Learning 21 (Issue 01)

February 2009

LEARNING 21

Eduevolution: Building community and understanding for effective, compelling, and authentic learning and education in the 21st century.

Musings and Research by: Thomas Galvez

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES IN THE 21ST CENTURY Much has been said about Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory for nearly three decades. But, where does this theory stand now in the face of massive shifts occurring in the world and education today?

Creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, communication, problem solving, information and technology fluency, global citizenship,

yore? The answers to these questions will be explored and more.

A walk through classrooms around the

flexibility, and adaptability. These are the skills or

world following a Western style education,

abilities that organizations like The Partnership

would see teachers facilitating a variety of

for 21st Century Skills are seeking to infuse and

learning activities. From lectures, discussion

emphasize in K - 12 education environments in

groups, socratic seminars, project learning, test

order to prepare students for the rapidly

taking, expository and creative writing, dramatic

changing and technology rich world of today

interpretation, and debate, teachers have

and tomorrow. Upon looking at these skills,

approached their lessons with the best

however, one may wonder where Howard

intentions for preparing their students for the

Gardner’s multiple intelligences (MI) fit into all of

future. These types of activities have

this. Are the intelligences that Gardner has

successfully prepared some students in the past

defined still relevant considering this shift

for the world that was ahead of them.

toward skill based curricula? Do educators still

In observing more closely inside these

respect this theory in daily practice? Or, has it

kinds of classrooms today, students may be

become a bygone of educational movements of

politely learning, but are they really engaged and being prepared to live and survive in the 21st

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Learning in the 21st Century Is the multiple intelligence theory still relevant today?

Photo Credits: Licensed from iStock (top) and Shutterstock (above).

Environments and M.I.

CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENTS

A classroom’s look and feel tells a lot about the intelligences being accessed. Are lecture rooms like the one to the left accessing many intelligences?.

Photo Credit: T. Galvez Photo Credit below: Licensed from Shutterstock

“Individually configured education” will help more students be successful century? This is an essential question being asked today. With the

necessarily means that that intelligence should be schooled.” For

ubiquitous access to technology, the fast pace of life, and the rapid rate of

example, just because someone is musically intelligent, doesn’t mean

change in most sectors of life, today’s learners need something

incorporating music will help promote the necessary skills needed

more to keep them really engaged. At the same time, they need

for success this century. To further on this point, Gardner

compelling and authentic activities and projects that will effectively prepare them for the uncertain world ahead of them. It is for this reason that skill-based curricula are coming to the forefront today.

Five Minds or Eight Intelligences?

minds of learners must be fashioned and stretched in five ways that have not been crucial- or not as crucial- until himself. Gardner doesn’t refute his MI theory, but he now feels

these minds should be the dominate qualities in one’s character. The

According to Willingham (2009), Gardner would agree with this to an

five minds to which he refers are the disciplinary mind, the synthesizing

extent since “he does not believe that status as an ‘intelligence’

Photo included in template

says that in order to deal with this time of vast changes, “the

now” (p. 11). This is a pretty strong declaration by the man

If the promoting of these skills is becoming the focus of education, then focusing on MI would not be as relevant.

ON WHICH SIDE DO YOU HANG?

(2007), in his more recent book, Five Minds for the Future,

RESPECT

OPPOSITION

RESPECT

OPPOSITION

Motivation Students will enjoy the material when it relates to their main intelligences.

Data Scarcity in hard data makes the efficacy of M.I. unclear.

Engagement Activities involving M.I. theory engage students and lead to deeper understanding.

Naming These intelligences are just abilities renamed.

(Willingham, 2009)

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(Willingham, 2009)

LEARNING IN THE 21ST CENTURY Multiple intelligences, differentiation, technology, skills, and project-based and problem solving learning is where it’s at mind, the creating mind, the respectful mind,

differentiation. It is recognized by

and the ethical mind.

most educators that each child

Others have argued that the scarcity of

learns differently. In order to

hard data relating to the efficacy of MI theory in

respect this fact, educators should

classroom practice could make it a tough sell to

not take a one size fits all

include in the developing skill-based curricula of

approach. Gardner (1999) even

today (Willingham, 2009). At the same time, to

emphasizes this by saying that

know which intelligences a person is truly

“individually configured

intelligent in, Gardner (1999) states that the

education” (i.e. differentiated

intelligences need to be directly assessed, not

instruction) will lead to the most

through the lenses of linguistic and logical

successful learning

intelligences. This can be difficult, especially

environments (p. 151). When

when time, money and resources are limited.

considering the various intelligences

Gardner continues to say “assessment of

in the classroom, along with giving choice in

multiple intelligences is needed only when one

product, process, and a variety of content to

has a strong reason for it” (p. 81). So, if it is

consider to meet curricular goals, a more

difficult to truly assess what a child’s strongest

dynamic and engaging learning environment will

intelligences are, it may not be best practice to

come about.

take time to teach to them, considering the need

Technology can access many intelligences Photo: T. Galvez

At the same time, technology integration

to develop the five minds and the other critical

not only can be used for differentiation

skills in today’s world.

purposes, but it can be used to access the

Opposing these claims are not those that

different intelligences. Christoudoulou (2009)

would disagree with need to emphasize the five

states that multiple intelligence theory “is a

minds and/or skill-based frameworks, but those

dynamic capacity amenable to change via good

that champion and respect the need for

teaching, high motivation and adequate

differentiated instruction, technology integration

resources, including those provided by

and self-awareness in the way one learns. In

technology.” Gardner (1999) would agree when

these contexts, MI theory can easily be infused

he says, “One fact that will make individually

into the skill-based frameworks.

configured education a reality in my lifetime: the

Differentiated instruction can be defined as

ready availability of new and flexible

“a variety of classroom practices that allow for

technologies” (p, 153). He goes on to say “Such

differences in learning styles, interests, prior

technology can also be ‘smart’: it can adjust on

knowledge, socialization needs, and comfort

the basis of earlier learning experiences,

zones” (Benjamin, 2005, p. 1). MI theory and

ensuring that a student receives lessons that are

practice fits in nicely to the process of

optimally and individually crafted” (p. 154). With

the variety of multi-media and digital environments technology creates, it can be easy to access multiple intelligences with effective and compelling integration of digital information technology.

Lastly, being self-aware of one’s own intelligences can be very beneficial when given opportunity for choice in learning environments where differentiated instruction and technology integration is being practiced. Students will be more motivated and engaged when they can choose the way to want to complete work and solve problems.

In conclusion, Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory is still relevant for today’s educational practices. It just needs to be channeled appropriately through differentiated instruction and technological tools that are developing 21st century skills and being promoted through project-based and problem solving learning. In these instances, we will have students prepared for the unpredictable and rapidly changing world ahead.

References Benjamin, A. (2005). Differentiated instruction using technology. New York: Eye on Education.

Christodoulou, J. (2009). Applying multiple intelligences. American Association of School Administrators.

Retrieved February 12, 2009 from http://tinyurl.com/dkttm3

Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed. New York: NY. Basic Books.

Gardner, H. (2007). Five minds for the future. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2007). Route 21. Retrieved from

http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21/

LEARNING 21 Written & Edited by: Thomas Galvez An Apple Distinguished Educator, Full Sail University Graduate Student, and High School Social Studies Teacher.

Willingham, D. (2009). Check the facts: reframing the mind. Education Next. Retrieved February 11,

2009 from http://www.hoover.org/publications/ednext/3261311.html

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http://togalearning.wordpress.com