Multiple Intelligences and Brain Research
I am wondering if, since Gardner introduced the notion of mulitple intelligences in the mid-80's, if there has been brain research indicating what the most common tripartite arrangements are, what the least common are, and why this is so in each case? In my own experience I routinely run into verbal/linguistic-visual/spatial-and musical/rhythmic learners. In second place are visual/spatial-musical/rhythmic and a third dominant, which can be any of the others, but is most often logical-mathematical.
Hi James,
I have been researching through an assessment that I developed to identify dominant multiple intelligences for the past 25 years. During that time I have had 26,000 individuals take the assessment so it is from this data base that I am able get a sense of what the dominants are and your own experience is right on with our research. This gives us a very good idea of how to structure our instructional delivery in relation to these dominant intelligence areas.
Gary
I have been a supporter of Gardner for some time now. But, I recently read that in contrast to the beliefs of multiple intelligences, some researchers believe that learning style pedagogy promotes stereotypes. I find this far off-target. What do you think?
Hi Patricia,
I think it is off target as well. I have been researching learning preferences and multiple intelligence applications for 25 years so I feel confident in my response. People acquire information in different ways and then process it internally in different ways. It is what makes up unique. By knowing this we can be more effective in our instructional planning without stereotyping our students.
Gary
This is interesting, since traditionally, music is centered in the right hemisphere while math and language are in the left hemisphere. This goes against the idea of hemispheric dominance. I think brain imaging studies on this would be fascinating.
Hi Krystal,
You raise a good point about how the brain functions. The more research I do in learning and brain functions the more I learn that we know so little about learning. For a 3 lb. chunk of mass the brain does so many amazing things and after all these years we know probably 1-2 percent of how this all occurs.
Gary
