Comparison of mathematics self-efficacy perceptions of gifted and normally developing primary school students

Abstract

This study aims to compare the mathematics self-efficacy perceptions of gifted and normally developing primary school students according to different variables (gender, grade, preferred course, being a gifted/normally developing student). For this purpose, the study was designed according to the survey design. The study group consisted of 63 gifted Science and Art Center students and 89 primary school students (3-4th grade). The study data were collected with the “Mathematics Self-Efficacy Perception Scale” and “Personal Information Form.” Before analyzing the obtained data, the normality condition of the data was checked. An Independent Sample t-test was used to analyze the data that met the normality condition. In contrast, the Man Whitney U test was used to analyze the data that did not meet the normality condition. As a result of the data analysis, according to the class variable, the mathematics self-efficacy of 3rd-grade normally developing students differed significantly in the attitude sub-dimension and the whole scale compared to 4th-grade students. 3rd grade gifted students showed a significant difference in mathematics self-efficacy only in the motivation sub-dimension compared to their peers with normal development. According to the gender variable, it was determined that the math self-efficacy of gifted male students differed significantly in the motivation sub-dimension compared to their normally developing male peers. According to the variable of favorite course, it was seen that gifted students who preferred mathematics courses in the first place differed significantly in the attitude sub-dimension of mathematics self-efficacy and the whole scale compared to gifted students who did not prefer mathematics courses in the first place. The mathematics self-efficacy of normally developing students who preferred the mathematics course in the first place differed significantly in all three sub-dimensions (attitude, motivation, and practice) and the whole scale compared to their peers who did not prefer the course in the first place. The mathematics self-efficacy of gifted students who chose other courses in the first place differed significantly in attitude and motivation sub-dimensions compared to normally developing students who preferred other courses in the first place. According to the variable of being a gifted/normally developing student, the mathematics self-efficacy perceptions of gifted primary school (3-4th grade) students differed significantly only in the motivation sub-dimension compared to their normally developing peers.