Elevating minds: how PISA-inspired enrichment fuels the motivation of gifted and high-achieving students in mathematics

Concern over pupils’ lack of interest in mathematics is growing. In the past, bright and high performers in mathematics received little attention while the focus was on researching low achievers. Thus, this study aimed to determine how a mathematical literacy program affected the drive of talented and accomplished students to learn mathematics. This study used non-equivalent pre- and post-tests in a quasi-experimental research design. 102 advanced stream tenth-grade students from two public high schools in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), participated in a motivation survey. The experimental and control groups’ motivation to learn mathematics results showed strong levels of extrinsic and intrinsic drive. However, the students’ extrinsic motivation in the experimental group improved after the implementation of the Mathematical Enrichment Program (MEP), while both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation improved significantly among the students in the control group. Male students were slightly more motivated than female students, but the two groups had no statistically significant differences. The findings’ pedagogical and policy ramifications have been examined in the conclusion.