An Investigation of the Types of Analogies Generated by Science-Gifted Student, Mapping Errors on the Chromatography, and the Perceptions on Generating Analogy

This study investigated the types of analogies generated by science-gifted students, mapping errors on the chromatography, and the perceptions on generating analogy. The subjects were science-gifted eighth-graders (N=68) enrolled at four gifted-education centers in Seoul. Analyses of the results revealed that most science-gifted students represented the analogies using verbal and pictorial forms based on concrete and everyday experiences, and they elaborately explained them including the functional attributes and the causal relationships of the target concept. Science-gifted students selected the analogies having rich similarities or similar structure and principle between the target concept and the analogy as the best of the self-generated analogies. And they used mainly their 'school life' as analogy materials. The results of the mapping test showed that many science-gifted students had mapping errors such as 'failure to map' and 'overmapping'. They were found to have the positive perceptions on generating analogy. The present study will provide the basic information to develop an instructional model in generating analogy in an education program for science-gifted students.