Sunday, June 14, 2009
3. How has the view of multiple intelligences influenced the field of curriculum? How might this concept of intelligence influence the field in the future? How does constructivism incorporate the most recent views of learning? How should the concept of learning styles influence the thinking of those responsible for curriculum development and delivery?
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From Wanda Schmidt
ReplyDeleteGardner’s theory to education is saying that as long as curriculum is taught and assessed only one way, we will only reach a certain kind of child. But everything can be taught in several ways.
But curriculum needs to be well thought through and not just designed around the latest movement in teaching or the latest fad. Considerations need to be made when implementing Multiple Intelligence concepts in the classroom or curriculum it takes time to absorb the full implications of the theory because it is more radical than most educators initially appreciate. It also takes time for educators to work out specific practices. I see Multiple Intelligence as being appealing, but it is not for the faint-hearted, not for those in search of a quick fix.
What does the implementation of the multiple intelligence theory do for educators and students in the field of future curriculum? Multiple intelligence provides a way to reach beyond the text to provide varied opportunities for students to learn and show evidence of learning. If teachers are aware of students having more than one intelligence, then they can customize their teaching styles to fit the needs of each individual child.
Children and adolescents should be given an opportunity to shine in classrooms in which their particular strengths can be nurtured. Each child should receive the chance to be the best at something. No longer can our curriculum reflect a “one size fits all” curriculum. Our educators can now find a way to reach the students on a comfortable level. We’re at a time when national curriculum standards and mandated testing define the educational norm. In my opinion current education policy has complicated the use of the concept of multiple intelligences in schools and classrooms; it is our rooted assumptions about how schools should operate. Yes it’s true; education seems to be so focused on the outcomes of the school.
From Wanda Schmidt
ReplyDeleteSecond part to this question.
. How should the concept of learning styles influence the thinking of those responsible for curriculum development and delivery?
Students have different learning styles--characteristic strengths and preferences in the ways they take in and process information. Some students tend to focus on facts, data, and equations; others are more comfortable with theories and mathematical models. Some respond strongly to visual forms of information, like pictures, diagrams, and schematics; others get more from verbal forms, written and spoken explanations. Some prefer to learn actively and interactively; others function more introspectively and individually.
Functioning effectively in any professional capacity, however, requires working well in all learning style modes. For example, engineers and scientists must be observant, methodical, and careful as well as innovative, curious, and inclined to go beyond facts to interpretation.. Similarly, they must develop both visual and verbal skills. Information routinely comes in both forms, and much of it will be lost to someone who cannot function well in both of these modes.
If professors teach exclusively in a manner that favors their students' less preferred learning style modes, the students' discomfort level may be great enough to interfere with their learning. On the other hand, if professors teach exclusively in their students' preferred modes, the students may not develop the mental dexterity they need to reach their potential for achievement in school and as professionals.
An objective of education should thus be to help students build their skills in both their preferred and less preferred ways of learning.
Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory has helped to change the field of curriculum and the way that instruction is provided to students. Gardner stated that there are different types of intelligences that people possess. These multiple intelligences include: linguistic, logical, visual, kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. Through these intelligences, Gardner has brought to the front the idea curriculum can include subjects other than the 3R’s. We can include subjects such as music and art. It allows people to see that subjects like speech have their place in society, and students can use them to succeed in life. Since educators have the knowledge that there are other intelligences, it shows that students can have many opportunities to succeed in life if they are instructed and pushed to use the intelligences that are their strongest point. I have used Gardner’s theory with my students, and I think that if is beneficial to the students. Even if a student is not good at one subject, you are able to point out which areas they are good at. For instance, I had a student who could not read or write and the student struggled in almost every subject area. However, the student did really well in science. Since the student was good at science I used science books and topics to help the student learn how to read and write. I think the theory will continue to be used in the field of curriculum in the future. We now have proof that students can learn many different ways. This provides students with more opportunities. I think that curriculum should be designed and implemented in a way that will nurture all types of intelligence and all types of excellence that contribute to the worth of the individual and society. Children are very versatile and educators need to be aware of the student’s strengths and weaknesses and provide them with curriculum that meets their versatile personalities.
ReplyDeleteIf educators agree that people if people have multiple intelligences, it is also plausible to think that people learn using different approaches and methods. Curriculum developers should take the idea that people learn using different methods. The curriculum that is provided in schools does not coincide with the idea that people have different intelligences and learning styles. Curriculum should be written to meet the needs of students. This means that students should be provided with curriculum that provides different approaches to concepts and different ways to learn concepts. For instance, when a class is studying the changes in matter students should be able to do hands-on activities and use graphic organizers to help organize information if this is the way the student will learn the concept. However, educators have to be careful with providing curriculum to meet a learning style. We must keep in mind there are many forms of learning styles and intelligences. There is no way we can provide instruction for each learning style. Students will not be catered to in society and we cannot cater to them all the time as educators. There is a need to find a balance between rigid curriculum and meting students learning styles.
The view of multiple intelligences has influenced the field of curriculum in that we design our lessons to meet the individual needs of students based on their learning style. I think we design our lessons the majority of the time to meet each of the learning styles as a whole, in order to allow each student to perform in a different way. Unfortunately, the way our schools are set up for mastery learning, we don’t always have time to teach to students’ individual learning styles. I think a lot of learning today is done through direct teaching and technology; a lot of hands-on, but necessarily through a variety of learning styles.
ReplyDeleteIt is important for curriculum developers to consider the fact that people have various preferences for ways of thinking and approaches to learning. It’s also important not to cater to a preferred style of thinking or learning because that may limit the students’ functioning within the learning area. We have to make sure we give students a full range of ways to learn and strategies for thinking.
According to Gardner, there are multiple intelligences and different mental operations associated with those intelligences. He advocates for the use of presenting material in order to stimulate several or all multiple intelligences in order to reach that student. A total of eight multiple intelligences were developed by Gardner. They are: (1)verbal/linguistic, (2)logical/mathematic, (3)visual/spatial, (4)bodily/kinesthetic, (5)musical/rhythmic, (6)interpersonal, (7)intrapersonal, (8)the naturalist. The theory of multiple intelligences has had a tremendous impact on the field of curriculum. The book states that not only is there a need for the 3 R’s in school, but there is indeed a place for music, art, speech and social skills. Multiple intelligences per the book can help students understand and deal with social situations that can foster success in adulthood. The book also states that we must nurture all types of intelligences in order to create productive individuals that will eventually contribute to society. Not everyone is destined to go to college or excel in core subject areas. We need to encourage musicians, actors, baseball players and the like.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of multiple intelligences has greatly influenced the field of curriculum in that teachers today are using this concept to teach. It is evident in Kagan, Thinking Maps and Learning Focused Strategies. Our curriculum reflects these influences and the drive and need to reach all learners. The concept of multiple intelligences will continually be an integral part of the curriculum now and in the future. Gone are the days of the one room school house with one delivery method for all students. Students today hail from all types of backgrounds (socio-economic, religious and ethnic, as well as the rise of ESE students). We cannot afford to sit on our laurels and think one delivery method will reach all students. It is our responsibility to incorporate MI’s throughout the curriculum.
Not only are we responsible for delivering MI in our curriculum, but we must take into account the learning styles of individuals. These two concepts are interrelated. Although the book states that there is still no conclusive evidence regarding the benefits of addressing learning styles of education, we do know that some students learn better from reading material versus hearing it. Equally, some students learn more effectively from physical activities than from a verbal explanation. It is important to note that educators should not cater to a specific learning style, but should hit all types of strategies for thinking and learning. The book points out that if an educator only teaches to the student’s strengths, the may limit their learning abilities. Therefore, it is important to take into consideration the concept of learning styles when developing curriculum.
I was first introduced to the concept of multiple intelligences in course taught by Dr. Block on classroom management. We took a short multiple intelligence (MI) quiz to see what type of learners we were. From that, she taught a very high energy class that touched each MI to ensure every student in class was “getting” the content. I took that quiz and its theoretical underpinnings and tried to hit the majority of the MI’s in my classroom. I used music to teach time, money and multiplication facts. For vocabulary, I always began the lesson by explaining the definition of the word, laying it out on a large poster-board with striking pictures next to each vocabulary word to engrain the information. I implemented a lot of Kagan Activities which used musical, spatial, kinesthetic and interpersonal/intrapersonal skills. For instance, if I were teaching place value, I would put bright, different colored sticky notes with numbers on them in a folder (i.e. 169, 18, 5). Each number had one digit underlined so that the student would need to match the correct place value with the correct heading (i.e. 169 would go under the heading tens). I would turn the music on and let the students walk around exchanging folders and when the music stopped, they had a certain amount of time to place the correct sticky note with the corresponding place value. I implemented many activities across all subject areas hitting as many MI’s as I could to not only reach the learner, but make it impressionable and FUN!
ReplyDeleteAndrea said....I agree with Debbie on the importance of tapping into the different learning styles of our students. It is so important because it does making teaching and learning fun when we teach skills in different manners. I think it also helps students learn to do things in other ways that they may not have tried before. It also helps to keep students from settling on one way of completing a task. Teaching to the different learning styles also helps keep us from settling in our ways and teaching our content the same year after year.
ReplyDeleteI think Debbie did a great job trying to reach each of the student's MI's. That is so hard to do, but it is well worth it if it helps the students. I think when students use the MI's they become more versatile in the way they learn concepts.
ReplyDeleteSeven views of multiple intelligences have been incorporated in the curriculum and influenced the way student’s think throughout schools. These seven views include verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, visual/spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, musical/rhythmic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalist.
ReplyDeleteHow might this concept of intelligence influence the field in the future?
We must be guided by reason and balance and consider the versatility of children and youth. We need to be aware of their multiple strengths and abilities and the multiple ways of thinking and learning. Therefore, I believe more schools should incorporate the arts, vocational learning, and an opportunity to volunteer and observe numerous careers so that the student may begin to understand how they can contribute to society and their well-being. Overall, we need to be aware of the concept of intelligence in order to produce affective students in the future.
How should the concept of learning styles influence the thinking of those responsible for curriculum development and delivery?
Those in charge of planning and implementing the curriculum must expand their vision beyond intellectual and academic pursuits, without creating soft subjects or a watered down curriculum. We must nurture all types of intelligence and all types of excellence that contribute to the worth of the individual and society. Students need to accept their strengths and weaknesses in order to reach academic success or they will lose all motivation to continue in school. Schools need to provide the opportunity for students to explore their multiple intelligences via subject, kinesthetic learning, or field trips.