Graduate Program

Elementary Education

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

2002

Thesis Director

Marylin Lisowski

Abstract

'Every child can learn' is the mantra being advocated today. The Multiple Intelligences theory put forth by Gardner has revolutionized the perceptions of learning styles. Currently more and more teachers are accepting the reality that children learn differently and in this context, their own learning style should not be a limiting factor for using multiple modes of instruction in their classrooms. A correlational study will be done to determine if there is a relationship between learning styles of the teacher and technology usage, particularly computer-based technology. The subjects in this study will be inservice teachers (N = 30). The MIDAS (Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales) will be administered to the teachers to determine their preferred learning style. This assessment tool is designed to determine the best suited learning style based on Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory. A second survey will be conducted with the same set of teachers to determine how much and how frequently they use computers in relation to their schoolwork both within and outside the school. Background variables such as socio-economic status, prior exposure to technology and gender will be controlled. The results of both these data sets will be examined to determine if there is a relationship between learning style of the teachers and their usage of computers in the teaching process. More research needs to be done using a longitudinal study over a five-year period to determine the effects of computer-assisted instruction on learning styles of students.

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