This conference presentation suggests three key ingredients for motivating talented mathematics and science students. The first ingredient is the nature of the content in the courses offered. For instruction to successfully motivate, it should reveal the dynamic nature of mathematics and science, involve challenging materials, synthesize and…

The selection criteria of high intellectual ability and strong academic achievement for gifted educational programs often leads teachers to assume that their gifted students understand important science concepts. However, empirical evidence of such homogeneity among gifted students' deep understanding of scientific concepts is lacking in the…

The work of "A Better Chance," a Boston (Massachusetts)-based national talent search and referral agency is described in this document. The agency seeks out academically able minority students and places them in private preparatory schools or select public secondary schools. The program involves identifying and recruiting students, matching…

The Johns Hopkins University Center for the Advancement of Academically Talented Youth and Duke University's Talent Identification Program are used as examples in this examination of the development of educational support systems in the identification and education of mathematically, scientifically, and verbally able youth. The educational support…

This paper argues that the search for and development of talent in science and mathematics must not be so circumscribed that every young person found with that talent be captured for science and mathematics careers. Talented youth should also be prepared for broader roles in the betterment of society. Leadership needs to be strengthened, in the…

The early intellectual development in mathematics and science for boys and girls, as determined by test scores, is discussed in this conference presentation. Factors that might account for differences between female and male students' performance, such as course experiences, are explored. The problem of female students often being shortchanged in…

The keynote address from the proceedings of the 1988 Conference on Academic Talent is presented here. The address criticizes the current educational system for its concentration on college preparatory courses that have little or no hands-on experience. It argues that the existing system does not encourage curiosity, a problem seen as so pervasive…

Operational and organizational principles are suggested for guiding the establishment of networks to facilitate ongoing interactions between the practitioner and scholar communities in mathematics, science, and technology. These networks would define problems that need attention, carry out research on the problems, and incorporate the results of…

A 32-item survey was developed from the 1983 International Science Study and was administered to 299 gifted South Dakota sixth-tenth graders to measure their perceptions of science. A factor analysis of the data yielded four factors, accounting for 51% of the variance. The factors were: (1) Science as a Personal and National Priority; (2) Science…

This project explores the factors influencing the learning of classical mechanics, with an ultimate goal in improving instruction. Twelve academically gifted seventh and eighth graders were interviewed to test their previous perceptions about objects in free fall. They were then observed as they used physics laboratory apparatus and computer…

Cognitive preferences of 177 able, science-oriented high school students who participated in a secondary science training program at the University of Iowa in the summer were studied. A Biology Cognitive Preference Test (BCPT) was administered, in which 20 items required ranking and 20 items required rating on a four-point scale. The items were…

This conference paper describes trends in federal policy for education of the academically talented in mathematics, science, and technology. Education legislation considered by the 100th Congress has stressed the themes of creating "equity" and "access." The greatest emphasis has been put on education of the gifted and…

This presentation summarizes effective strategies and programs for nurturing students who are gifted in science. A smorgasbord of educationally accelerative opportunities is recommended, to enhance students' potential for future development in science. These opportunities may include field trips, advanced placement courses, and science summer…

A mathematics and science program for gifted and talented junior high students in Brooklyn, New York was designed to provide accelerated and enriched instruction in mathematics and enriched instruction in science and computer science. This program was evaluated to determine the congitive and affective changes that would indicate student growth and…

Highlights six papers presented at the Seventh Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (Stillwater, Oklahoma 1982). Topics addressed included college course using various instructional strategies, American Chemical Society services for secondary teachers, abstract reasoning unit for gifted elementary students, biographies of crystallographers,…