The Design Elements of Montessori’s Learning Instruments Associated with Promoting/Enhancing Multiple Intelligences using KJ and Modified Delphi Methods

• Main Authors: Yi-Wun Chen, 陳奕文
• Other Authors: Chun-Ming Yang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/gtwr94

碩士 === 明志科技大學 === 工業設計系碩士班 === 103 === Montessori education has endured for nearly a century. Its success and popularity make the instruments developed by this system models for today’s educational toys. The theory of multiple intelligences suggests that humans have at least eight different intelligences. This is in strong contrast to traditional paradigms heavily emphasizing mathematics and literacy. This research used the lens of multiple intelligence theory to investigate Montessori learning instruments using the KJ and Delphi methods. Our aim was to integrate the disciplines of early childhood education and educational product design to identify the specific design elements that enhance multiple intelligences and to provide a purchasing guide. First, children at Montessori kindergartens were observed playing with Montessori instruments to confirm the usage of Montessori instruments as research samples. Educationalists specializing in the Montessori approach selected 48 instruments to represent the Montessori education system. Four Montessori early childhood education specialists then used the KJ method to clarify the relationship between these instruments and childhood development. A modified Delphi questionnaire for these 48 instruments was designed based on the multiple intelligences assessment chart by Lazear (1999). Six Montessori educators were then invited to complete the questionnaire. It took two rounds to arrive at a consensus of each instrument's function in terms of multiple intelligences. The results were used to create a graph for use by parents and teachers in the purchase and/or teaching of these instruments. The other questionnaires were completed by experts in product design in order to identify generalizable design elements of Montessori instruments. These results were used to develop a design element chart to provide product designers and teachers with reference for the design of educational toys.