Role of Style of Learning and Thinking and Self Directed Learning Readiness in the Achievement of Gifted Students

Abstract

This study explores relationships between measures of style of information processing and readiness for self-directed study and failure of identified gifted students to achieve at a level commensurate with their measured intellectual abilities. The subjects were 148 identified gifted students (grades 4-7) classified by their teachers according to achievement level (below expectations, at expectation level, above expectations). Subjects were administered Torrance and McCarthy's “Your Style of Learning and Thinking” and Guglielmino's “Readiness for Self Directed Learning.” Three-way analyses of variance revealed significant main effects for the three achievement groups on the Right and Integrated Style scales but not on the Left Style scale and self directed learning readiness. Low achievers scored high on the Right Scale and low on the Integrated Scale.