Enhancing Gifted Students’ Mathematical Thinking Skills (An Example of the Waldorf Approach)

Year 2026, Volume: 34 Issue: 2 , 207 - 237 , 30.04.2026

Niymet Demirci , Ebru Ergül

https://doi.org/10.24106/kefdergi.1939228

https://izlik.org/JA65CT59EG

Abstract

This study investigates the potential of activities structured around the Waldorf educational approach’s emphasis on play, art, nature, and practical implementation to enhance the mathematical thinking skills of gifted students. It was conducted within a qualitative action research design over a twelve-week period with four gifted fourth-grade students enrolled in a formal educational institution, the Science and Art Center. The process began with initial activities and interviews, followed by the development and implementation of four action plans based on play, art, nature, and practical implementation, designed by the researchers with expert guidance. Data were collected through a mathematical thinking test, semi-structured interviews, and field notes recorded by one of the researchers, and were analyzed through content analysis. The findings revealed significant progress in students’ specializing, generalizing, and conjecturing skills. However, compared with other dimensions of mathematical thinking, improvement in justifying and convincing skills remained relatively limited. The study is significant in addressing the limited body of research on the role of the Waldorf approach in fostering the mathematical thinking of gifted students. The findings indicate that art, nature-, and play-based pedagogy can make a meaningful contribution to the development of several dimensions of mathematical thinking, while also revealing the need for more explicit instructional support in the areas of justification and convincing. In this respect, the study offers both theoretical and practical implications for teachers and researchers concerning the use of alternative pedagogical approaches in mathematics education.

Keywords

Mathematical thinking skills , Gifted students , Waldorf educational approach

Özel Yetenekli Öğrencilerin Matematiksel Düşünme Becerilerinin Geliştirilmesi (Waldorf Yaklaşımı Örneği)

https://izlik.org/JA65CT59EG

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Waldorf eğitim yaklaşımının öğrenme süreçlerinde öne çıkardığı oyun, sanat, doğa ve pratik uygulama temelli etkinliklerin üstün yetenekli öğrencilerin matematiksel düşünme becerilerini geliştirme potansiyelini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma, nitel araştırma yaklaşımı çerçevesinde eylem araştırması deseninde yürütülmüştür. Çalışma grubu, dördüncü sınıf düzeyinde öğrenim gören ve aynı zamanda formel bir eğitim kurumu olan Bilim ve Sanat Merkezinde de eğitim gören dört üstün yetenekli öğrenciden oluşmaktadır. Araştırma süreci on iki hafta sürmüş; başlangıç etkinlikleri ve görüşmelerin ardından, uzman görüşü doğrultusunda araştırmacılar tarafından oyun, sanat, doğa ve pratik uygulama kavramlarına dayalı dört eylem planı geliştirilmiş ve uygulanmıştır. Veriler, matematiksel düşünme testi, yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler ve araştırmacılardan birine ait saha notları aracılığıyla toplanmış; elde edilen veriler içerik analiziyle çözümlenmiştir. Bulgular, öğrencilerin özelleştirme, genelleme yapma ve varsayım oluşturma becerilerinde belirgin bir gelişim gösterdiğini ortaya koymuştur. Buna karşılık, gerekçelendirme ve ikna etme becerilerindeki gelişimin diğer matematiksel düşünme becerilerine kıyasla daha sınırlı kaldığı belirlenmiştir. Sonuç olarak çalışma, Waldorf yaklaşımına dayalı sanat, doğa, oyun ve deneyim odaklı pedagojik uygulamaların üstün yetenekli öğrencilerin belirli matematiksel düşünme becerilerini desteklemede işlevsel bir potansiyel taşıdığını göstermektedir. Ayrıca bulgular, gerekçelendirme ve ikna etme becerilerinin geliştirilmesi için daha açık yapılandırılmış öğretimsel desteklere ihtiyaç duyulduğunu ortaya koyarak matematik eğitiminde alternatif pedagojik yaklaşımların uygulanabilirliğine ilişkin kuramsal ve pratik çıkarımlar sunmaktadır.

Keywords

Matematiksel düşünme becerileri , Üstün yetenekli öğrenciler , Waldorf eğitim yaklaşımı

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