The prevailing methods of thinking among the mentally talented students in the light of their achievement rates and gender


Abstract in English

The study seeks to identify the prevailing methods of thinking among the mentally talented students in the light of their achievement rates and gender. The sample of the research was chosen intentionally. It consists of second secondary grade students from "Top Students Secondary School". The study used the analytic, descriptive method, as well as the Sternberg & Wagner's list of methods of thinking, which was translated by Mr. Abu Hashem. The study showed that the most common methods of thinking for mentally talented students were legislative thinking, and liberal hierarchical thinking. The least common, on the other hand, were conservative thinking, global thinking and executive thinking. The study showed that the relationship between students' scores on certain thinking methods and their achievement rates was very weak. These methods are: legislative, executive, global, local, liberal, conservative, monarchic and anarchic. It was also found out that there was a weak relationship between students' scores on some other thinking methods and their achievement rates. These methods are: judicial methods and minority method. There is a moderate relationship regarding the hierarchical and external thinking. As the study showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the mentally talented male students and students excelling mentally in the following methods of thinking: global, conservative, hierarchical, monarchic, internal and external. This was in favor of males regarding internal thinking, and in favor of females regarding global, conservative, monarchic, hierarchical and external thinking.

References used

BERMARDO, A. Zhang. L. &Callueng, C. (2002). "Thinking Styles and Academic Achievement Among Filipino Students". The Journal of Genetic Psychology. 163 (2). 149-163
DE BONO, E (1976): Teaching Thinking, 1ST, Edition European Services, LID, England
MAYER, E.R (1983): Thinking Problem Solving, 1st, Edition,W.H.Freeman and Company, New York, San Francisco

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