Hi Carl,
This is why I get excited about working with multiple intelligences. Learning how people process information helps me to understand how I can communicate with them better. I also appreciate their intelligences more. The saying "It isn't how smart you are but how you are smart" really applies.
Gary
Dr. Meers, I can see why you have studied MI. MI and brain dominance theories are fascinating and even after 25 years, there is much to learn about 'brain power', isn't there?
When I began teaching Business Communication, I first wanted to understand How people receive and transmit information (communicate) and Why, so I could 'match' my style of transmitting and receiving information to the students style of processing information and What methods could be implemented to achieve the maximum results.
I discovered Ned Herrmann's theory of brain dominance.
In his brain dominance model, Herrmann identifies four different modes of thinking:
A. Analytical thinking
Key words : logical, factual, critical, technical and quantitative.
Preferred activities : collecting data, analysis, understanding how things work, judging ideas based on facts, criteria and logical reasoning.
B. Sequential thinking
Key words : safekeeping, structured, organized, complexity or detailed, planned.
Preferred activities : following directions, detail oriented work, step-by-step problem solving, organization and implementation.
C. Interpersonal thinking
Key words : kinesthetic, emotional, spiritual, sensory, feeling.
Preferred activities : listening to and expressing ideas, looking for personal meaning, sensory input, and group interaction.
D. Imaginative thinking
Key words : Visual, holistic, intuitive, innovative, and conceptual.
Preferred activities : Looking at the big picture, taking initiative, challenging assumptions, visuals, metaphoric thinking, creative problem solving, long term thinking.
I also researched, read, and was taught (when being 'trained' how to teach : ), Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, which 'rounded out' and widened my understanding of how individuals process information and why..myself included.
"How will your understanding of multiple intelligences affect your teaching methodology?"
By incorporating both approaches to how information is processed, I am (hopefully) better able to Listen, and recognize how the student processes information, and why, and am now able to identify the 'approach' when tranmitting information to them. Not only is information being processed to the brain,by the brain, it is being filtered by the body. Physical,Physiological, Cultural,Environmental,Social..all contribute to how information is processed and should be listened to and recognized as well.
Understanding MI has me thinking from their perspective, not mine. In other words, it is letting go of 'me-centric' communication, and becoming more of a 'chameleon communicator'.
"In what ways could you use your knowledge of how individuals process information when planning for your instructional delivery?"
I am now using audio/video clips, color in text, audio/written seminars, setting up a 'study-buddy' student lounge, sharing of aim names and skpe group calls.
Dr. Meers,
Module 2 was very interesting reading on how people think and learn. While reading I kept thinking of each of my four children and how different yet similar they are in their learning preferences. I never quite understood how my 14 year old son could listen to music while he worked out math problems. He also likes to use his hands (tactile) and is good with following printed instructions. On the other hand if he is given a verbal instruction, it just goes in one ear and out the other. This makes me wonder if some types of intelligence are related to gender, since other parents tell me the same thing about their young sons.
Although I have taught many years in a traditional classroom, I now teach exclusively online. Teaching online courses that are “canned” unfortunately leaves little flexibility for an instructor. It is difficult to know the learning preferences of a student. Most new online students are just trying to understand what is expected and how to use the platform to submit or participate in assignments. There are three things I do at the beginning of each term and throughout the course. My instructions are in three formats: visual, written, and auditory. It is impossible for me to say which ones are more effective, since I provide all three to my students, but they seem to work for the majority.
Jim D
Hi Margie,
Yes, I have studied MI for many years. I have been researching it for the past 25 years and have developed an assessment of MI called Talent Assessment (www.micubed.com). The purpose of my research was to learn all I could about how people process information the same as you. The results have been we have been able to use the assessment and the results in all kinds of settings to facilitate more effective learning and communication. Dr. Herrmann's work is an excellent example of how we have to look all types of cognitive processing possibilities to determine those that will be most effective and efficient.
If you have any additional insights or further discussion topics in this area I will be glad to talk with you more. It is a very exciting area of study.
Gary
Hi Jim,
There have been some interesting studies done on gender and birth order learning. There is merit to your assumption about gender learning. You might want to look at some of them in relation to your son's ability to learn with what normally would be considered distractions.
With the situation you are working in with your online instruction you are doing a good job of bringing the different learning styles into play. The key component that you have with your online instruction is the human factor. By being supportive and available you will be balancing all the aspects of learning for your students.
Gary
The area of Communication is vast and is grist for research from many different perspectives and sciences..sociology,psychology, neuro-brain chemistry, just to name a few.
There is one particular piece which I hope you can shed more light on, to better 'connect the dot' of understanding the student learning process for me.
Is there research that combines Myers-Briggs/Carl Jung's cognitive theories as well as other personality assessment tools with MI and other Multiple Intelligences assessment tools?
I believe/think/feel/sense (that alone sheds light on an individual's processing of information, doesn't it? ) MI appears to be one dimensional, with less emphasis on factors like the ones you mention; Social, Cultural, Physiological, Physical, etc.
To use as an example from the micubed blog..one day while making my bed I may put music on, another day I may not even make my bed, yet on another day, I may spend 30 minutes making the bed so a quarter will bounce off the sheets.
The weather, 'moods', life-stances..intangibles...all are factors which determine how I learn on any given day.
How does MI incorporate the eight cognitive personality variables into the 7 intelligences ?
As you can 'see', I too am fascinated by all the different cognitive approaches : )
Hi Margie,
Yes, I can see that your are fascinated with the different cognitive approaches and how we humans process all that is coming at us. I have been researching how people of like personalities tend to go into the same career areas. It is called Vocational Implications of Personality (VIP). Have found there are eight personality types. Example, Caretaker--persons with this personality type are often found in the areas of health care, teaching or social work. Organizers on the other hand are found in accounting, construction, and event planning. So in my career mapping work I identify the top three personalities, along with the three strongest MIs and then look at other variables that may be present in the lives of my students.
The VIP work uses the Myers-Briggs work as a foundation because I want to look at how the students are focusing on decision dependent or decision independent, holistic or inclusive.
I am still looking into and developing theories around how MI can and should incorporate personality variables into the learning process. Have some theories but no hard data as I haven't completed all my research in other areas. The whole area of emotional intelligence is another area that needs consideration in relation to learner success.
I have a Center that I direct called the Center for Community and Human Resource Development where I and my staff are researching various parts of all these different theories. Much has been done but much remains. We know so little about mental/cognitive processing in relation to personal motivation, environmental factors, and cultural influences even though a tremendous amount of research has been done in the area already.
By talking with professionals like yourself and continuing to observe and research these various theories and applications we can learn how to better serve our students. These exchanges help to expand the knowledge base for all of us.
Gary
It works well to use a variety of teaching methods in the classroom. Our students have different intelligences, and need to use their strengths to build confidence; for example, one may be very confident in small group settings, and is effective at drawing others into the conversation. The variety of teaching methods also provides students with an opportunity to work on areas that need improvement. Using the same example, one who is not comfortable in small groups will be able to experience the setting multiples times during a quarter, and may become more comfortable and confident with this format.
We already attempt to include a variety of learning styles in our curriculum development and implementation, but I believe the greatest room for improvement (and most intangible) is the ability for instructors to adapt to student learning styles "on the fly" in the classroom: to take the same material and reform it to fit a student or group of students that are having a harder time relating to it.
Any suggestions for faculty training in this area?
Hi Marc,
You might want to do some reading in the area of memory development and cognitive processing. These two areas have a lot of information concerning how little adaptations can be made that will help the learner to grasp the information. I would also recommend that you do some reading in the area of learning disabilities and how to adapt materials to these learners. What you will find is that these strategies are effective for all learners and helps them to work within their learning preferences.
Gary
It seems blatantly apparent that not everyone learns in the same style or preference. The only solution that has worked for me has been creating a well balanced class that cover all of the 4 basic styles AND creating a resource are that students can turn to outside of class.
This has a multitude of benefits. Not only are the students revisiting the information outside of class which improves retention, but I can also slowly integrate various forms of content that fit just about any intelligence or learning preference.
A website that has extended lecture material, links to papers written on the subject, tactile internet applets, various pictures, problem solving techniques, essay assignments, and on and on and on.
Not to mention that anyone can set up a 1/2 decent web page for free these days!
Hi Paul,
Right you are about being fortunate to have so many resources available to us instructors as well as our students. With just a little effort all types of learning strategies can become available. Plus, these strategies can be varied so that the learning preferences are touched upon during instructional delivery.
Gary
Quite simply my understanding of multiple intelligences will influence my lesson planning. Students learn in various ways, and they all end up in the same classes.
Best idea is to make sure that I have the resources available for all intelligences, and allow students to work in small groups together. I have to plan out material to present for those who are visual, I have to plan out shop activities for those who are more hands-on, I have to plan out group activities for those who learn together, and I have to use step by step instruction for those who are logical. Large order, right? Actually not.
Many of my students seem to realize how they do like to learn, and at the start of each course I need to figure this out and make the instruction delivered "student centered." This means I need to allow them to, within reason, lead the way. I can have the best lesson planning in the world but if the students do not learn from it, or agree with it the plans are useless. I guess flexibility is very important and is directly related to multiple intelligences.
Hi Christopher,
You have given a very good explanation of how to focus on the diversity of intelligences within your class and then plan for the learning needs within the class.
The key is flexibility just as you said.
Gary
Students need to process information using several approaches. When designing a course, an instructor should provide textual, audio, and visual lectures. Accommodation should also be made for students who are practical-oriented (Kinesthetic learners)
In this module, it seemed as if the focus was to distinguish "learning styles" from "multiple intelligences". I would suggest, that Gardner's work is simply and elaboration of "learning styles" adding more depth and definition. If we revisit the 4 (some folks look at 3 (VAK) and others look at 4 but they combine written and auditory but break out kinestetic to add tactual for the people and emotional element) it is clear that they are embedded in Gardner's work. Relatively recent work that I think enhances Gardner comes out of Univ of North Carolina which focuses on perception and organization styles... concrete/abstract; global/sequential. We cannot ignore Emotional intelligence either. I realize Gardner touches upon it in the intra/inter personal element, but I believe Goldman's work takes it to a career college level.
Ultimately, the key is to deliberately design a learning environment that addresses all learning styles/intelligences giving the opportunity for learners to enhance their identified skills and reaching past their comfort zone. I believe that technology is a huge asset in this area and I feel that every student at every age should have an IEP embracing the various learning options that technology has to offer.. hybrid, blended, gaming, online, CBT, social networking, etc.
Dr. Jeannette K. Jones
Hi Dr. Jones,
You make a number of very good points about the different learning pathways that students use to acquire new knowledge. In some previous research that I did with the University of London we found that there were 27 different combinations of learning styles that could be identified. Point is there is so much we don't know about how people learn that it is still a lot of fun to research how they do learn. I to am a big fan of the emotional intelligence aspect of learning. Integration of the different aspects of a person's social, emotional and intellectual abilities is critical to fully engage that person in the learning process. This also means the we educators are going to have employment for a very long time because there is so much more for us to learn.
Gary
Hi Gary, Thanks for responding back. I would love to see the research you completed on this topic. Is it something I can access online or via the library. From a higher ed (online only) perspective, technology and the generational expectations will continue to drive further research in this area. Even the secular pundits have gotten on the bandwagon. Since some of my students (I teach in an MED program) are corporate trainers, I try to keep current on training trends. Two very interesting books that came out this year are "Grown up digital" by donald tapscott and The World is Open by curtis bonk. Some interesting trend discussions about the way technology is impacting learning styles.
Jeannette
Hi Jeannette,
I don't have any research that is published on this what was published was the multiple intelligence assessment. I do have a website that gives some information about our company and the Talent Key assessment that has come out of our research.
The site is www.MICubed.com.
You make an excellent point about the changes we are seeing in the learning preferences of students in this technological age.
Gary
Hi Gary,
Thanks for the additional info. I will definitely check it out. I plan to get back into the class after our "in service" break week. Talk with you then.
Jeannette
