The effects of multiple intelligence theory on the success, attitudes and perception of sixth grade students in primary school for the unit of granular structure of substance

The aim of this study is to explore the effects of Multiple Intelligences Theory on the success, attitude and perception of sixth grade students in primary school for the unit of granular structure of substance in comparison with traditional teaching method, and to prove the applicability of Multiple Intelligences Theory in accordance with the science and technology curriculum of sixth grade students in primary school.This study in which pre and post test control group conception is used was carried out for approximately 7 weeks, 4-hour courses in each week, with total 50 students studying in the classes of 6/A (N=25) and 6/B (N=25) in İsmail Hakkı Tonguç Primary School in County of Van Province in the first term of 2007-2008 academic year. In the first class, randomly chosen students in control group are given courses with the teaching activities prepared in accordance with traditional teaching method, and the students in experimental group are given courses with the teaching activities prepared in accordance with Multiple Intelligence Theory.The courses in both groups are given by the researcher and educational study of control group was completed in 4 hour courses. Experimental group was given an extra one-hour course before the application started for explaining the Multiple Intelligence Theory; so, the educational study of the experimental group was finished in 5 hour courses.In the beginning of the study, the students in both group were applied a pre-knowledge test to measure their availability. The students in experimental group were also applied Multiple Intelligence Questionnaire. To determine the effects of the two methods (traditional teaching method and Multiple Intelligence Theory) on the success, attitude and perception of the students, success test, and attitude and perception questionnaire were applied to all students as a final test.Data acquired at the end of the study were evaluated by using SPSS 16.0 software. While evaluating the hypothesis t-test was used for the dependent (matched) and independent groups. To give descriptive information about data in the study, descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation etc.) table was given in addition to the frequency distribution and percentages and test tables. To give the comparisons related means visually, mean graphic (mean pluts) was acquired and interpreted by giving correlation coefficients between variables for dependent groups.According to the acquired data, ın comparison between groups, it was determined that there was a statistically notable difference between control and experimental groups in terms of both pre-knowledge test and success test. However, in other mutual comparisons there was no statistically notable difference.At the end of the statistical analysis, it is determined that the teaching activities based on Multiple Intelligence Theory contributes notably to the success of students in the unit of granular structure of substance and their attitude to science.