Howard Gardner (Multiple Intelligences)
Learning is the aspect of solving problems that are valued in diverse cultural arrangements based on Howard Gardner ‘Theory of Multiple Intelligences’, (Gardner 2006). He reviewed literature based on several criteria of learning:
- The potential isolation that occurs due to brain damage
- The occurrence of savants, genius and other unique personalities
- A unique core operation or group of organizations
- The evolutionary history and plausibility
- Support developing from experimental psychological actions
- Support from psychometric findings
Individuals, who have the ‘intelligence’ title, usually satisfy the wide range of criteria and they have the ability to solve genuine predicaments based on their cultural background (Gardner 1983). Making resolutions concerns the reminiscence of artistic evaluation more than the scientific aspects. Due to the close relation of various cultures, personal intelligence is linked together. These are some of the main factors contributing to effective learning.
Gardner terms Curriculum as the act in which institutions implicate a lesson design aimed at involving the teaching in the focus of their own intelligence strengths. They use all the intelligences in their lessons a feature that makes students to provide their opinion based on their best implication of learning new topics. He alleges that the seven types of learning cannot work independently; they work together and have the initiative of harmonizing each other as individuals extend skills and solve problems (Gardner 2006). This was the reason why Gardner disputed that he was developing two vital claims based on the multiple set of curriculum. They included:
- The theory is accounted for the fullness of human cognition while providing new characterization of human personality through cognitive speaking. Humans are individuals who hold diverse set of intelligences.
- Individuals possess unique blend of intelligences, and Gardner states that this is a huge challenge to the exploitation of human property, based on factors that take advantage of the distinct aspects conferred on humans as species who inhibit diverse intelligences. Gardner states that these intelligences are amoral, meaning that they can occur in productive appearance or destructive utility
Through understanding Gardner’s ‘Theory of Multiple Intelligences’ has not been fully accepted by individuals within the academic psychology. This has been concurred through positive responses from majority of the educators. It is acceptable by a large group of educational theorists and applied by teachers and policy makers in schools. Many schools in North America are noted to structure their curricula based on the levels of their intelligence, the design of their classrooms and the entire school reflects their understanding of the theories (Gardner 1999). Generally, the theories are evident in all academic institutions. Human potential is based on the preferences of learning, Gardner’s main attention is on fact that human potential lies on the fact that individuals have different skills and abilities. This ensures that learning in all institutions is assessed resulting to high performance by the students.
According to Garner, learning takes place in various ways. This is implicated in the understanding of the overall personality, preference, and strengths. Gardner assumes that individuals who have the affinity towards intelligences have the capability of developing skills and solving their own predicaments (Gardner 1993). The impact of Gardner’s theories based on multiple intelligences has been tremendous over the recent years. This shows that individuals can expand the level of their knowledge across a wide field of abilities. These implications of classroom are inclusive of the curriculum development with the aim of catering for the strengths and weaknesses of the students. In spite of criticism, there is noticeable success based on multiple intelligences of variety of the settings attesting to their value (Gardner 1983). Gardner’s ‘Theories of multiple intelligences’ have aided educators in the reflection of their practices, and have given them a foundation to extend the focus based on aspects, which assist individuals to live their lives effectively.
References
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st century. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences: The theory in practice. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Gardner, H. (2006). The development and education of the mind: The selected works of Howard Gardner. London: Routledge.
