The MI Theory: Dr. Howard Gardner

Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence’s (MI theory) is a valuable resource for teachers, if they understood how they could apply this in the classroom (Snowman & McCown, 2012). In this class, there are multiple intelligences observed amongst the students; however, there is minimal differentiated instruction to allow the students the best opportunities for success. It is critical that teachers understand that their teaching methods may not be wrong, but they

In “A Rounded Version: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences”, Howard Gardner illustrates how there are a variety of intelligences. Gardner starts off with an example how IQ tests may predict achievement in school but may not predict achievement in life. After finding out certain parts of the brain are responsible for certain functions, such as “Broca’s Area” which is responsible for sentence production, Gardner proposes the existence of multiple intelligences. Multiple studies later led him to propose seven distinct intelligences; Musical, bodily-kinesthetic, logical-mathematical, linguistic, spatial, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. Each intelligence has certain classifications. According to Gardner’s classifications, I realized my intelligences are bodily-kinesthetic, logical-mathematical, and intrapersonal.

Howard Gardner developed the Multiple intelligence theory. Gardner believed that the human mind did not have one general intelligence but many that had independent functions. He believed that the previous measure of intelligence did not accurately measure the capability of the human mind. "While formulating this theory, Gardner placed less emphasis on explaining the results of mental tests than on accounting for the range of human abilities that exist across a vast majority of cultures. (www.associatedcontent.com)

     A renowned professor of education and psychology at Harvard University, Howard Gardner has radically changed the way we look at intelligence. In 1983 Gardner published the first of two books that theorize that there are multiple intelligences. Gardner believes “that human cognitive competence is better described in terms of a set of abilities, talents, or mental skills, which we call “intelligence” (378). Gardner’s theory dismisses the idea that intelligence is a single attribute of the mind and suggests that there are different types of intelligences that account for different human

Charles Spearman’s theory (1904) also takes the psychometric approach that there is a general intelligence. Spearman maintains that intelligence is hereditary and an individual is born with their maximum mental ability. This suggests that intelligence cannot be changed or strengthened. The concept of ‘general intelligence’ suggests that an individual has an underlying intelligence, in which their performance in one type of cognitive task is often similar to their performance in another (Boundless 2013). Spearman demonstrated this through the correlations between tests, where individuals who performed well in one test, often performed well in others. This led Spearman to the conclusion that intelligence is defined as a single factor. However, critics refute Spearman’s conclusions, as they argue that one cannot reduce all factors of intelligence to an indefinable “g” (Neisser et al. 1996).

Chapter 4, reading 14, titled Just How Are You Intelligent?, focused on the researchers theory of multiple intelligences (MI Theory). The researcher believed that parts of the brain specialized in different functions and that different parts have different intelligences. In order to help prove this theory, the researcher came up with eight indicators that helped him see if an intelligence was actually real. The researcher proposed seven different intelligences that passed most or all of the eight criteria. These included linguistic (words), musical (sounds), logical-mathematical (example: numbers), spatial (visualization, transformation, rotation), bodily kinesthetic (physical control), intrapersonal (understanding yourself), and interpersonal

In this essay I will discuss the three types of intelligences known as linguistic, body-kinesthetic, and mathematical as theorized by Gardner and how they relate to real-world examples. Each example represents a type of intelligence. Critics have also developed arguments against Gardner’s research.

The theory of multiple intelligences was developed by Dr. Howard Gardner in 1983. The Theory of Multiple Intelligences is a critique of the standard psychological view of intellect: there is a single intelligence, adequately measured by IQ or other short answer tests. Instead, on the basis of evidence from disparate sources, the theory claims that human beings have a number of relatively discrete intellectual capacities. IQ tests assess linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligence, and sometimes spatial intelligence; they are a reasonably good predictor of who will do well in school. This is because humans have several other significant intellectual capacities (Harvard University).

There has been continuous debate over potential additions and will sometimes see more than eight intelligences of Gardner’s model. Possible additions are spiritual/existential and moral, for a total of 10 possible. The first seven intelligences are considered measurable and the last three are not. Throughout the process of considering these categories, Gardner believed that all the intelligences work at the same time and complement each other as we develop skills or during problem solving. He felt that all the intelligences are needed to live life well. It is noted that Gardner did not want people to have extreme interpretations and that MI is a tool to use to understand personality, preferences and strengths; all of which are particular to us all as individuals (Gardner’s MI Theory and Gardner’s papers).

When I first began to learn about the MI theory I immediately felt drawn into it because I always have felt that the MI theory holds a more logical standpoint when it comes to intelligence. First, if you think about a MI theory is kind of like a computer not everyone can use it. IQ theory is like using a type writer not everyone uses them or know what it is but it is easily learned. But if one can master the computer efficiently you may say their MI intelligence would be Visual spatial. They love technology they are able to adapt to using that form of technology and it comes easy to them. Then we have the IQ test (typewriter) in which everyone could fail or excel in it because it is an easy task. But if you failed they would say you have a very low IQ. So one may excel in MI intelligence because it is what they are really good at. It is what their mind is great at. I think positive reasons to adapt the MI theory because I believe that everyone possess an intelligence. MI theory gives everyone a form of intelligence. I have always believed that people succeed or their mind excels in certain areas. From how one can

When a person utters the word “intelligence,” people tend to think of a genius like Albert Einstein developing some obscure equation that the great majority of the population will never understand. The problem with the definition of intelligence is that people relate intelligence to words like “genius” which require intelligence but do not have the same definition as intelligence. Often, people try to use related words to define intelligence, but these words are unable to define intelligence since many are only different levels of intelligence. While many definitions try to encompass the meaning of intelligence and various definitions describe a small part of intelligence, no definition completely explains intelligence, because

Most everyone who has undergone public schooling and standardized testing is familiar with the thought “Does this test even assess any real ability?”. Generally, people who don’t perform well on these tests either believe that standardized testing only works for people who are “book smart” or that standardized testing does not work at all. But what is book smart anyway? Some people tend to generalize intelligence into two categories, people who are book smart and people who are “street smart”, as exemplified in Isaac Asimov’s “What is Intelligence, Anyway?”. In Asimov’s excerpt, he tells the story of a young woman who performed well when it came to standardized testing, but realized that she was not street smart. When she went to her mechanic to fix her car, he asks her a trick question and, when she answers incorrectly, says that he knew she would get it wrong because she was so book smart that there was no way she was street smart (122-123). This leads to the distinction that book smart refers to idealized and theoretical intelligence, while street smart refers to a type of hands-on intelligence. While this is a common way for people to view intelligence, there exists an even more thorough examination of intelligence – Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences – which outlines as many as nine types of intelligence. Bearing in mind that there are so many different types of intelligence, it begs the question of whether or not standardized testing can really be a good

What teachers have intuited, Howard Gardner put into words when he developed his theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI). Gardner believed that "all human beings possess all nine intelligences in varying amounts; each person has a different intellectual composition; we can improve education by addressing the multiple intelligences of our students; these intelligences are located in different areas of the brain and can either work independently or together; [and] these intelligences may define the human species" (Workshop: Tapping into multiple intelligences, 2004, Thirteen). Gardner's theory is, in its execution, more subtle than the notion that someone is a pure visual or spatial learner. Some people may have one intellectual strength

The theory of multiple intelligence is one that came about in 1983. It is the theory that intelligence should not just be measured by an IQ test. Intelligence is much more than just a test, and has far more different aspects. Dr. Howard Gardner came up with the theory of multiple intelligence and the thought that there are many different types of intelligences. Gardner actually believes that there are eight or more different types of intelligences. According to “Teachers, Schools, and Society” “Gardner believes that his theory of multiple intelligences more accurately captures the diverse nature of human capability.” (pg 29) Some of the eight intelligences Gardner came up with are, Logical mathematical, linguistic, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. Logical-mathematical is an intelligence that relates more to numbers and problem solving. Linguistic intelligence relates to meanings of sounds and words. Bodily-kinesthetic is related to physical activity, and being able to handle and manipulate items to learn. Musical intelligence is related to being able to produce pitch and rhythm. Spatial intelligence is being “picture smart” and being able to see a model or drawing in their mind. Interpersonal intelligence is being people smart, and being able to analyze people’s moods. Intrapersonal intelligence is knowing yourself and your own feelings and needs. Then there’s naturalist, where someone has the ability to nurture living

The outlook on life has altered throughout the last century. Psychologist, neurologist, and educators are now discovering the body and mind are more intricate than what it used to be perceived as. There are innovative techniques to observing the intelligence that an individual has or is capable of doing. Psychologist Howard Gardner produced the Multiple Intelligence theory (MI). Gardner (1999) expressed intelligence as “the ability to solve problems or fashion products that are of consequence in a particular cultural setting or community”. Gardner (2006) says, “humans have at least nine intelligences” such as linguistics, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist, and existential.