Bulletin Spring‧Summer 2001

Gifted Students Nomi na t ed by Principals and Teachers The 383 gifted students pa r t i c i pa t i ng i n the s t u d y we re n o t selected t h r o u g h t r a d i t i o n a l intelligence tests ( popu l a r ly k n o w n as I Q tests ) or other standardize d psychological tests. The researchers believe that these instrument s ma y not be able to effectively assess different talents. They instead i n v i t ed teachers a nd principals o f local secondary schools to n om i n a te students a g ed 12 t o 19 w i t h o u t s t a n d i ng a c a d em ic performance, creativity, leadership, or potential i n other areas such as sports a nd the arts. Questionnaire Survey To u n d e r s t a nd the learning styles, self-image, psychological health, a nd p r o b l em- solving skills of these students, and their adjustment to being gifted, the researchers asked t hem to complete a series of questionnaires. The objective is to f i nd out wh at they consider to be their preferred wa ys of learning, h o w the y perceive their academic and socia l needs, w h a t pressures they fee l they are subject to, a nd wa ys of dealing w i t h suc h pressures. The researchers also d i v i d ed th e p a r t i c i p a n t s i n to g r o u ps based o n thei r scores o n intelligence, creativity, a nd mo t i v a t i on, for g r oup comparisons of their educational a nd emotional needs. Sixt y students were subsequentl y selected for i n d i v i d u al interviews to gather more detailed i n f o rma t i o n about their daily lives, school lives, and h o w they solve problems. Distribution of Participants by Gender and Grade Level (Lower Form: F1 & F2; Higher Form: F3 & above) Research Results Learning Styles T he r e s u l ts s h o w t h a t t h e p r e f e r r ed l e a r n i ng styles a m o n g g i f t ed s t u d e n ts are d i s c u s s i o n , c l a s s r o om l e c t u r e , p e e r i n s t r u c t i o n , projects, games, i n d e p e n d e nt study, s i mu l a t i on. The least p r e f e r r ed styles are d r i l l i n g a n d r e c i t a t i o n. T h e m o r e mo t i v a t ed students are mo re l i k e ly to a d o pt d i f f e r e nt styles of l e a r n i ng t h a n t h e less mo t i v a t ed ones. Gene r a l ly speaking, g i f t ed s t u d e n t s share m a n y similarities w i t h other a c a d e m i c a l l y h i g h a c h i e v i n g s t u d e n t s: t hey h a ve a f o n d n e ss for verbally interactive teaching activities, a n d d i s l i k e s t r u c t u r e d , t e a c h e r - d i r e c t e d activities that i n v o l ve d r i l l i ng a nd recitation. ↑ Classroom lecture is one of the preferred learning styles of gifted students. Profile of Participants' Preference for Learning Styles 33