Pre-service EFL Teachers and Multiple Intelligences

master's thesis

• Author: Matea Sviben
• Mentor: Alenka Mikulec (mentor)
• Committee member: Ivana Cindrić (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Marija Andraka (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Alenka Mikulec (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Teacher Education; (Chair of English Language Teacher Education); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2020-09-10, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Interdisciplinary Humanistic Studies; Teaching Methods in the Humanistic Sciences
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: SOCIAL SCIENCES; Psychology; General Psychology

Abstract

The theory of multiple intelligences (MI), developed by Howard Gardner, is of great importance both for EFL teachers and teachers in general because it gives them a better perspective into their students' thoughts, needs, and ways of learning. In order to understand MI and be able to apply it in their classrooms, teachers have to be aware of it, and gain enough education related to this theory. This thesis shows the results of the research conducted in order to examine pre-service EFL teachers' awareness of Gardner's multiple intelligences theory, their attitudes towards its implementation in the EFL classrooms, and their most common types of intelligences according to the results of an MI Inventory. Participants in the study were first, second, third, fourth, and fifth year students of the integrated undergraduate and graduate teacher education studies of the following faculties: Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb and Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb. The participants were asked to complete an online questionnaire comprised of three parts. The first part collected their bio data, the second was constructed as an MI Inventory, and the third one examined the participants' awareness of, and attitudes towards the theory. The obtained data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results indicate that the majority of the participants are fairly aware of the theory and they mostly have positive attitudes toward implementing it in the EFL classrooms. They also showed that the two intelligences identified by most participants as predominant are interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences.

Abstract (croatian)

Teorija višestrukih inteligencija, koju je razvio Howard Gardner, od velikog je značaja za sve učitelje, pa tako i za učitelje engleskoga jezika, jer im pruža uvid u učenikova razmišljanja, potrebe i načine učenja. Kako bi učitelji bili u mogućnosti razumjeti i primijeniti ovu teoriju, moraju biti upoznati s njom i imati dovoljno znanja i obrazovanja u tom području. Ovaj diplomski rad prikazuje rezultate istraživanja provedenog s ciljem da se ispita u kojoj su mjeri budući učitelji i nastavnici upoznati s Gardnerovom teorijom, koji su njihovi stavovi o primjeni teorije u nastavi engleskoga jezika te koji su najčešći tipovi inteligencije zastupljeni kod budućih učitelja prema rezultatima upitnika višestrukih inteligencija. Sudionici ovoga istraživanja bili su studenti prve, druge, treće, četvrte i pete godine integriranih preddiplomskih i diplomskih sveučilišnih studija s Učiteljskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu i Filozofskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu. Sudionicima je poslan online upitnik sastavljen od tri dijela. Prvim dijelom prikupljeni su osnovni podatci o ispitanicima, drugi je dio napravljen u tipu upitnika višestrukih inteligencija i u trećem je dijelu ispitano njihovo poznavanje teorije višestrukih inteligencija i stavovi o istoj. Podaci su obra􀃿eni kvantitativno i kvalitativno. Rezultati istraživanja pokazali su da je većina sudionika upoznata s teorijom i da uglavnom imaju pozitivne stavove prema uvođenju teorije u nastavu engleskoga jezika. Oni su također pokazali da su kod najvećeg broja sudionika dominantne dvije vrste inteligencije, a to su - interpersonalna i intrapersonalna inteligencija.

• Keywords: Howard Gardner; the theory of multiple intelligences; pre-service EFL teachers; MI Inventory.
• Keywords (english): Howard Gardner; teorija višestrukih inteligencija; budući učiitelji engleskoga jezika; upitnik višestrukih inteligencija.
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:147:542049
• Study programme: Title: Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study of Primary Teacher Education and Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study for Primary Teacher Education with English and German Language; Study programme type: university; Study level: integrated undergraduate and graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja (magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2021-03-25 13:11:26