An Investigation of Gifted Students' Perceptions Regarding TÜBİTAK Projects Using Q Method

Introduction: Research projects are important for encouraging students to think, arousing curiosity, conducting research and observation, producing solutions to problems, and developing 21st century skills. They are also important in terms of revealing the talents of gifted students. The limited number of studies in this field and the absence of Q method applications increases the importance of this study. The aim of the study is to examine the perceptions of gifted high school students who applied to the TÜBİTAK 2204-A project competition regarding project development using the Q method. Method: The Q methodology, one of the mixed methods, was used. The study group consisted of 25 gifted high school students attending the Science and Art Center in a provincial center in the Southeast Anatolia region during the 2024-2025 academic year. The Q method form prepared by the researchers was used as the data collection tool. The data from the Q-sort were analyzed using the PQ Method 2.35 program, and the qualitative data were also analyzed using descriptive analysis. Findings: The findings showed that gifted students were grouped under two factors. Four students were not found in any factor, three students were found in the second factor, and 18 students were grouped in the first factor. Based on the Z-scores and order of importance of the items, the first item was "I want to devote time to the project because it contributes to my personal-academic development," the second was "I want to participate in the project," and the third is "I want to participate in the project with my teammates." In conclusion, gifted students had a positive attitude towards group work and collaboration and participate in the project process voluntarily. Discussion: It can be concluded that gifted students who participated in the project process benefitted from the projects in terms of their academic and personal development, participated in this process of their own volition, enjoyed group work, and did not hesitate to reapply even if their project applications were not accepted, indicating that they had high self-confidence.