Multiple Intelligences

Continuing on from learning styles, I was yet to discover about Multiple Intelligences.   Howard Gardner(1975) described multiple intelligences as the variety of abilities learners have in numerous different areas, in which the learning theories or styles do not seem to cover.  He categorised them into 8 different intelligences and as I discovered, during my learning style exercise, that I am a visual, I will display the 8 intelligences how I liked to view them, through  images :).  The one on the bottom is a simplified version of the one on the top.

http://www.gp-training.net/training/educational_theory/multint/wheel2.gif

Without even completing the test and by just reading through the words in the outer circle, I picked myself to be intrapersonal(self smart), visual/spatial (picture smart) and bodily kinesthetic (body smart).  And my results.....drum roll please....



http://freshmanmonroe.blogs.wm.edu/files/2011/08/originals.gif

So no real surprises that 3 of my main intelligiences are the ones I had already picked out for myself.  Logical intelligence was one of a little surprise.  So my strongest ones here also mimic the results I discovered about my learning style. 

However,after completing a few different quizzes online, I do wonder about the accuracy of these tests, as they are purely based on my own perception of how I see myself.  I think other factors that must also effect the results are your mood and attitudes, possibly about yourself or others.  As I have found doing these simple tests from one day to the next can greatly change my results.  Another factore to consider with these questionnaires is the type of questions they ask.  For example I completed another multiple intelligence test online and the results had my interpersonal intelligience, intrapersonal and spatial intelligences as the highest, music and nature as the lowest and language,logical and movement in between.  Does that mean today I am more caring when I read the questions regarding others?

I think the main importance as a teacher is to recognise there ARE different types of intelligiences.  In recognising these differences, teachers can implement different learning designs with ICT to incorporate all the intelligiences.  So for example if I was planning a lesson about Australia, within it  you could get students to form groups or work as individuals to either write a story, source pictures or illustrate themselves, come up with a song or find an appropriate Australian songs usng numerous different computer programs.  This is a fairly simplified idea of using ICT in a class, but ultimately the potential for ICTs in learning design is really endless.