The Effect of Gardner Theory Application on Mathematical/Logical Intelligence and Student's Mathematical Functioning Relationship

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate the effect of mathematical teaching based on the Gardner's multiple intelligences theory on the relationship between mathematical/logical intelligence and students mathematical functioning in general and,in particular, in the level of concept knowing, concept application and reasoning from the cognitive perspective. This research was carried on in terms of pilot models, accompanying with pre-test and post-test. The statistical sampling includes 40 first grade male students in one public high school in Tehran and the sampling was done through all counted in one educational year (2010-2011). The data was collected through multiple intelligences questionnaire, and TIMSS questions on test of mathematics (2007) and its similar test, in levels of concept knowing, applying and reasoning in terms of pre-test and post-test. Data analysis was possible through SPSS. To investigate the research hypothesis, independent and dependant t-test, Levin and Pearson Coefficient correlation measures were applied. The results indicated that in the case of pre-test, there exists a significant relationship between the mathematical intelligence and students’ mathematical functioning in general and in levels of application and reasoning; however, in the level of knowing there does not exit such relation. As well, no significant relation was observed between these two variables, in general and in all the cognitive levels. This was due to the fact that in teaching mathematics based on the Gardner's multiple intelligences theory, students with low mathematical intelligence have greater advance in levels of application and reasoning compared to those with high mathematical intelligences.