A Study of the Multiple Intelligence of Secondary School Students of Mysore City
Author : Sadiya Siddiq and Dr. Anil Kumar K
Abstract :
Initial theories on Intelligence considered intelligence a single process. Later there were two schools of thought about intelligence. One of them believes that intelligence is not a single factor. There are various factors of intelligence. On the other hand, the other school of thought believes that intelligence is one general entity “g” and can be measured through IQ tests. The Multiple Intelligence theory of Gardner in 1983 proposes that individuals have several independent mental abilities that allow a person to solve problems, and create products that are valued within one’s culture. In other words, different types of intelligence are not related to each other. According to Howard Gardner there are 9 Multiple Intelligences as
1. Verbal-linguistic intelligence and learning processes, focusing on speaking, reading, and writing;
2. Logical-mathematical intelligence, focusing on teaching of logic, mathematical processes, working with numbers, and sequencing;
3. Kinesthetic intelligence, focusing on drama, creative movement, dance, manipulatives, classroom games, physical education, and exercise;
4. Visual-spatial intelligence, focusing on pictorial representation, flow charts, visualization, board and card games, architecture and the visual arts
5. Musical intelligence, focusing on singing, musical notation, curriculum songs, and musical instruments;
6. Interpersonal intelligence, focusing on positive interpersonal environments, conflict management, learning through service, appreciating differences, multiple perspectives, problem-solving, and multicultural education;
7. Intrapersonal intelligence, focusing on self-esteem, goal setting, thinking skills, emotional expression, and self-directed learning;
8. Naturalistic Intelligence and
9. Existential Intelligence.
The aim of the study was to investigate the Multiple Intelligences of secondary school students under two categories viz, the Levels of Multiple Intelligence and to identify the Dominant Multiple Intelligence possessed by secondary school students of Mysore city. The data collection was carried out using the Survey method with the tool Multiple Intelligence Inventory (Bhavisha Kapadia 2015) for a sample of 75 students from two sections of the 9th standard CBSE Schools of Mysore District, India. The data were analyses with frequency and percentage analysis, correlational percentage analyses. It was found that in 75 sample students, 65% of students possess Low Level of MI, 25% possess a Medium Level of MI and 10% possess a High Level of MI and among these same students, 41% of students possess Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence, 24% possess Logical-Mathematical Intelligence, 16% possess Visual-Spatial Intelligence, 13% possess Musical Intelligence and 5% possess Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence as their respective Dominant Multiple Intelligences. The findings imply that restricting educational programs to focusing on a preponderance of Linguistic and Mathematical Intelligences minimizes the importance of other forms of knowing, hence this study has a vast implication for the need to plan, to select teaching learning resources and developing teaching-learning environments for effective learning in the classrooms and execute strategies for creating open systems of education utilizing the Multiple Intelligence philosophy.
Keywords :
Multiple intelligence, multiple intelligence inventory, level of multiple intelligence, dominant multiple intelligence
