Multiple Intelligences and Technology in Education

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Multiple Intelligences and Technology in Education

• Kevin E Kalinowski
• University of North Texas
• February 16, 2005

2
Agenda

• Gardners MI Theory in a Nutshell
• How MI Can Impact Education
• Applying MI to Technology in Education
• Future of MI
• Open Discussion

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Gardners MI Theory in a Nutshell

• Researchers have shown that traditional
  definitions of intelligence (IQ scores) are
  accurate predictors of school performance
  (Gardner, 1993)
• But do superior students always have highly
  successful careers?
• Take the average student who becomes a
  well-respected expert in her field of mechanical
  engineering
• Or the valedictorian who becomes a middle manager
  in a branch of a local bank

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Gardners MI Theory in a Nutshell

• If no, then what are we measuring? Can it be
  applied to the 60 years we spend outside of
  school?
• Gardner (1993) says that IQ tests accurately
  measure the ability to answer items on tests of
  intelligence Thats it.
• The rest is inference from the test score to some
  underlying abilities

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Gardners MI Theory in a Nutshell

• Howard Gardner - the John H. and Elisabeth A.
  Hobbs Professor in Cognition and Education at the
  Harvard School of Education - proposed that the
  traditional definition of intelligence is not
  complete in his book, Frames of Mind (1983).
• In this book, he defined a new theory of plural
  intelligences rooted in human biology called
  the Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI)

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Gardners MI Theory in a Nutshell

• Gardner says we all have the ability to perform
  certain core abilities in a variety of areas
  based on
• Innate ability (nature)
• Cultural nurturing of that ability (nurture)
• Gardner used a multitude of psychological and
  physiological criteria to define intelligence
  in each area
• In addition, each intelligence must have a core
  of operation and must also be susceptible to
  encoding in a symbol system

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Gardners MI Theory in a Nutshell

• Gardners Seven Intelligences
• Musical
• Bodily-Kinesthetic (control of bodily movement)
• Logical-Mathematical
• Linguistic
• Spatial (navigation and tactile perception)
• Interpersonal (distinctions in others)
• Intrapersonal (self discriminations)
• Naturalist and Existentialist

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Gardners MI Theory in a Nutshell

• All of his intelligences were discovered by
  looking at the problems humans have solved, then
  working back to the intelligences that must have
  been responsible.

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How MI Has Impacted Education

• Gardner (1993) says intelligences are glimpsed
  through different lenses at different stages of
  development
• Because the intelligences are manifested in
  different ways at different developmental levels,
  both nurturing and assessment need to occur in
  appropriate and relevant methods

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How MI Can Impact Education

• Gardners Framework for Educational Understanding
  (1995)
• The Intuitive Learner
• Up to age 7
• Neurobiological and developmental constraints
• Intuitive understanding

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How MI Can Impact Education

• The Scholastic Learner
• School age
• Institutional and historical constraints
• Rote, ritualized and conventional understanding
• The Disciplinary Expert
• Any age
• Disciplinary and epistemological constraints
• Disciplinary understanding

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How MI Can Impact Education

• At every stage, instructors and learners have to
  be aware of
• The age and type of learner
• Their potential constraints
• Any understandings they innately possess
• The possible gaps that occur as a learner
  migrates toward another stage
• As well as any intelligences the learner can
  capitalize on

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Applying MI to Technology in Education

• Musical
• Programs integrating stories with songs and
  instruments
• Programs that relate notes/sounds/actions with
  music
• Programs that allow children to create their own
  music
• DVDs and CD-ROMs about music/instruments
• Audio DVDs, CDs and tapes

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Applying MI to Technology in Education

• Bodily-Kinesthetic
• Software games that allow contact with the
  keyboard, mouse, joystick and other devices
• Programs that allow children to move objects
  around the screen
• Word processing programs
• Animation programs
• Dance- and beat-along games

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Applying MI to Technology in Education

• Logical-Mathematical
• Problem solving software
• Computer-aided design (CAD) programs
• Strategy game software
• Graphing calculators
• Multimedia authoring programs
• Spreadsheet programs

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Applying MI to Technology in Education

• Linguistic
• Word processors with voice annotations
• Desktop publishing programs
• Programs that allow children to create stories,
  poems, essays, etc.
• Multimedia authoring programs
• Using tape and video recorders to create stories
• Multilanguage programs

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Applying MI to Technology in Education

• Spatial
• Drawing, image composition and paint programs
• Reading programs with visual clues
• Web page programs
• 3D software and games
• Spreadsheet programs which allow children to see
  charts, maps or diagrams
• Multimedia authoring programs

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Applying MI to Technology in Education

• Interpersonal
• Computer games that requires two or more persons
• Group presentations
• Telecommunication programs
• E-mail and chat
• Distance education
• Chat to discuss ideas

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Applying MI to Technology in Education

• Intrapersonal
• Any program that allows children to work
  independently
• Brainstorming or problem solving software
• Word processors for journaling
• Developing a multimedia portfolio
• Video or audio editing

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Applying MI to Technology in Education

• Naturalist
• Audio, digital or video cameras to record trips
• Word processing for journaling
• Data organization and calculation (database,
  spreadsheet) for observations
• Desktop presentations to show trends and changes
  over time
• Microscopes and probes (PC connected)

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Future of MI and Education

• More crystallizing experiences at younger ages
  to foster growth in an intelligence (Gardner,
  1993)
• Finding the right form of instruction
  (tutelage) for each student to provide the
  appropriate structures and a solid knowledgebase
  to build upon (Gardner, 1993)

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Future of MI and Education

• More internships, apprenticeships and
  involvement with the actual materials of the
  cultural role (Gardner, 1993)
• Choosing the right role of instruction for the
  correct developmental level (Gardner, 1993)
• Widening the focus of learning beyond linguistic
  and logical skills (Gardner, 1993)

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Future of MI and Education

• Total redesign of educational assessments
• Away from standardized testing
• Away from paper-and-pencil tests
• Toward personalized testing
• Tuned to the learners developmental level
• Holistic view of the individual
• (Gardner, 1993)
• More research to show that MI is valid and
  Technology in Education is effective

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Multiple Intelligences and Technology in Education

• Kevin E Kalinowski
• University of North Texas
• February 16, 2005