Chapter 2: Literature Review
2.6 Mathematics Enrichment Program (MEP)
2.6.3 Why is Enrichment Needed? And for Whom?
PISA 2018 test results indicated the poor performance of Emirati students in general, especially outstanding students, as evidenced by the performance of only about 5% of students in Level 5 and Level 6 in Mathematics (OECD, 2019b). Although intervention measures must be taken to help all students improve their learning levels, high achievers receive little attention although many researchers have indicated the crucial role of gifted and talented groups in developing and transforming societies (Meisenberg & Lynn, 2011). Several studies have shown that the levels of cognitive ability of societies are required to develop the aspect of positive value in developing countries (Rindermann & Thompson, 2011).
In 1980, An Agenda for Action: Recommendations for School Mathematics stated that “Outstanding mathematical ability is a precious societal resource, sorely needed to maintain leadership in a technological world” (NCTM 1980, p. 18).
Unfortunately, most programs are geared towards meeting the needs of “at-risk”
students so that their needs can be fully developed (Galloway, Armstrong &
Tomlinson, 2013), but not to support gifted students (Clark, 2008; Kokot & Kruger, 2005) as well as the high achievers. There is a tendency to neglect gifted students as well as high achievers due to the belief that they can take care of themselves. Child (2004) noted that “some teachers believe that the bright can look after themselves”.
For a long time, mathematics education discussed equity and mathematics enrichment for high potential students separately. The discourse on equity focused primarily on providing access to a minimum of basic mathematics but ignored the high potential among disadvantaged students (Schnell & Prediger, 2017). According to DIME (2007), many countries indicate the equity and opportunities necessary for learning mainly in relation to students with low achievement and their chances of having some access to basic mathematics. However, the role of mathematics as a gatekeeper to higher education calls for an additional “measure of equity and access”
(Pateman & Lim, 2013). Only recently, research and development have focused on potential among underprivileged students those who are not immediately identified as high potentials (Schnell & Prediger, 2017; Suh & Fulginiti, 2011).
There is a call for a wider conceptualization of mathematical potential due to the economical demands raised by the huge need for STEM academics in a technical civilization. The “mathematical potential” construct is used for students “who can achieve a high level of mathematical performance when their potential is realized to the greatest extent” (Leikin, 2009, p. 388) and characterized to have analytical and creative abilities, affective factors, commitment, and multiple opportunities. This concept can be carried over from the top 2% to a wider group to about 20% of all students, and thus they are less exclusive than the usual “talented” or “gifted” (Schnell
& Prediger, 2017). Moreover, Leikin (2011) links the building of mathematical
potential with learning situations because if students are subjected to a learning situation rich in mathematics, then the student can demonstrate certain potential.
Child (2004) stated that the most common methods used in nurturing gifted students mostly in combination are acceleration, segregation, and enrichment.
Whatever the three methods, the curriculum needs to be differentiated for the gifted students from the mainstream curriculum. Moreover, Heward (2014) indicated that the enrichment method has been the most advocated method since the progressive movement in the 1920s. This method involves more in-depth instruction and ability grouping for gifted students. Koshy, Ernest and Casey (2009) suggested that enrichment is an alternative strategy for acceleration and differentiation. Moreover, this type of provision continued over years in different countries (Smith, Polloway, Patton & Dowoy, 2004).
Enrichment is mostly related to gifted provision models such as curriculum acceleration or compaction (Piggott, 2004). Acceleration gives students access to
“standard curriculum material” earlier and encourages students to move faster through subject content leading to early entry to university. Renzulli and Reis (1997) stated that curriculum compacting restructures curriculum to enable students to cover portions of the standard curriculum "more efficiently". However, acceleration and compacting themselves are not what make difference to the gifted students, but the issue is to free up time that can be used for extracurricular activities because "doing more of the same" is not enriching. However, the model of enrichment is still seen as an add on to the standard curriculum.
Schnell and Prediger (2017) stated that enrichment means exposing the students to rich learning processes to expand their experiences and skills. There are
two types of enrichment; either by broadening or deepening. Enrichment by broadening represents learning additional topics rather than what is normally studied at school as courses out of school, while enrichment by deepening enhances the depth and complexity of the subject being studied in the school (Schnell & Prediger, 2017).
Enrichment by deepening the tasks and topics are mostly chosen because they are in line with the regular curriculum unlike broadening by extracurricular activities (Sheffield, 2003). For this study, enrichment by deepening is chosen because it suits the needs of advanced students, including those gifted in mathematics, in regular classes by deepening what they are already studying through an emphasis on problem- solving and mathematical reasoning (Piggott, 2004). When all students engage in this type of task, those with potential are expected to expand their expertise, skills as well as the rest of the students in the class depending on the level of each student.
Teachers should raise the ceiling of expectations when interacting with gifted students so that students can compete with their potential rather than with the norm.
To maximize the potential of gifted students, teachers need to differentiate the materials, assignments, and products in the level of complexity, abstraction, and depth (Rief & Heimburge, 2006). The enrichment method for treating the gifted students is considered perfect for the high achievers, especially that some of these high achievers are also gifted too. This research aims to study the impact of enrichment on the mathematical literacy of tenth grade students in the UAE.