In closing, implementing only one theory of learning can be limiting to the success of students in a classroom setting. A more effective approach would be “draw from two or more theoretical perspectives… to better capture the complex nature of human thinking and learning” (Ormrod, 2012). According to Howard Gardner, there are multiple intelligences in human individuals that are based on biological and cultural elements (Brualdi, 1996). Since each of the intelligences work independently of each other, but also complement each other individuals learn, teachers should teach accordingly (Brualdi, 1996).
Howard Gardner used to define intelligence as “the ability to solve problems or to create products that are valued within one or more cultural settings” (Gardner 33). The modern day human being would most likely include the words “smart” and “dumb” in their definition of intelligence. Gardner questioned the belief of only one intelligence so he created his own theory that involved seven different discoveries. He didn’t want to call these discoveries “skills” or “talents” or gifts” because those all suggested a drawback so he decided on the word “intelligence,” creating his theory of multiple intelligences (Gardner 33). Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences including, linguistic, logical/mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, intrapersonal and interpersonal, has many implications for modern education and culture.
Howard Gardner’s theory contains eight main multiple intelligence. As the years have progressed there have taken one out and is left with the main seven. These seven are: Linguistic, Mathematical, Spatial, bodily, Musical, Interpersonal, and Intrapersonal. These are found in everyone; however, each person will excel in one or two. Once teachers can determine what intelligence the students will exceed on and teach to their strengths the student will learn much more.
Howard Gardner was best known for his theory of multiple intelligences. In his article entitled “A Rounded Version: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences,” Gardner explains the seven types of intelligences and what makes an individual “intelligent” in those areas. One of his definitions for intelligence is that it “entails the ability to solve problems or fashion products that are of consequence in a particular cultural setting or community” (Gardner 509). Schooling and education deal immensely on various types of problem solving, and a student’s ability to solve problems foreshadowed his/her future success (Gardner 507). With this in mind, one may come to the question of whether or not schooling and education best accommodates the seven forms of intelligence. With the various types of classes that can be taken in most high schools, a time when individuals are beginning to define themselves and deciding what their roles should be in society, all of the seven intelligences are accounted for. High school education does not need to be altered to best accommodate the seven intelligences.
Overall, the multiple intelligence theory is a practical and useful way to assist educators and students in an educational environment. Educators can identify how they should be relaying information to their students, and students can interpret how they learn the best. Furthermore, students can understand which intelligences they excel at and use that knowledge to assist them past their schooling, in their jobs and personal lives. This theory is based on the idea that there are many different ways to be intellectual, which challenges all traditional viewpoints that only certain people can be smart. This is important for every individual to recognize because it ensures that there is a self-worth that is developed by identifying each person’s unique strengths and weaknesses.
The theory behind multiple intelligence is that people display intelligence across a broad spectrum of areas: these areas are also completly independent of each other. (Grison, Sarah, Todd F. Heatherton, and Michael S. Gazzaniga. "Chapter 8." Psychology in Your Life. New York: W.W.Norton &,inc, 2015. 289+. Print.) It was proposed by Psycologist Howard Gardner of Harvard university. He was oppossed to the theory of general intelligence which states that if you do well in one field, such as math, you will do well in anouther: like English or Science. When testing for intelligence, general intelligence models will rely on a high score in one feild to determine a persons overall intelligence. While Multiple intelligence will test a person over
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” (Benjamin Franklin). These words describe the idea behind a student trying to effectively learn from his or her professor. In 1983, Howard Gardener, an American developmental psychologist, introduced the idea of multiple intelligence. According to Gardener, what was believed before to be “soft skills” were in fact different ways to express our intelligence. People can have one or more types of intelligence all together. I, Rodrigo, an Engineering student, possess both logical-mathematical, intra-personal, and spatial intelligence. I am very good with numbers, and I am often called “smart” or “intelligent” by my
According to Gardner (2000), there are eight different intelligences, such as linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily kinesthetic, natural, interpersonal, and intrapersonal (p.5). People have these abilities, but not all of them learn the same way. For instance, one could have musical ability, while another could have mathematical ability. Each person are learning his or her way of learning and by understanding what type of style he or she have, is learning how to teach them.
I strongly believe that this different kind of multiple intelligences will help teachers’ in teaching and learning where it is a way of understanding the students’ better. A teacher may be capable of identifying on what the students’ actually can do well instead of what they could not do. The eight primary intelligences identified by Gardner (1883, 1999) include linguistic intelligence refers to an individual’s capacity to use language effectively through expression and communication in the written or spoken word such as poets and writers. Next, logical-mathematical intelligence refers to an individual’s ability to recognize relationships and patterns between concepts and things using numbers effectively such mathematician and economists. Then, spatial intelligence refers to the capability to perceiving and altering the visual-spatial world. Besides, spatially intelligent people are able to graphically represent their visual spatial ideas for instance artists and interior designers. Next, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence refers to the capability of using one...
A human’s capacity to learn new skills has been researched and studied over the years. Each individual is unique and therefore hard to put into one simple category. Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences is one example of the possible ways a human can learn and comprehend their world. In his theory, Gardner has described 8 different capacities of learning ability. In applying his theory, personalized education could be created to tailor to each individual’s needs.
Nolen, J. (2003). Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. Education (Chula Vista, Calif.), 124(1), 115-19. Retrieved April 25, 2011from OmniFile Full Text Select database
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences ushered vast changes into the once stagnant learning environments of the education and business worlds. Multiple Intelligence Theory evaluates and considers the educational practice of the last century and provides alternative methods to tap into human intelligence, learning style, personality and behavior, it examines learning on many new levels. Educators and employers who once sat stagnant with no understanding of teaching the difficult or exceptional with traditional ways now had new hopes.
Gardner believes that all people excel in at least one category of intelligence. However, he cautions teachers using the multiple intelligence approach in the classroom: “Do not label kids as ‘spatial, but not linguistic’ or, for that...
Howard Gardner is the “John H. and Elisabeth A. Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Adjunct Professor of Neurology at the Boston University School of Medicine, and Senior Director of Harvard Project Zero” (Gardner bio, Multiple Intelligences and Education, MI Theory, and Project Zero). As director of Project Zero, it provided and environment that Gardner could begin the exploration of human cognition (Multiple Intelligences and Education). Project Zero colleagues have been designing assessment and the use of multiple intelligences (MI) to realize more personalized curriculum, instruction, and teaching methods; and the quality of crossing traditional boundaries between academic disciplines or schools of thought in education (Gardner bio). MI theories offer tools to educators that will allow more people to master learning in an effective way and to help people “achieve their potential at the workplace, in occupations, and in the service of the wider world” (Gardner papers).