World Applied Programming, Vol (4), Issue (2), February 2014.

94-96
ISSN: 2222-2510
2014 WAP journal. www.tijournals.com

The Relationship between Spatial Intelligence

and Learning Styles of the Students of
Payam Noor University in Dezful, Iran
Bahman Saeidipour *

Esmaeil Safari

Associate Professor, Faculty member,

Payam Nour University, Iran.
Bahman_saeidipour@yahoo.com

PhD student in Curriculum planning,

Payam Nour University, Iran.
Esmaeil_safari@yahoo.com

Abstract: In this paper we examine the relationship between Visual Spatial intelligence and learning styles of
the students of Payam Nour University in Dezful city, located in Iran. In this research learning styles are
Interpersonal, Dominance detection, Self-reported, And inferential styles. The population included all male and
female students studying during 2012-2013 school year in Dezful city. According to Morgan table, of these, 360
patients by stratified sampling method were selected including 86 men and 274 women. The research method is
descriptive and correlational. For data collection two questionnaires, learning styles and multiple intelligences
theory of Silver et al (2000) were used. Results showed that between spatial intelligence and learning styles of
interpersonal, inferential, and self-reported at 95% significance level, there is a significant positive relationship.
Keywords: spatial intelligence, learning style, Dezful, Interpersonal, Dominance detection, Self-reported,
inferential

INTRODUCTION
Academic progress status and the lack of application of school knowledge outside them mainly, can be due to the
extreme attention to certain learning styles and multiple intelligences as well as ignoring the rest of learning styles and
different aspects of students intelligence. Biased toward a particular style and intelligence in students causes that
learning styles and dominant intelligence of them are not consistent with the usual style and intelligence used by
teachers, and cause them face educational problems. On the other hand, students whose learning styles and dominant
intelligence are in agreement with approved styles and intelligence of schools are deprived of the opportunity to develop
the mind in its other aspects. Teachers should create an environment in the classroom to allow students to process
information in accordance with the integration of all aspects of learning styles and multiple intelligences To perform the
duties in the world outside school. Therefore, attention to learning styles proportional to multiple intelligences,
combining and using them to develop an integrated and comprehensive education of students in the education system, is
essential. In this article we decided to examine the question whether there is a relationship between spatial intelligence
and learning styles of Payam Nour university students in Dezful or not?
PREVIOUS RESEARCH
Most people view learning as gaining information about or developing skills at certain areas of activities. Indeed, in
public view, learning is an indication of change and excellence. In other words, learning involves some effective, longterm change in a person's behavior, resulting from interaction with environment (i.e. experience) (Bahmaee, 2011: 1011) [3]. Mayer (1986) highlights main learning differences in terms of general knowledge, specific knowledge,
motivation, demographic characteristics, and learning style (Farahani, 1998: 156).
Learning style can be defined as a pattern of information acquisition and processing which learners prefer over other
patterns (Seif, 2009:258) [8]. Silver et al. (2000) [9] divide learning styles into four categories including interpersonal
style, mastery style, self-expressive style, and understanding style. They in addition, examine relationship between
learning styles and Gardner's multiple intelligences (silver et al., 2009:45-47) [9]. As Gardner points out, the real
learning occurs when educators and adults take unique abilities of any student into consideration and they meet essential
requirements for creation and development of each areas of intelligence .He puts traditional notions of intelligence into
seven distinct groups and then adds eighth intelligence within 1995-1999. They are as follows:Linguistic intelligence,

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Bahman Saeidipour and Esmaeil Safari. World Applied Programming, Vol (4), No (2), February 2014.

logical-mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, musical intelligence, interpersonal

intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, and naturalist intelligence (silver et al., 2009:12-15) [9].
Hanson and Dewing (1990) in their study concluded that students who are at risk, their failure is not due to their lack of
learning ability, But because their learning style is not given attention. Another researches done by Griggs and
Beasley(1995) and Carbo (1992) showed that If teachers consider students' learning styles, their achievement will
increase dramatically (Silver et al,2000) [9].Abdi et al (2009) [1] By comparing the effectiveness of teaching strategies
based on multiple intelligences and common method on achievement and attitude toward learning sciences lesson among
fifth grade elementary school students, concluded that Students who trained through teaching strategies based on
multiple intelligences had Higher academic achievement in all cognitive levels than students who have been trained in
traditional teaching methods.
Akkuzu&Akay (2010) [2] designed learning environment on the basis of multiple-intelligence theory, examining its
impact on achievements, attitudes, and retentions of students. Their findings revealed that teaching methods should be so
much varied that students could draw on their intellectual strengths for broadening their understanding, improving their
motivation, and encouraging active participation of students in more effective learning at schools.
Narli et al. (2011) [5] analyzed intelligent data on learning styles established on the basis of concept of rough sets, within
the framework of multiple-intelligence theory. They found significant correlation between learning styles and multiple
intelligences. Moreover, learning styles and multiple intelligences should be incorporated into each other in order to
establish potential learning styles.
In their studies on relationship between active learning models and multiple intelligence areas in music lessons of
elementary schools, Coban&Dubaz (2011) [4] indicated that students receiving training on the basis of active learning
models and multiple intelligences achieve greater success in and greater happiness at music lessons and experience more
permanent learning.
METHODOLOGY
As this study examined the relationship between multiple intelligences and learning styles, we adopted a correlational
descriptive approach. Of all students of Dezfool University of Payame Noor in academic year of 2012-2013, we selected
360 students (both men and women) by using Morgan's Table & stratified sampling. In order to determine areas of
multiple intelligences and learning styles, we used questionnaires of Silver et al (2000) [9], validity and reliability of
which was assessed and confirmed by BahmanSaeedi poor. Since we examined the relationship between learning styles
as predictor variable and areas of multiple intelligences as criterion variable and the part they play in academic
curriculum, we adopted interlinear regression correlation model.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Research hypothesis: there is a relationship between spatial intelligence and learning styles of Payam Nour university
students in Dezful

Regression
Residual
Total

Table 1:ANOVAa
Sum of Squares
df
300.381
4
4336.008
355
4636.389
359

Mean Square
75.095
12.214

F
6.148

Sig.
.000b

a. Dependent Variable: spatial intelligence

b. Predictors: (Constant): learning styles
Table 2: Coefficients a

(Constant)
Interpersonal
Dominance detection
Inferential
Self-reported
a. Dependent Variable

Unstandardized Coefficients
B
Std. Error
38.172
7.113
.065
.029
-.030
.048
-.061
.027
-.128
.045

95

Standardized Coefficients T
Beta
5.367
.134
2.214
-.040
-.621
-.134
-2.250
-.193
-2.870

Sig.
.000
.027
.535
.025
.004

Bahman Saeidipour and Esmaeil Safari. World Applied Programming, Vol (4), No (2), February 2014.

According to tables 1, F-statistic of the estimated model is 6.148; since it is greater than the critical level of table F, this
Shows Significance of the regression model and its acceptability. This criterion is a good measure of fitting a regression
model. Also according to table 2, we found that between spatial intelligence and learning styles of interpersonal,
inferential, and self-reported at 95% significance level, there is a significant positive relationship but between spatial
intelligence and learning style of dominance detection there was not relationship.
CONCLUSION
In this article, according to the results, we concluded that there was a significant positive relationship between spatial
intelligence and learning styles of interpersonal, inferential, and self-reported but it had no relationship with dominance
detection learning style. According to the previous researches, such schools have traditionally focused their attention
primarily on Dominance detection learning style and knowledge and understanding (Hansen and Dewing, 1990) and And
beside that, the verbal - logical as well as logical mathematical intelligence (Armstrong, 1994). Biased toward a
particular style and intelligence cause students who have other styles and dominant intelligences to bother to
communicate with what they are learning. On the other hand, students whose most of styles and intelligences have a
good correlation with emphasized Styles and intelligences of universities, are deprived of the opportunity to think of new
ways of thinking that comes from engaging with various problems. Therefore, teachers should create an environment in
the classroom allowing students to process information the way they are doing in the world outside the university.
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