Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory is based on the belief that “traditional psychometric views of intelligence are too limited.” He first outlined the theory of multiple intelligences in 1983 when he published Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. In his book, he discusses eight different intelligences as well as a possible ninth intelligence known as “existentialist intelligence.”
Gardner reveals that to truly understand the full talents and abilities of people, it’s pertinent to not limit them by a single intellectual capacity. Rather, you should categorize them among multiple intelligences. He goes on to say that while a person might have one intelligence area that he or she is particularly strong in, there’s a good chance the person is strong in other intelligence categories as well.
Also, as part of Gardner’s theory, he argues that it’s not how the information reaches our brain, but what matters is what our brain does with the information once it is received.
What Are the Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences?
The eight different categories of Gardner’s multiple intelligences are:
- Musical-Rhythmic
- Visual-Spatial
- Verbal-Linguistic
- Logical-Mathematical
- Bodily-Kinesthetic
- Interpersonal
- Intrapersonal
- Naturalistic Intelligence
- Over the years, Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory has become prized by teachers, many of whom have made the intelligences synonymous with learning styles. However, it’s important to note that multiple intelligences are not learning styles.Gardner sought to set the record straight regarding learning styles and multiple intelligences when he said the following:
- Cooperative Learning.
- Cooperation is working together to accomplish shared goals. Within cooperative situations, individuals seek outcomes that are beneficial to themselves and beneficial to all other group members. Cooperative learning is the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning. It may be contrasted with competitive (students work against each other to achieve an academic goal such as a grade of “A” that only one or a few students can attain) andindividualistic (students work by themselves to accomplish learning goals unrelated to those of the other students) learning. In cooperative and individualistic learning, you evaluate student efforts on a criteria-referenced basis while in competitive learning you grade students on a norm-referenced basis. While there are limitations on when and where you may use competitive and individualistic learning appropriately, you may structure any learning task in any subject area with any curriculum cooperatively.
- Cooperative learning activities would invite students to be more active participants in their own learning, to share and discuss their ideas, to engage in argumentation and debate, to play varying roles within the group, and to internalize their learning.
- Teachers who wish to use cooperative learning should ideally base their classroom practices on theory validated by research. The closer classroom practices are to validated theory, the more likely they will be effective. When more directly practice is connected to theory, furthermore, the more likely practice will be refined, upgraded, and improved over the years. There are, however, few classroom practices that are directly based on validated theory. The close relationship between theory, research, and practice makes cooperative learning somewhat unique. It also creates a set of issues for teachers using cooperative learning.
- THANK YOU!
