Multiple ways of Learning

Multiple ways of Learning

Howard Gardner, founder of the theory of ‘multiple intelligences’ is in India. A professor of cognitive psychology at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, 30 years ago, Gardner brought about a radical change in the way the world looked at classroom learning. It redefined intelligence in a way that was not only revolutionary, but also an eye-opener.
A world that was used to treating intelligences as a singular conglomerate — the presence or absence of it determining a child’s intelligence — was sensitised to a definition, a ‘set’ of criteria for what counts as an intelligence and data that supports the plausibility of ‘each’ individual intelligence.

As far as multiple intelligences is concerned, how does a teacher identify a student’s strengths? First, Gardner advises teachers to take students to a children’s museum a few times (or to a playground with multiple games) and watch them. This will complement what you observe in class, he says.

Secondly, he suggests, students, their parents, and if possible their last year’s teacher, be given a questionnaire about their strengths. To the extent that all three report the same strengths and weaknesses, teachers are on a safe ground. “I don’t trust self reports unless they are corroborated,” he adds.

Slot Plot

If you know that somebody is going to be a great dancer when they are five, should you create culture palaces where they just learn to dance? Gardner says, “It is a value judgment. A scientist can’t tell you what to do. If you want your country to win the Olympics, you may choose to put every five-year-old who is a good racer in a school where you just do racing. But, if you have a different value system, maybe you should not put people into pigeon holes when they are five.” Gardner reiterates his theory can reinforce the idea that individuals have many talents that can be of use to society; that a single measure is inappropriate for determining graduation, etc; and that important materials can be taught in many ways, thereby activating a range of intelligences.

On the future of learning, Gardner says that digital media has brought about a revolution. “Today, not only can people learn at home with their device, but learning has the scope to be more individualised. Also, there are many ways to teach and learn. That is where multiple intelligences have opened things up,” he adds.

The ‘Howard Gardner India Tour’ is being hosted by iDiscoveri Education, an education innovation company focussed on learning and leadership.

- With inputs from the Mindfields journal

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