Student Self-identified Multiple Intelligence Profiles: a Systematic Technique for Successful Mathematical Problem Solving

Educators are concerned with which future skills will be required for students and how to teach those skills. However, can educators realistically attempt to design specific curricula and strategies to meet the unknown demands of future careers? The authors suggest that a more authentic approach to preparing students for success is to encourage the development of their own potential to solve any kind of problem. The multiple intelligence (MI) methods and instruments applied in this study, provide a practical application for educators to help students define and apply their intelligences. The data suggests that when students applied problem-solving strategies coinciding with their dominant intelligences, most were able to successfully solve mathematical problems. Findings from this study will provide curriculum developers, practicing and prospective teachers, school administrators, and policymakers with a process for students to understand themselves as learners as a means to become more adept problems solvers. This, in turn, improves their ability to achieve, and consequently, to become independent learners.