The effects of cooperative learning method supported by multiple intelligence theory on elementary school fourth grade students? academic achievement and retention toward mathematics course

In the present experimental study, to compare the effects of cooperative learning method supported by mutliple intelligence theory (CLMI) on elementary school fourth grade students? academic achievement and retention toward mathematics course were investigated.The study, which lasted sixteen consecutive weeks, was conducted at a public elemetary school in the district of Seyhan ? Adana in 2005 ? 2006 academic year. The participants of the study were 150 students that they were divided in two experimental and two control groups. The group which was taught by using CLMI in the preceding academic year (2004 ? 2005 academic year) was choosen as the first experimental groups. The other experimental and two control groups were selected randomly among three classes of the school. For the purpose of this study, on both of experimental groups cooperative learning method supported by mutliple intelligence theory (CLMI) was used as the method of instruction whereas the control groups were instructured utilizing the traditional teacher oriented method. ?Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT)?, ?Teele Inventory for Multiple Intelligences (TIMI)? and ?Personal Information Form (PIF)? were used as the measurement instruments of the study. MAT was administered as pretest, posttest and retention test to the experimental and control groups. Furthermore, prior to the study TIMI and PIF (for getting personal information about students) were administered to all the participants. They also were used in order to constitute the cooperative learning teams in the experimental groups. In this research, the data obtained by achivement test was analysed by using statistical techniques of covariance analysis. At the end of instraction, ?Semi Structured Interview Form? was used for getting opinions about CLMI intractional teaching. Qualitative analysis were used to analyze the data collected from the interwies.Finding indicated that CLMI has a more significant effect on academic achievement than the traditional teacher oriented method. As a result of pairwise comparisons, the first experimental group which was taught by using CLMI in the preceding academic year was found to have the best effect on mathematics achievement. Yet, regarding to retention scores, CLMI has not significant effect on retention. Analysis of interview data were revealed that, students felt that this instraction is much more benefical thanKey words: Academic achievement, mutliple intelligence theory, cooperative learning, mathematics teaching.