A test for identification of math talent: developing a three-tier number sense test

Year 2022, Volume: 9 Issue: 3, 273 - 290, 30.09.2022

Sıla Doğmaz Tunalı

Abstract

Solving math problems requires inferential thinking skills, improved number sense, problem-solving strategies, deductive reasoning and computational skills. Mathematically talented students often use advanced number sense strategies to get the fastest and most accurate result. Although the existence of the number sense is known, it is difficult to describe it concretely. To materialize the intangible concept of number sense, a three-tier number sense test for secondary school students was developed and validated in this study. The developed test was carried out to 499 students studying in middle school in İzmir in Turkey. The first tier of the test consists of 25 multiple-choice mathematics questions. The second tier consists of the reason tier, which includes responses to the questions in the first tier (number sense-based, rule-based, misconception and guesswork). The third tier includes the confidence question, which measures the belief in the correctness of the response given to the question. The reliability of the test was calculated as .74 with the KR-20 formula. From the results of the analysis, it can be considered that the developed test is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used to determine the number sense levels of the students.

Keywords

Three tier test, number sense, secondary school student, math talent, identification

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