This article presents four case studies of extreme mathematical precocity in two boys and two girls. Problems in providing appropriately challenging instruction for these children are noted. The article concludes with 11 recommendations for programming for exceptionally talented students. (DB)

This article summarizes 2 research studies with approximately 2,000 adolescents and their parents that investigated the influence of parents' gender stereotypes on their perceptions of their own children and on the children's self-perceptions of ability, especially in mathematics. Implications for three areas of gifted education are drawn: (1)…

Describes a study of high school students that examined gender differences in mathematics experience and attitudes as well as the association between math attitudes and computer attitudes. Results indicate a positive correlation between math experiences and attitudes and computer attitudes; and boys had more math experience and more positive…

A class of 32 fourth graders, who studied inverse operations in grades 1-3, was given 3 written tests, each followed by an interview, to see how well they could simplify computations using inverse operations. Most could not evaluate 28 + 75 - 75, for example, without performing all operations. (GW)

Highlights how single mothers and single fathers differ in ways that often predate their family structure, but suggests that there is little evidence that offspring are better off or develop particular characteristics in one household versus the other. Suggests that theorists have overemphasized the role of parents' sex in youths' development.…

Purposes of this study were to determine: (1) if analogies and elaboration and placement of the analogies help novices learning a computer-programming language; (2) if students' mathematics ability influences programming learning; and (3) the interaction effects between analogy and mathematics ability. Subjects were 156 college students. Results…

The objectives of the current study were to examine: (a) the effects of the Peer Mediation with Young Children (PMYC) program on mediators' and learners' mediation style in the context of maths teaching; and (b) the interaction effects of the intervention program, children's verbal ability, and maths level on pre-to post-intervention improvement…

The degree of gender differences in mathematics and science appears to vary with the content subdomain. Differences also appear to be greater on items assessing content knowledge than with items measuring reasoning about scientific processes. Many studies of gender differences have involved fairly select populations. This study focuses instead on…

The relationship between several individual difference variables and test performance using computerized adaptive testing (CAT) was studied with 208 South Korean college students. The general individual difference variable selected was test anxiety, and the math-related individual difference variables were mathematics aptitude, math test anxiety,…

The factor structure of the responses of girls and boys to the mathematics items on the background questionnaire of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) was examined in an effort to identify the constructs that underlie the students' attitudes toward the study of mathematics. In addition, the hypothesis of equality of…

Describes an innovative approach, for fourth graders who were reviewing mathematics for the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) test, called the TAAS Olympics. Provides guidelines for the program format, preparation, team creation, and score keeping. Highlights specific skills transferable between the games and test taking. (SD)

Three study cohorts involving 199 gifted fifth graders, 190 gifted sixth graders, and 683 typical sixth graders were used to construct, validate, and pilot a computerized adaptive math test for placing fifth graders in a middle school mathematics gifted program. Results suggest the adaptive test has potential for talent identification. (Author/CR)

Presents longitudinal analyses of the mathematical achievement and beliefs of three groups of elementary pupils. The groups were designated according to those students who had received two years of problem-centered mathematics instruction, those who had received one year, and those who had received textbook instruction. Results indicate that the…

Investigated relationships among interest, motivation, mathematical ability, quality of experience, and mathematics achievement among (n=108) high school freshmen and sophomores. Found that quality of experience was mainly related to interest in mathematics and not to ability. Achievement was most strongly related to ability. (45 references)…

Among 800 Swedish 13-year olds of high mathematical or verbal ability, boys with high verbal ability were found to have highly educated parents. Girls of high mathematical ability had high father presence and highly educated mothers. Educational choices in secondary school were more affected by gender than by ability. (SLD)