Analyzing the Relationship Between Perceived Academic Involvement and School Climate by Gifted Students and Their Science Ability

Abstract

The aim of this study is analyzing, through a theoretical-model, variables that are related in relevant literature with gifted students' abilities in science course. Within that context various analyses have been conducted with respect to environmental, cognitive and affective variables which are linked to students' science ability. In this paper, one of the quantitative research methods, survey method, has been implemented. Data were collected from 997 middle-school level gifted students selected via stratified sampling method from Science and Art Centers across 25 different cities in Turkey. Path analysis was implemented to analyze data. It was determined that if parental and teacher involvement and positive school climate were met; scientific ability, creativity and motivation of gifted students could climb. It was also ascertained that results of implemented path analysis and tested model complied with the data. Thus could be used to explain variables that affected scientific ability, scientific creativity, problem solving and meta-cognitive awareness which are deemed to be related with science ability. It was concluded that approaches of parents, teachers and school administration left remarkable effects on ability development.