On the relationships between mathematical creativity, excellence and giftedness

ROZA LEIKIN, MARK LEIKIN, Miriam Lev, Nurit Paz-Baruch, Ilana Waisman

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

This paper reports on a study that searches for deep insights into the nature of
mathematical giftedness with special attention to the role of mathematical creativity. It introduces and explores distinctions between general giftedness and excellence in mathematics, which are widely accepted as being identical constructs. The study is of a multidimensional nature, as it attempts to understand special qualities of mathematically gifted individuals in three dimensions: cognition, neuro-cognition and mathematical creativity. The study findings lead to the following hypotheses: (i) general giftedness and excellence in mathematics are interrelated but different in nature phenomena; (ii) general giftedness is not a necessary condition for excellence in mathematics; (iii) in the fluency-flexibility-originality triad, fluency and flexibility are of a developmental nature, related to excellence in school mathematics, whereas originality is a ‘gift’ mainly related to general giftedness; (iv) general giftedness is strongly associated with differences related to solving insight-based tasks both in creativity and neuro-cognitive diminutions.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPost-Proceedings of the 2013 Annual Conference of the Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group (CMESG)
EditorsSusan Oesterle, Darien Allan
Place of PublicationSt. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Chapter1
Pages3-17
Number of pages15
StatePublished - 2014

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