Transcript Multiple Intelligences with regard to Special Education

MI
Multiple Intelligences Theory
?
with regard to Special Education
Chondra Malson, cohort 2005
Donna Robinson-Daughtery, cohort
January 2006
Caroline Tham, cohort 2005
Tara Van Geons, cohort 2007
Research Problem

The emergence of Multiple Intelligence
(MI) Theory is being promoted as an
effective intervention in the classroom, yet
there is little empirical evidence to support
the theory’s efficacy.
What is the status of your research?

Many journal articles were found supporting MI
theory as an intervention.
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There are several school districts (Chicago and
Arlington) that are implementing the theory
directly in their curriculum and pedagogy.
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However, there was a lack of empirically based
research.
What the non-empirical articles say…
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Particularly with special education:

If MI theory is implemented on a large scale in both regular and special
education, it is likely to have some of the following effects:
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Fewer referrals to special education
A greater emphasis on identifying strengths and perhaps try to supplant
standardized diagnostic measures
Increase student self-esteem
Increase understanding and appreciation of students (making sense of
individual differences, tolerance, understanding, and appreciation of
special needs students)
Modified from The Theory of Multiple Intelligences
http://spannj.org/publications/theory_of_multiple_intelligences.htm
What the empirical research stated…

Noble, T. (2004, January). Integrating the revised Bloom's
taxonomy with multiple intelligences: A planning tool for
curriculum differentiation. Teachers College Record,
106(1), 193-211.

16 teachers from kindergarten to 6th
grade employed a Multiple
Intelligence/Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy
matrix to plan curriculum units for work
for learning centers.
“Both Quantitative and Qualitative
Methods Were Employed”
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Whole staff focus group discussions conducted each school term
– QUALITATIVE
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Teaching team interviews – QUALITATIVE
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Two open-ended principal questionnaire plus interviews –
QUALITATIVE
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Anonymous open ended teacher questionnaire completed by all
teachers – QUALITATIVE
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Researcher’s field diary – QUALITATIVE
Results of Qualitative Study
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73% of teachers perceived that MI theory
provided them with a tool for catering for
different students’ intellectual strengths or ways
of learning.
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55% of teachers on the questionnaire
commented on how MI theory facilitated the
students’ awareness of how they learn best.

91% of the teachers wrote comments on the
questionnaire that indicated they perceived that
MI theory broadened their conceptualization of
how their students could be successful.
Summary

“In summary teacher feedback on the
benefits of MI theory fell into three
interrelated categories. The teachers
perceived that, if they were catering for
different intelligences or strengths and
helping their students become more aware
of how best they and their classmates
learn, then they were providing more
opportunities for their students to achieve
and be successful”.
• In Cobb’s multi-site case study using four
Miami-Dade County elementary public
schools to discover the effect of MI theory
in teaching strategies on the reading
achievement of fourth grade students, the
results showed significant gains in their
reading and behavioral skills (2002).
– However, the study sample only involved 12
students.
• A qualitative study using the action
research approach in the field of
science to prove the merit of making
science teaching more “meaningful,”
engage teachers in critical selfreflection, and to study the action
research approach, brought positive
results (Goodnough, 2000).
– However, the study sample only
involved 5 people, including the author.
Topics for Debate
What
type of research can be done
to support MI legitimately?
Is it a political issue?
Is it just great packaging?
Are they just “Good Ideas”?
Is it testable?
more Topics for Debate
 How
do you measure the intelligences? Can
they even be measured?
 Does
Gardner’s definition of intelligence
coincide with the historically accepted
definition of intelligence?
 What
is intelligence? Why is it important? Are
Gardner’s intelligences even intelligences?
Research Plan?
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There is not enough empirical research to
support the theory of multiple
intelligences.

Is MI theory testable?
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What is the true definition of Multiple
Intelligences as related to the historically
acceptable definition of intelligence?
What is INTELLIGENCE according to
Howard Gardner?
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“According to Gardner (1999a), intelligence is
much more than IQ because a high IQ in the
absence of productivity does not equate to
intelligence.
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In his definition, ‘Intelligence is a
biopsychological potential to process
information that can be activated in a cultural
setting to solve problems or create products that
are of value in a culture’” (Gilman, 2001, p.34).
The American Heritage Dictionary, Standard Edition, offers
the following definitions of "intelligence."

1. a. The capacity to acquire and apply
knowledge. b. The faculty of thought and
reason. c. Superior powers of mind.
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2. a. Theology. An intelligent, incorporeal
being, especially an angel. b. Intelligence.
Christian Science. The primal, eternal
quality of God.
American Psychological Association
(1995)

Individuals differ from one another in their
ability:
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
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to
to
to
to
to
understand complex ideas;
adapt effectively to the environment;
learn from experience;
engage in various forms of reasoning; and
overcome obstacles by taking thought.
How is the intervention of MI being tested,
if at all?
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Student achievement is being compared in before and after
methods with standardized tests (particularly in Virginia).
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The Teele Inventory of Multiple Intelligences is used in many
schools in Illinois.
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Multiple Intelligence/Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy matrix
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Action research (qualitative)
Issues with the testing of
MI interventions
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Classroom dynamic does not allow for MI strategies to
be implemented consistently
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Students may not respond to the implementation
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Diversity of students, teachers, and circumstances
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No reliable tool for measurement and little empirical
evidence for validity
Does the Gardner definition have social
implications (either in the realm of special
education or social justice)?
• In the article “Be Careful of How You
Define Intelligence”, Robert Sternberg
of Yale University explores the cultural
underpinnings of intelligence stating:
– “We can’t assume that the cognitive skills
we value or label as intelligence are those
valued or labeled in another culture.”
What educators and researchers are saying about
MI, Special Education, and Social Justice

“Multiple Intelligences theory is seen to be the best
answer to Social Justice issues. It provides a
framework to extend children who are talented and
gifted and also for children requiring assistance.”
- Judy Perry, 1996
Conclusions

“Gardner's examples of high levels of development in
the intelligences reflect his own value judgments.

He has in mind the achievements of selected poets,
composers, religious leaders, politicians, scientists,
novelists and so on.
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It is Gardner’s value judgments, not his empirical
discoveries as a scientist, that are his starting point.”
– White, J. (2004)
Blamire and Fields (2006) state that
Gardner’s approach:
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confuses a range of culturally valued
domains,

has replaced the rigidity of a single
criterion for educational success, i.e. IQ
has been replaced by judgments across a
number of intellectual areas, and
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reflects that of a liberal curriculum.
Areas for Future Research

Gardner (1999a) favors gathering ethnographic
data and cross-cultural information to see
intelligence in action and in context (Gilman,
2001).
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Other researchers suggest the need for valid and
reliable tools to measure MI interventions,
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as well as the need for empirically based
research.
The Solution!
Without
g
There is no
INTELLIGENCE
Kavale, 2007 
References
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continued….
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