The Role of E-Mentoring in Mathematically Gifted Students’ Academic Life

Abstract

This qualitative inquiry presents the case study of five gifted eighth-grade students who engaged in an e-mentoring project in mathematics. The study reported in this article investigated the role of e-mentoring in gifted students’ academic life. Three themes predominated in the collected data were (a) motivation, (b) effective communication and supportive interaction, and (c) practicing as professionals. The findings indicated that the students engaged with e-mentoring had high motivation and desire and were able to maintain their perseverance to complete required individual and group tasks. The study revealed that the students formed an efficient and interactive group and worked collaboratively. They were able to find a way of working as a community. Furthermore, the findings showed that the treatment of students as practicing professionals encouraged them to think and work as real mathematicians.