Effects of Kolb’s Experiential and Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Learning Modelson Students’ Critical Thinking and Psychomotor Achievement in ElectricalInstallation and Maintenance Work

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of Kolb’s experiential and Gardner’s multiple intelligence
learning model on students’ critical thinking and psychomotor Achievement in Electrical
Installation and Maintenance work. Three research questions guided the study while three
hypotheses formulated were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a quasiexperimental treatment group design and it was carried out in Kaduna state, Nigeria. The
population for the study was 1300 National Technical Certificate II (NTC II) students offering
Electrical Installation and Maintenance work in technical colleges in Kaduna state, Nigeria.
The simple random sampling technique was used to select 127 students consisting of 109 male
and 18 female students assigned to two treatment groups using intact class. The instruments
used for data collection were Electrical Installation and Maintenance work Critical Thinking
Test (EICTT) and Electrical Installation Psychomotor Achievement Test (EIPAT).The
instruments were developed by the researcher. To ensure content validity, the instruments were
subjected to face validation by five experts. The internal consistencies of the instruments were
determined by using Pearson moment correlation coefficient of reliability 0.80 and 0.72. The
data collected was analyzed using Mean to answer the three research questions while
ANCOVA was used to test the three null hypotheses. The study found out, among others, that
Gardner’s multiple intelligence learning model was more effective than Kolb’s experiential
learning model in improving student’s critical thinking and psychomotor achievement of
students in Electrical Installation and Maintenance Work. There was an influence of gender
on students’ critical thinking favoring males. However, gender had significant influence on
students’ critical thinking. The study found a significant interaction effect of methods and
gender on students ‘critical thinking. The study recommended among others that NBTE should
incorporate Gardner’s multiple intelligence learning model in the teaching/learning of
Electrical Installation and Maintenance Work in Technical Colleges. In addition, workshops,
seminars and conferences should be organized by Federal Ministry of Education and States
Science and Technical Schools Management Board for teachers to enable them update their
knowledge and skills on the use of Gardner’s multiple intelligence learning model for
improving students’ critical thinking and psychomotor skill in Electrical Installation and
Maintenance Work.