A DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHING MODEL FOR MATHEMATICAL COMPETENCIES BASED ON GARDNER’ S MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE THEORY

Abstract

This research aims to: (1) study the context of the needs for enhancing mathematical competencies of undergraduates; (2) develop a learning management model for enhancing mathematical competencies based on Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory; (3) evaluate the use of the developed learning management model for enhancing mathematical competencies based on Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory by (3.1) comparing mathematical competencies of students who learned under the learning management model for enhancing mathematical competencies based on Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory with that of students who learned under conventional teaching method; and (3.2) comparing the pre-learning mathematical competencies with the post-learning counterpart competencies of the students who learned under the learning management model for enhancing mathematical competencies based on Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory. The target group consisted of 90 third year and fourth year students of Maha Sarakham Rajabhat University during the first semester of academic year 2016. The employed research instruments were a test on mathematical competencies which was an essay test containing 10 test items, a scale to assess eight elements of multiple intelligence, and a semi-structured interview form. Statistics employed for data analysis were the frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, independent t-test, and dependent t-test.

The findings are as follows:
1. The context of the needs for enhancing mathematical competencies of undergraduate students can be ranked from top to bottom as follows: the seventh competency: the uses of symbols, language and operation; the fifth competency: posting and solving problems; the first competency: thinking and reasoning; the sixth competency: using symbols for representation; the third competency: communication; the eighth competency: using aids and tools; and the fourth competency: model construction.
2. The developed learning management model for enhancing mathematical competencies based on Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory comprises three steps, namely, Step 1: Stimulating experiences of learners; Step 2: Enhancing mathematical competencies, which consists of two sub-steps: the first sub-step being the construction of mathematical competencies, and the second sub-step being the exchange of mathematical competencies for solving problems; and Step 3: Verification of mathematical competencies of the learners.
3. Evaluation results of using the developed learning management model for enhancing mathematical competencies based on Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory reveal that the mathematical competencies of students who learned under the learning management model for enhancing mathematical competencies based on Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory are significantly different from the counterpart mathematical competencies of the students who learned under conventional teaching method at the .05 level of statistical significance.
Results of comparing the pre-learning and post-learning mathematical competencies of the students who learned under the learning management model for enhancing mathematical competencies based on Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory reveal that their post-learning mathematical competencies are significantly higher than their pre-learning counterpart competencies at the .05 level of statistical significance.