MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Running head: MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Enhancing a Career Exploration Program for 8th Grade Students with an
Assessment for the Multiple Intelligences
C. Branton Shearer, Ph.D.
Kent State University
M.I. Research and Consulting, Inc.
1316 S. Lincoln St.
Kent, Ohio 44240
330-677-8534
sbranton@kent.edu
1
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Enhancing a Career Exploration Program for 8th Grade Students with an
Assessment for the Multiple Intelligences
ABSTRACT
This paper describes the results of an investigation into the effectiveness of an innovative
career exploration program conducted with an entire 8th grade middle school class
(N=160). 105 students responded to post-program survey. Goals of the program are to
provide students with a valuable Career Shadowing Experience (CSE) and greater
awareness of their multiple intelligences strengths so as to enhance educational planning
and career exploration. Results indicate that students with a greater awareness of their
multiple intelligences strengths participated in a valuable CSE that was logically related
to their strengths. These students also identified high school courses appropriately
matched to their strengths and career paths. Significantly, students who chose not to
participate in a CSE were found to be lower in self-knowledge, self-efficacy,
writing/reading, and musical ability. Recommendations are made for reaching these nonparticipants who are also noted to be disengaged from the school experience in general.
Key Words: career exploration, multiple intelligences, career shadowing, self-knowledge
Total Words: 3680
Abstract: 1475
2
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Enhancing a Career Exploration Program for 8th Grade Students with an
Assessment for the Multiple Intelligences
The assumption of a valued adult community role and a satisfying career by high
school graduates is one of the ultimate goals of education. Common sense and research
results inform us that the earlier in life that students gain knowledge of the world of work
and self-understanding then the better will be their chances for successful post-secondary
career planning (Shearer, 2006).
This project investigated the efficacy of a Career Shadowing Experience and a
multiple intelligences (See definitions in Appendix 1) (MI; Gardner, 1983, 1993)
assessment to enhance the logical career planning and course selection by a class of
eighth grade students. Two primary questions were investigated:
1. Does a Career Shadowing Experience (CSE) enhance students’ realistic career
planning?
2. Does a multiple intelligences assessment increase students’ self-awareness and logical
selection of a CSE, career aspirations and high school course selection?
MI theory identifies eight distinct forms of intelligence that are used to solve
problems, create products and provide services that are of value to a community:
(Gardner, 1983, 1993) Linguistic, Logical-mathematical; Spatial, Kinesthetic, Musical,
Interpersonal, Intrapersonal and Naturalist (see definitions in Appendix 1). Other
MIDAS research found that increasing students' awareness of their MI strengths and thus
improving Intrapersonal understanding results greater career clarity (Shearer, 2006).
3
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Method
Participants
All eighth grade students (N=160) in a suburban middle school completed three
sets of activities as part of their Career Exploration process. Students are about 14 years
old and are evenly split between males (49%) and females (51%) and over 90% are
Caucasian. The community is a working class suburb of a large urban area. Career
exploration activities were implemented by their guidance counselor and the researcher
as a part of the regular school guidance curriculum in cooperation with the English
teachers.
There were three main activities in the Career Exploration program:
1- Students completed a multiple intelligences self-assessment and were provided
with interpretative information (MIDAS).
2- Students completed an interest inventory (COPS).
3- Students participated in an eight hour self-selected Career Shadowing
Experience.
The goals of these activities were to enhance students' self-awareness and begin
the process of career exploration via practical experience and to assist students with
selecting a high school curriculum that will develop areas of intellectual strength.
Measures
The Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales (MIDAS; Shearer,
1996) is a standardized self-assessment that provides a reasonable estimate of the
student's intellectual disposition. The MIDAS uses a process approach toward assessing
the multiple intelligences where the student is guided through a structured verification
4
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
process which produces a quantitative and qualitative profile of the eight intelligences
and 26 domain specific subscales (see Appendix 1). The COPS (EdITS, 1995) is a
standard interest inventory that covers 14 Career Clusters areas such as Science,
Professional, Consumer Economics, Outdoor and Clerical.
Procedure
Students completed the two assessments in February of the school year and then
participated in a Career Shadowing Experience during the month of April. After
completing the assessments, students were provided with interpretative information and
these materials were included in their Individual Career Plan folders.
After completing their CSE in June students responded to a brief questionnaire
comprised of five questions:
1. What are your two MI strengths?
2. Is this a good description of your strengths?
3. Will you choose a high school course that will build on your strengths?
4. Did your MI profile suggest ideas for your Career Shadowing Experience?
5. Did you find your Career Shadowing a valuable experience? What did you do?
Data Analysis
To examine the effectiveness of this program it was first necessary to determine
if students were able to remember, understand and make use of their multiple
intelligences profile when selecting a Career Shadowing Experience. Students were asked
if their MI profile was used to select a CSE as well as a high school course elective.
Students were also asked if their CSE was a valuable experience or not.
Results
5
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
At the end of the school year 105 students responded to the follow-up
questionnaire. The 55 non-respondents were determined to be randomly scattered among
all eighth grade classes. Of the 105 respondents, 85% (n=89) reported that they
participated in a CSE. This non-graded program is conducted during students' English
classes and is considered to be "voluntary," but participation is strongly encouraged.
MI Profiles
The 105 students responded to the first two questions regarding their MI profiles
in the following ways.
Eighty-eight percent of students were able to name either one or two of their top
MI scales and sixty-nine percent of students named their top two MI strengths. Nineteen
percent could only name one of their top scales.
Of the 92 students who identified either one or two MI scales, 91% (n=84)
students agreed that this was a good description of their strengths.
Discussion
A challenge for middle school guidance counselors is to engage students in the
process of thinking seriously about their future career and educational plans. The goal is
not for students to make final decisions, but instead to thoughtfully engage in the process
of “exploration” so they will be better prepared to engage their high school courses in
preparation for post-graduation opportunities.
A large majority of students are able to recall the strengths identified on their MI
profiles suggesting that they have taken the process seriously and remembered the
information several months after completion. Students reported they agree that their MI
strengths were accurately described by their profiles. It was noted during the project that
6
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
students take their MI profiles more seriously than they do their interest inventory results.
Following the lead of their counselor and teachers, the students recognize the logical
connection between their own thinking strengths and their chances for success in school
as well as vocationally. The MIDAS scales represent something more important to them
than “mere interests.”
Course Selection
Students responded in the following ways to the question, Will you choose a high
school class that will build on your strengths?
84% (n=88) of the total respondents indicated that their MI profiles suggested a
high school course that would build on their strengths. Over half of this group named one
or two courses that were well matched to their strengths. A few examples follow (see
complete listing in Appendix 1):
-- Insert Table 1 About Here --
Discussion
Guiding fourteen-year old students to think realistically about themselves and
their futures can be a challenge. Their eventual career selections seem to be so far in the
future for them. It is also difficult for some students to move from the realm of
imagination and extravagant fantasies to a more realistic consideration of career
possibilities. It can be a delicate balancing act to provide career guidance that does not
discourage hopefulness and “thinking big” in the service of making realistic choices and
decisions. A goal of the MIDAS profile interpretation is to focus the child’s thinking
specifically on his/her MI strengths and then the active consideration of ways to
maximize success.
7
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
These data indicate that most students thought carefully about the implications of
their MI profiles and were able to use the information to logically consider an appropriate
high school course.
Selecting a Career Shadowing Experience
Students responded in the following ways to the question, Did your profile
suggest ideas for your Career Shadowing Experience?
Fifty-five percent of all students who participated in a CSE indicated that their MI
profiles suggested a particular type of experience. A review of the shadowing
experiences chosen by students finds that a majority of them are logically related to
students' MI strengths. A few examples of CSE matched to MI strengths follow (see
complete listing in Appendix 2).
-- Insert Table 2 About Here --
Discussion
The process of career planning is enhanced when a child can envision a future
where his/her intellectual strengths are recognized and used to fulfill a valued adult
community role (Gardner, 198, 1993). Making a logical connection between a child’s MI
strengths and the skills used in various Career Shadowing Experiences is intended to
illuminate one such possible path for the student.
It is evident from these data that a majority of students gain guidance from the MI
profile in selecting a CSE and that they often choose an experience well matched to their
MI strengths.
8
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Having a Valuable Career Shadowing Experience
Students responded in the following ways to the question, Did you find your
Career Shadowing a valuable experience?
Almost 80% of the students who participated in a CSE indicated that it was a
valuable experience. Students with a valuable CSE who identified two MI strengths
indicated that the MI profile suggested a CSE (85%). A qualitative review of valuable
CSEs found that they were almost always well matched with the students' MI strengths.
For example, a student with a Kinesthetic strength shadowed a building contractor and
visited houses that were in need of repair. He also identified high school courses in
woodworking and welding. Another student high in Logical-mathematical and Linguistic
selected a CSE at the local courthouse where she observed lawyers and indicated she
would take advanced math classes.
Interestingly, students who had a valuable CSE matched their experience to their
MI strength far more often (n=38) than did students who did not have a valuable
experience (n=2). A significant discrepancy was found between students who were able
to identify their two MI strengths (n=72) versus those students who only identified 1 area
(n=20). Students who remembered two MI strengths were far more successful in
matching their CSE to their strength (33 vs. 5).
It is instructive to compare the mean MIDAS scores for the eight main scales
among the three different student groups: Valuable CSE (n=70) and Not Valuable (n=19)
and Didn't Participate (n=16).
-- Insert Table 3 About Here --
9
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
These results indicate that there are minimal differences between the Valuable (V)
and Not Valuable (NV) groups. These differences are small ranging from merely one to
six percentage points and none of the differences are statistically significant. However, it
is interesting to note that the Not Valuable group's mean scores are lower on all MI
scales.
The data were analyzed using ANOVA procedures followed by T-tests for those
variables with significant differences. The Didn't Participate (DP) group differs
significantly from the Valuable group only on the Musical scale (p<.001). However,
again we see a pattern of scores lower on most scales (except Kinesthetic and Math/logic
which are higher) as compared to the Not Valuable group. Larger mean score differences
are evident on the Linguistic, Intrapersonal, Technical and Innovation scales (DP lower
by 7, 8, 7, 9 percentage points, respectively). These differences are not statistically
significant. However, a closer examination of the subscales found statistically significant
differences between the Valuable and DP groups in the following areas: Writing,
Knowing Self, Relating Self to Others, Musical Ability, Vocal and Musical Appreciation.
-- Insert Table 4 About Here --
Discussion
The meaning of low-level discrepancies across all main scales between the
Valuable, Not Valuable and DP groups is unclear. It may be merely a statistical artifact or
a one-time phenomena. There is insufficient data to begin to speculate regarding whether
situational or other psychological variables may be related to this finding (e.g., low selfconcept, poor judgment, impulsivity or immaturity). It will be interesting to see if this
trend continues in subsequent studies.
10
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
It is evident, however, that there are meaningful differences between students who
had a valuable CSE experience and those who did not participate. Low scores on the
Knowing Self and Relating Self to Others make sense in light of the practical
implications of MI theory. However, there are no obvious explanations for why the DP
students scored lower on the Writing and all Musical subscales. Further research is
necessary to see if this trend continues and to look for other situational or psychological
variables.
It has been suggested that these specific subscales may be lower for the DP group
because these scales assess activities that involve active performance, personal discipline
and are correlated with academic /school success. The school guidance counselor has
observed that students who do not participate in the CSE often do not take the program
seriously and tend to be less mature, less responsible and generally disengaged from
school.
Summary and Conclusions
These data indicate that most students learn about their MI strengths and are able
to use this information to make logical decisions about high school courses and Career
Shadowing Experiences. Students who know two of their MI strengths are better able to
choose a CSE that will be valuable to them. Students who are less well developed in the
self-knowledge, relating to others, writing and musical activities may be at a greater risk
for non-participation in future CSE.
These data also provide strong statistical support for the conclusion that the
Career Exploration program is effective and of value to students. This program appears to
increase many students' self-understanding and furthers their career exploration.
11
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
This study should be replicated in following years to see if the findings hold up
over time and with a different sample of students with different cultural backgrounds.
Additional follow-up surveys of these students in high school would also reveal if the
effects are long lasting and enhance eventual career planning.
Suggestions for Increasing Program Effectiveness
1- Provide students with an added MIDAS interpretative activity to ensure that
they understand and can identify their two MI strengths.
2- Provide an activity and information that allows all students to make logical
connections between their two MI strengths and a potential Career Shadowing
Experience.
3- Identify students who score low on the Musical main scale (<30%) and the
following subscales Writing (<35%), Know Self (<40%), Relate Self to Other (<40%).
Provide these students with an extra counseling session to assist their selection of a
Career Shadowing Experience.
References
Gardner, H. (1983, 1993). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences.
Basic Books. NY.
Shearer, C. B. (1996). The MIDAS: Professional Manual. MI Research and Consulting,
Inc. Kent: Ohio.
Shearer, C. B. (2006). "Testing the Wisdom of the Ancient Greeks and Shakespeare in the
University: “Know Thyself" and "To Thine Own Self Be True” Do
they hold true for helping confused university students find careers?
12
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Retrieved 6-8-06 from www.MIResearch.org/research.php.
EdITS (1995). COPSystem. ERAS/Educational Research and Services. San Diego, CA.
Buros, O. (1999). The thirteenth mental measurements yearbook: Supplement. Highland
Park, NJ: Gyphon Press.
Appendix
Appendix 1. MI Definitions and MIDAS-KIDS Scales and Subscales
Musical: To think in sounds, rhythms, melodies and rhymes. To be sensitive to pitch,
rhythm, timbre and tone. To recognize, create and reproduce music by using an
instrument or voice. Active listening and a strong connection between music and
emotions.
Musicality: awareness of and sensitivity to music, rhythms, tunes and melody
Instrument: skill and experience in playing a musical instrument
Vocal: a good voice for singing in tune and along with other people
Appreciation: actively enjoys listening to music
Kinesthetic: To think in movements and to use the body in skilled and complicated ways
for expressive as well as goal-directed activities. It involves a sense of timing and
coordination for whole body movement and the use of hands for manipulating objects.
Physical Ability: ability to move the whole body for physical activities such as balancing,
coordination and sports
13
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Dance, Acting: to use the body in expressive, rhythmic and imitative ways
Working with Hands: to use the hands with dexterity and skill for detailed activities and
small work
Logical-mathematical: To think of cause and effect connections and to understand
relationships among actions, objects or ideas. To be able to calculate, quantify, consider
propositions and perform complex mathematical or logical operations. It involves
inductive and deductive reasoning skills as well as critical and creative problem-solving.
Problem Solving: skill in organization, problem solving and logical reasoning; curiosity
and investigation
Calculations: ability to work with numbers for mathematical operations such as addition
and division
Spatial: To think in pictures and to perceive the visual world accurately. To be able to
think in three-dimensions and to transform one's perceptions and re-create aspects of
one's visual experience via imagination. To work with objects effectively.
Imagery: use of mental imagery for observation, artistic, creative, and other visual
activities
Artistic Design: to create artistic designs, drawings, paintings or other crafts
Constructions: to be able to make, build or assemble things
14
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Linguistic: To think in words and to use language to express and understand complex
meanings. Sensitivity to the meaning of words as well as the order among words, their
sounds, rhythms, inflections. To reflect on the use of language in everyday life.
Linguistic Sensitivity: skill in the use of words for expressive and practical purposes
Reading: skill in reading
Writing: ability and interest in writing projects such as poems, stories, books or letters
Interpersonal: To think about and understand another person. To have empathy and
recognize distinctions among people and to appreciate their perspectives with sensitivity
to their motives, moods and intentions.
Understanding People: sensitivity to and understanding of other people's moods, feelings
and point of view
Getting along with Others: able to maintain good relationships with other people
especially friends and siblings
Leadership: to take a leadership role among people through problem solving and
influence
Intrapersonal: To think about and understand one's self. To be aware of one's strengths
and weaknesses and to plan effectively to achieve personal goals. It involves reflecting on
and monitoring one's thoughts and feelings and regulating them effectively. The ability
to monitor one's self in interpersonal relationships and to act with personal efficacy.
Self Knowledge: awareness of one's own ideas, abilities; personal decision making skill
15
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Goal Achievement: awareness of goals and self correction and monitoring in light of a
goal
Managing Feelings: ability to regulate one's feelings, moods and emotional responses
Effective Relationships: ability to regulate one's mental activities and behavior with other
people
Naturalist: To understand the natural world including plants, animals and scientific
studies. To be able to recognize and classify individuals, species and ecological
relationships. To interact effectively with living creatures and discern patterns of life and
natural forces.
Animal Care: skill for understanding animal behavior, needs, characteristics
Earth Science: ability to work with plants, i.e., gardening, etc. and knowledge of natural
science
Appendix 2. MI Strengths, High School Courses and Career Shadowing Experiences
The MI strengths are organized by each of the main scales. If the student
identified two strengths these are listed in the order in which they were reported.
Kinesthetic
MI Strengths
Kinesthetic
HS Course
CSE
woods & welding
houses to be fixed.
Kinesthetic
Kin – Music
x-ray technician
P.E. and Band
16
2nd grade teacher
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Kin – Inter
gym
Kin – Music
Media, Performing Arts
gym teachers
Chorus, Instrument
Music – Kin
Music
Fire department
Kin
P.E.
Athletics coach / teacher
- Math
Intra – Kin
Beauty College
Intrapersonal
MIDAS Strengths
HS Course
CSE
Intrapersonal
computer program, business
Intra – Naturalist
first grade teacher
Intra – Math
judge
Math – Intra
dentist, surgery
Math – Intra
accounting clerk
Math – Intra
school psychologist
Intra – Inter
teacher
Inter – Intra
sales manager
Inter – Intra
dancing
teacher
Spatial – Intra
Spatial – Intra
prof. baseball player
media
teacher
Ling. – Intra
doctor
Interpersonal
MIDAS Strengths
HS Course
CSE
17
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Interpersonal
gym, drama
secretary
Interpersonal
photographer
Inter – Musical
pre-school teacher
Music – Inter
kindergarten teacher
Music – Inter
fire dept. captain
Inter – Math
geometry
P.E. teacher
Math – Inter
lawyers
Music – Inter
Band, choir
store security
Ling. – Inter
Public speaking
Pre-school teacher
Ling. – Inter
philosophy, psych.
Band teacher
Spatial – Inter
teacher
Linguistic
MIDAS Strengths
HS Course
CSE
Linguistic
Humanities
newspaper reporter
Ling – Inter
Public speaking
Pre-school teacher
Ling – Inter
Ling – Spatial
Ling – Spatial
cosmetology
art
kindergarten teacher
Ling – Intra
doctor
Ling – Inter
philosophy, psychology
Ling – Music
choir, Latin
Math – Ling
math class
band teacher
Lawyers
18
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Spatial
MIDAS Strengths
HS Course
CSE
Spatial – Intra
Spatial – Intra
prof. Baseball player
media
teacher
Spatial – Inter
teacher
Math – Spatial
scientific career
Math – Spatial
math. Algebra
astronomer
Naturalist – Spatial
art, crafts
cosmetologist, nail tech.
Ling – Spatial
art
kindergarten teacher
Ling – Spatial
cosmetology
Naturalist
MIDAS Strengths
HS Course
CSE
Naturalist
biology, zoology, vet
veterinarian
Nat – Spatial
art, crafts
cosmetology, nail tech
Math - Naturalist
Math, biology
veterinarian
Intra – Naturalist
first grade teacher
Math-Logic
MIDAS Strengths
Math - Naturalist
HS Course
CSE
Math, biology
veterinarian
Math – Spatial
scientific career
Math – Spatial
math. Algebra
astronomer
Math – Ling
math class
Lawyers
19
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
Math – Inter
Inter – Math
lawyers
geometry
P.E. teacher
Intra – Math
judge
Math – Intra
dentist, surgery
Math – Intra
accounting clerk
Math – Intra
school psychologist
Musical
MIDAS Strengths
HS Course
CSE
Music – Inter
kindergarten teacher
Music – Inter
fire dept. captain
Music – Inter
Band, choir
store security
Music – Kin
Music
Fire department
Kin – Music
P.E. and Band
2nd grade teacher
Kin – Music
Media, Performing Arts
Chorus, Instrument
Inter – Musical
Ling – Music
pre-school teacher
choir, Latin
20
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
______________________________________________________________
Table 1
Sampling of High School Courses Matched with MI Strengths
_______________________________________________________________
MI Strength
High School Course
> Naturalist
science, biology, zoology.
> Kinesthetic
welding, gym, woodshop, drama'
> Interpersonal
public speaking, philosophy, psychology,
humanities.
> Math / Logic
computer, chemistry, Algebra, enriched geometry.
> Linguistic
Latin, writing, Spanish, Journalism, public speaking
> Music
Band, choir, chorus, media, performing arts.
> Spatial
art, hobby
____________________________________________________________________
21
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
____________________________________________________________________
Table 2.
Matching Career Shadowing Experience to MI Strengths
____________________________________________________________________
MI Strength
Career Shadowing Experience
> Naturalist
veterinarian
> Spatial
cosmetologist
> Linguistic
newspaper reporter
> Interpersonal
secretary
> Intrapersonal
computer programmer, school psychologists
> Kinesthetic
gym teacher, coach
> Math-logic
lawyer, astronomer
____________________________________________________________________
22
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
____________________________________________________________________
Table 3
Comparing MI Main Scale Scores Among CSE Groups
____________________________________________________________________
Valuable (n=70)
MI Scales
Not Valuable(n=19)
Didn't Participate (n=16)
m%
m%
m%
Musical
54
48
29*
Kinesthetic
48
43
44
Math/Logic
50
46
53
Spatial
53
50
48
Linguistic
56
55
49
Interpersonal
59
54
53
Intrapersonal
54
51
46
Naturalist
50
48
44
Technical
52
47
45
Innovation
52
48
43
Note. N= 105. *p<.001
______________________________________________________________________
23
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES CAREER SHADOWING
____________________________________________________________________
Table 4.
Comparing MI Subscale Scores Among CSE Groups
___________________________________________________________________
Valuable (n=70)
MI Subscales
Not Valuable(n=19) Didn't Participate (n=16)
m%
m%
m%
p
Writing
56
53
33
.006
Know Self
55
53
38
.09
Relate self to others
51
45
37
.06
Musical Ability
52
47
31
.006
Vocal
55
55
35
.01
Appreciation
58
48
26
.000
______________________________________________________________________
24