Chapter 4: Understanding
Student Differences
Spring 2007
Kathy-ann Hernandez, Ph. D.
1
Understanding Student Differences
Big Questions

What is intelligence?



Are their real differences in how students learn
based on gender?


Can we measure intelligence?
How do different views of “intelligences” impact on
learning?
What is gender bias?
How do students differ in their learning styles?
2
History of Intelligence Testing

Alfred Binet – 1904


To identify children able to learn.
Created the concept of Mental Age


Stern (1912) created the concept of Intelligence
quotient (IQ)


(MA - individual development relative to others)
IQ = MA/CA X 100
Test Revised Stanford-Binet -1985

Administered to individuals 2 years - adult
3
Intelligence Defined

Problem solving and the ability to adapt
and learn from everyday experiences.
(Santrock, 2004)

Individual differences in mental ability
(Snowman & Biehler, 2003)

NB: No agreed upon definition in educational psychology.
4
Limitations of intelligence tests




Intelligence cannot be measured directly
Intelligence tests sample intellectual capabilities that
relate to classroom achievement
Intelligence test scores can be improved with instruction
Anything that enhances classroom performance will likely
have a positive effect on intelligence test performance
(p. 105)
5
What traditional intelligence
tests measure

Spearman’s two factor theory
of intelligence


General factor—affected performance on all
intellectual tests (memory, reasoning, comprehension)
Specific factor—affected performance only on
specific intellectual tests (e.g. math proficient, or
language proficient)
6
Contemporary views of
intelligence



David Weschler —Global Capacity View (p.
106)
Robert Sternberg—Triarchic Theory
Howard Gardner—Multiple Intelligences
Theory
7
The three components of
Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory
Sternberg’s
Triarchic Theory
of Intelligence
Practical
ability
Adapting
to one’s
environment
Shaping
one’s
environment
Creative
ability
Selecting
a different
environment
Solving
novel and
unfamiliar
problems
Analytical
ability
Using prior
knowledge
and cognitive
skills to solve
problems and
learn new
information
8
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences

See Figure 4.1 on page 110

Not one intelligence but many (8 intelligences)

Intelligence is the ability “to solve problems, or
to create products, that are valued within one or
more cultural settings (Gardner, 1983/2003).”
9
What is gender bias?
Gender bias is…
Responding differently to male and female
students without having sound educational
reasons for doing so.
10
How gender bias affects
students

Course selection


Career choices


Math and science courses
Familiarity with and interest in tools of
science, perceived self-efficacy,
encouragement from parents and teachers
Class participation

“Loss of voice”
11
Gender differences

Males outscore females on the following tests:




Visual-spatial ability
Mathematical reasoning
College entrance
Females outscore males on the following tests:


Memory
Language use
12
Learning styles

What is a learning style?

Two learning style dimensions

Reflectivity and Impulsivity

Field-dependence and Field-independence
(Kagan, 1964)
(Witkin,
Moore, Goodenough & Cox, 1977)
13
Reflectivity versus Impulsivity

Reflectivity


In a problem solving situation, the student
prefers to spend more time collecting
information and analyzing its relevance to the
solution before offering a response
Impulsivity

In a problem solving situation, the student
responds quickly with little collection or
analysis of information
14
Field-dependence versus
Field Independence
Copyright © 6 April 2003 William M. Brown, Ph.D.
15
Field-Dependence versus
Field-Independence

Field-Dependence


A person’s perception/thinking about a task strongly
influenced by contextual factors as additional
information and other people’s behavior
Field-Independence

A person’s perception/thinking about a task
influenced more by the person’s knowledge base than
by additional information or other people’s behavior
16
Implications for Practice



How does your view of intelligence affect
instruction?
What can you do to facilitate gender
equity in the classroom?
How can you adjust instruction to cater to
learning style?
17