Measurement model of multiple intelligence for employability among management graduates in Universiti Teknikal Malaysia, Melaka

Abstract

In this study, developing a fit measurement model and identifying the best fitting items to represent Howard Gardner’s nine intelligences namely, musical intelligence, bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence, mathematical/logical intelligence, visual/spatial intelligence, linguistic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, naturalist intelligence and spiritual intelligence are the main interest in order to enhance the opportunities of the management graduates for employability. In order to develop a fit measurement model, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was applied where it consisted of several stages such as (1) Model specification, (2) Model identification, (3) Model estimation, (4) Model evaluation, (5) Model modification using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). A psychometric test which is the Ability Test in Employment (ATIEm) was used as the instrument to measure the existence of nine types of intelligence of UTeM management graduates for job placement purposes. This study was conducted at the Faculty of Technology Management and Technopreneurship (FPTT), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM). The respondents of this study consisted of 137 graduates. The initial measurement model contains nine unobserved variables and each unobserved variable is measured by ten observed variables. Hence, the model contains 90 observed variables. However, 59 observed variables have low factor loadings where some modifications had been done by removing those items and they were excluded from further analysis. As such, the modified measurement model deemed to improve the Goodness-of-Fit [GFI (Goodness of Fit Index) = 0.814; RMR (Root Mean Square Residuals) = 0.063; TLI (Tucker-Lewis Fit Index) = 0.928; IFI (Incremental Fit Index) = 0.940; CFI (Comparative Fit Index) = 0.938; RMSEA (Root Mean Square of Approximation) = 0.049]. The modification procedures significantly improved the overall model fit as the fit indices show adequate model fit to the data. Furthermore, ATIEm underwent the process of CFA to validate the items and constructs related with the items. The Composite Reliability (CR) values ranged from 0.743 to 0.930 which were above the suggested benchmark value of 0.70 whereas the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) of each factor exceeded 0.50, representing good convergent validity, causing the measurement model is acceptable. The final modified measurement model contains 31 observed variables which have factor loadings more than 0.60 with those 31 items as considered as the best fitting items to represent Gardner’s nine intelligences. The finding showed that the UTeM management graduates possessed all nine intelligences either it is high or low. Musical intelligence, mathematical/logical intelligence, naturalist intelligence and spiritual intelligence contributed highest loadings on certain items. But, most of the intelligences such as bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence, visual/spatial intelligence, verbal/linguistic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal intelligence possessed by UTeM management graduates are just at the borderline.