The Effectiveness of a Biotechnology Enrichment Programme in Improving Gifted Students’ Reflective Thinking Skills and Academic Achievement

(Khalid A. Hammouri and Mohamed A. Al-Hmari)

---

Abstract

This study assesses the effectiveness of a biotechnology enrichment programme in improving reflective thinking skills and academic achievement among a sample of 44 gifted students at the male-only Hunain School (secondary school) in Abha. The programme presents content related to specific issues with direct relevance for students’ scientific and practical interests, as well as encompassing discussion of controversial topics. They are equally divided into two groups: a control group and an experimental group. Following an experimental method and a reflective thinking scale Kember et al. (2000) and Academic Achievement are used to promote the verifiability and reliability of the results. The results indicate that the enrichment programme is effective in developing reflective thinking skills and promoting academic achievement in the experimental group. The research recommends that similar such programmes be adopted for gifted students in other contexts.


KEYWORDS
Gifted students, enrichment, biotechnology reflective thinking, academic achievement

PDF

References

Abu Owda, M. (2012). Athr Albrnamj Almqtrẖ Fi Attknwlwjya Alhywyt Bastkhdam Almkhtbr Alaftradi Ltnmyt Alatjah NẖW WattẖS̱Yl Wmharat Alastqs̱A Alelmi Leda Tlbt Aljamt Aleslamyt Bghzh ‘A Program Using the Virtual Laboratory in Biotechnology to Develop the Scientific Inquiry of the Students of the Islamic University in Gaza’. PhD Thesis. Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. [in Arabic]
Adlim, M., Samingan, S. and Hasibuan, R. (2014). Integrating entrepreneurial practice in contextual learning of biotechnology for senior high school students. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 11(2), 111–22.
Al Jrrah, Z., Khataibeh, A. and Bni Khalaf, M. (2013). H̱jj tlabt alssf alasher alasasi fi alordon lqdaya wrathyt ajtmayt walaqteha banmat tfkyrhm ‘Basic Tenth grade students' arguments about socio genetic Issues in biology as related to reasoning patterns’, Jordan Journal of Educational Sciences, 9(3), 307–18. [in Arabic] 
Al Luqani, A. And Al-Jamal, A. (2003). Mojm Alms̱ṮlẖAt Attrbwyt Almarfh Fi Almnahj Wṯorq Attdrees ‘A Glossary of Educational Terms Defined in Curricula and Teaching Methods’. Cairo, Ejypt: Alam Alkotob Publishing and Distribution. [in Arabic] 
Al Rashidi, F. (2015). Mstwa altfkyr attamoli lda attlabah almwhwbyn fi Mantecat alqaseem ‘The level of the reflective thinking for the talented students in qaseem area and the relation of with self-esteem'. Journal for Research Hebron University, 10(1), 233–49. [in Arabic] 
Al Shalabi, I. and Kariri, M. (2017). Failyt estratyjyt alqobaat asset fi tnmeyt alastyab almfahymi liqdaya albbyw akhlaqyt lda talbat Assf athaleth athanwi fi madent aryad ‘The effectiveness of the six hats strategy in the development of conceptual understanding of the bio-ethical issues among female students of the third secondary grade in Riyadh’. Journal of Educational and Psychological Sciences, 1(3), 1–20. [in Arabic] 
Alhadaybeh, E. and  Ambusaidi, A. (2016). AstxdAm anmwthj mkarty fee tnmyat altfkeer altamly wthseel alolwm ‘The effect of using Mccarthy model in improving reflective thinking and science achievement for grade 6 th basic female students’. Jordan Journal of Educational Sciences, 12(1), 1–15. [in Arabic] 
Ambusaidi, A. and Al-Balushi, S. (2014). Athr estratyjyt hl almshklat alaqran fi aktsab almfahym alwrathyt wtadeel as̱wrat lda talbat as̱sf athani ashr bsltnt oman ‘The effect of using peer problem solving strategy in the acquisition of genetic concepts and correcting the alternative concepts of the 12th grade Omani’, Jordan Journal of Educational Sciences, 10(2), 133–44. [in Arabic] 
Bailey, B. and Lappe, M. (2002). Engineering the Farm: Ethical and Social Aspects of Agricultural Biotechnology. Washington, DC: Island Press.
Beavers, E., Orange, A. and Kirkwood, D. (2017). fostering critical and reflective thinking in authentic learning situation. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 38(1), 3–18.
Bigler, A. and Hanegan, N. (2011). Student content knowledge increases after participation in a hands biotechnology intervention. Journal of Science Education & Technology, 20(3), 246–57.
Bileni, L. and Ozel, M. (2012). Gifted students’ knowledge of and attitudes toward biotechnology. Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 6(2),135–52.
Choy, C., Yim, J. and Tan, P. (2017). Reflective thinking among preservice teachers: Malaysian perspective. Issues in Educational Research, 27(2), 234–51.
Ebru, O. (2017). Turkish university students' knowledge of biotechnology and attitudes toward biotechnological. Applications Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 45(2), 115–25. 
Endepohls, M. (2017). Acceleration, enrichment, or internal differentiation consequences of measures to promote gifted students anticipated by german secondary school teacher. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 15(1), 147–63. 
Fonseca, M. J., Costa, P., Lencastre, L. and Tavares, F. (2012). Disclosing biotechnology teachers' beliefs about biotechnology and biotechnology education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(3), 368–81. 
Genc, M. (2016). Evaluation of gifted and talented students' reflective thinking in visual arts course universal. Journal of Educational Research, 4(9), 2039–48.
Habahbeh, T. (2011). Astqsa athar  tryqty altaleem almfrd wdrast alhalh fee tdrys whdt mqtrhh fi altknwlwjya alaywyħ fee tnmyħ altfkeer alabdaey ltlbt almrhlh althAnwyh waksAbhm mfAhym tlk Alwhdh 'The effect of teaching a suggested unit on biotechnology by individualized teaching and case study method on the development of creative thinking of secondary school students and the acquisition of these unit concepts'. Dirasat Educational Sciences, 38(3), 852–65. [in Arabic]
Hui, E., Chow, K., Leung, D., Chan, H. and Dorian, W. (2012). Attitudes of university students in Hong Kong about the use of genomic science and technology. New Genetics and Society, 31(4), 323–41.
Jarwan, F. (2016). Almwhbt wattfwq ‘Giftedness and Talented’. Amman, Jordan: Dar Al Fikr Publishing and Distribution. [in Arabic]
Kember, D., Leung, D., Jones, A., Loke, A., Mckay, J., Sinclair, K., Tse, H., Webb, C., Wong, F., Wong, M. and Yeung, E. (2000). Development of a questionnaire to measure the level of reflective thinking. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 25(4), 381–95.
Kitsantas, A., Bland, L. and Chirinos, D. (2017). Gifted students' perceptions of gifted programs: an inquiry into their academic and social–emotional functioning. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 40(3), 266–88.
Kuhn, D. (2016). A Role For Reasoning In A Dialogical Approach To Critical Thinking. Topoi, pp. 1–8. DOI: 10.1007/s11245–016–9373–4
Kurt, L. and Chenault, K. (2017). Gifted and at risk: a cross–district comparison of gifted student growth and solutions for urban schools. Penn GSE Perspectives on Urban Education, 13(2), 243–56. 
Lempinen, E. (2012). Can a new vision bring new life to biology class. Science, 337(6098), 1058–59.
Lisa, A. (2011). A comparison of students’ reflective thinking across different years in a problem–based learning environment. Instructional Science, 39(2), 171–88.
Lyons, N. (2010). Handbook of Reflection and Reflective Inquiry: Mapping A Way of Knowing for Professional Reflective Inquiry. U.S.A: Springer. 
Mohamed, M. (2003). Ass Alwratht Alfsywlwjyh 'Principals of Physiological Genetics', Al Ain, United Arab Emirates: University Book House. [in Arabic]
Ozel, M., Erdogan, M., Usak, M. and Prokop, P. (2009). High school students' knowledge attitudes regarding biotechnology applications. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 9(1), 321–8.
Peterman, K., Pan, Y., Robertson, J. and Lee, S. (2017). Glenn self–report and academic factors in relation to high school students’ success in an innovative biotechnology program. Journal of Technology Education, 25(2), 35–51.
Reid, E. and Boettger, H. (2016). Teacher training programs for gifted education with focus on sustainability. Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability, 18(2), 66–74.
Ryan, G. and Coneybeare, S. (2013). The underachievement of gifted students: A synopsis. The Journal of the International Association of Special Education, 14(1), 58–66.
Sadler, T. and Zeidler, D. (2005). Patterns of informal reasoning in the context of socio scientific decision–making. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 42(1), 112–38.
Schon, D. A. (1987). Educating the Reflective Practitioner: Toward a New Design for Teaching and Learning in the Professions. San Francisco, USA: Jossey–Bass,
Suzuki, M. (2012). Japanese Children's Transition Between Two Worlds: Mapping How Kindergarten and Elementary–School Teachers Think About Children and Their Activities. Ph.D Theses, University of Wisconsin at Madison , Wisconsin, USA. 
Weshah, H. (2012). Measuring the effect of problem–based learning instructional program on reflective thinking development. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 39(3), 262–71.
Yumusak. G. (2017). The effects of reflective thinking activities on science process skills. Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 11(1), 222–51.