giftedness were shown to interact: the gifted disadvantaged learners in this study were less disadvantaged by their surroundings than one would expect and conversely had higher mathematics anxiety than expected for their achievement level. Contribution: This study highlights the need to nurture the skills of mathematically gifted disadvantaged children.https://ajcd.africa/index.php/ajcd/article/view/97mathematically giftedgifted disadvantagedproblem-solving skillsmathematics olympiadsouth africa. |
| spellingShingle | Beccy Stones Jacobus G. Maree Joyce Jordaan Olympiad participation: Problem-solving skills in mathematically gifted disadvantaged learners African Journal of Career Development mathematically gifted gifted disadvantaged problem-solving skills mathematics olympiad south africa. |
| title | Olympiad participation: Problem-solving skills in mathematically gifted disadvantaged learners |
| title_full | Olympiad participation: Problem-solving skills in mathematically gifted disadvantaged learners |
| title_fullStr | Olympiad participation: Problem-solving skills in mathematically gifted disadvantaged learners |
| title_full_unstemmed | Olympiad participation: Problem-solving skills in mathematically gifted disadvantaged learners |
| title_short | Olympiad participation: Problem-solving skills in mathematically gifted disadvantaged learners |
| title_sort | olympiad participation problem solving skills in mathematically gifted disadvantaged learners |
| topic | mathematically gifted gifted disadvantaged problem-solving skills mathematics olympiad south africa. |
| url | https://ajcd.africa/index.php/ajcd/article/view/97 |
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