Multiple Intelligences

by: howard gardner

Visual-Spatial - think in terms of physical space, as do architects and sailors. Very aware of their environments. They like to draw, do jigsaw puzzles, read maps, daydream. They can be taught through drawings, verbal and physical imagery. Tools include models, graphics, charts, photographs, drawings, 3-D modeling, video, videoconferencing, television, multimedia, texts with pictures/charts/graphs.
Bodily-kinesthetic - use the body effectively, like a dancer or a surgeon. Keen sense of body awareness. They like movement, making things, touching. They communicate well through body language and be taught through physical activity, hands-on learning, acting out, role playing. Tools include equipment and real objects.
Musical - show sensitivity to rhythm and sound. They love music, but they are also sensitive to sounds in their environments. They may study better with music in the background. They can be taught by turning lessons into lyrics, speaking rhythmically, tapping out time. Tools include musical instruments, music, radio, stereo, CD-ROM, multimedia.
Interpersonal - understanding, interacting with others. These students learn through interaction. They have many friends, empathy for others, street smarts. They can be taught through group activities, seminars, dialogues. Tools include the telephone, audio conferencing, time and attention from the instructor, video conferencing, writing, computer conferencing, E-mail.
Intrapersonal - understanding one's own interests, goals. These learners tend to shy away from others. They're in tune with their inner feelings; they have wisdom, intuition and motivation, as well as a strong will, confidence and opinions. They can be taught through independent study and introspection. Tools include books, creative materials, diaries, privacy and time. They are the most independent of the learners.
Linguistic - using words effectively. These learners have highly developed auditory skills and often think in words. They like reading, playing word games, making up poetry or stories. They can be taught by encouraging them to say and see words, read books together. Tools include computers, games, multimedia, books, tape recorders, and lecture.
Logical -Mathematical - reasoning, calculating. Think conceptually, abstractly and are able to see and explore patterns and relationships. They like to experiment, solve puzzles, ask cosmic questions. They can be taught through logic games, investigations, mysteries. They need to learn and form concepts before they can deal with details.
At first, it may seem impossible to teach to all learning styles. However, as we move into using a mix of media or multimedia, it becomes easier. As we understand learning styles, it becomes apparent why multimedia appeals to learners and why a mix of media is more effective. It satisfies the many types of learning preferences that one person may embody or that a class embodies. A review of the literature shows that a variety of decisions must be made when choosing media that is appropriate to learning style.
Visuals: Visual media help students acquire concrete concepts, such as object identification, spatial relationship, or motor skills where words alone are inefficient.
Printed words: There is disagreement about audio's superiority to print for affective objectives; several models do not recommend verbal sound if it is not part of the task to be learned.
Sound: A distinction is drawn between verbal sound and non-verbal sound such as music. Sound media are necessary to present a stimulus for recall or sound recognition. Audio narration is recommended for poor readers.
Motion: Models force decisions among still, limited movement, and full movement visuals. Motion is used to depict human performance so that learners can copy the movement. Several models assert that motion may be unnecessary and provides decision aid questions based upon objectives. Visual media which portray motion are best to show psychomotor or cognitive domain expectations by showing the skill as a model against which students can measure their performance.
Color: Decisions on color display are required if an object's color is relevant to what is being learned.
Realia: Realia are tangible, real objects which are not models and are useful to teach motor and cognitive skills involving unfamiliar objects. Realia are appropriate for use with individuals or groups and may be situation based. Realia may be used to present information realistically but it may be equally important that the presentation corresponds with the way learner's represent information internally.
Instructional Setting: Design should cover whether the materials are to be used in a home or instructional setting and consider the size what is to be learned. Print instruction should be delivered in an individualized mode which allows the learner to set the learning pace. The ability to provide corrective feedback for individual learners is important but any medium can provide corrective feedback by stating the correct answer to allow comparison of the two answers.
Learner Characteristics: Most models consider learner characteristics as media may be differentially effective for different learners. Although research has had limited success in identifying the media most suitable for types of learners several models are based on this method.
Reading ability: Pictures facilitate learning for poor readers who benefit more from speaking than from writing because they understand spoken words; self-directed good readers can control the pace; and print allows easier review.
Categories of Learning Outcomes: Categories ranged from three to eleven and most include some or all of Gagne's (1977) learning categories; intellectual skills, verbal information, motor skills, attitudes, and cognitive strategies. Several models suggest a procedure which categorizes learning outcomes, plans instructional events to teach objectives, identifies the type of stimuli to present events, and media capable of presenting the stimuli.
Events of Instruction: The external events which support internal learning processes are called events of instruction. The events of instruction are planned before selecting the media to present it.

Anchored Instruction

Anchored Instruction is based upon social constructvist theory . It is actually a paradigm for technology-based instruction and is based on a general model of problem solving. Anchored instruction has found applications in primary levels of reading, math, and language skills. The name is derived from the technique of designing instructional activities around an "anchor" which may be a theme, case-study, or problem to be solved. Learners engage in exploration and discovery learning. The learning activities draw from many fields. 

This model for instruction arose to solve the needs of educators, which include 
(1) Limited instruction time and need to cover more material, faster, 
(2) Attempts to make information and learning more relevant, useful, and meaningful, 
(3) Giving students an appreciation for the power of common concepts and cross contextual applications, 
(4) Adoption of multiple perspectives when problem solving. 

Related theories include: 
* Situated Cognition 
* Cognitive Flexibility Theory 
* Constructivism 
* Cognitive Apprenticeship 

Constructivist teaching

Constructivist teaching is based on constructivist learning theory. Constructivist teaching is based on the belief that learning occurs as learners are actively involved in a process of meaning and knowledge construction as opposed to passively receiving information. Learners are the makers of meaning and knowledge. Constructivist teaching fosters critical thinking, and creates motivated and independent learners. This theoretical framework holds that learning always builds upon knowledge that a student already knows; this prior knowledge is called a schema. Because all learning is filtered through pre-existing schemata, constructivists suggest that learning is more effective when a student is actively engaged in the learning process rather than attempting to receive knowledge passively. A wide variety of methods claim to be based on constructivist learning theory. Most of these methods rely on some form of guided discovery where the teacher avoids most direct instruction and attempts to lead the student through questions and activities to discover, discuss, appreciate, and verbalize the new knowledge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivist_teaching_methods

Boon or Bane(Technology)

It is interesting that both scientific research and life experiences underpin the necessary concept that having meaning and purpose are fundamental needs for our human psyche. Brain health is important – but for what purpose? I would argue it is to discover meaning in ones life and to continue to learn and grow as a human being.

My concern and caution with all the cool technology coming out for brain fitness is that we lose the human factor. It’s great to play a video game to increase cognitive functioning but it’s not so great if our personal focus becomes playing the video game to the detriment of the relationships in our lives. Living with teenage boys – I experience this danger everyday.

It’s cool to have all this monitoring equipment to know when individuals are struggling but the danger is that we allow it to isolate them or give us permission to ignore them – counting on the technology to alert us instead of a human to human interaction. A great innovation for a retirement home or long term care facility is to have sensors to indicate when someone has fallen or is trying to get out of bed. A great temptation is to no longer physically check on individuals, relying instead on the sensors to do the job. What we gain in efficiency we lose in humanity, when the individual in the room feels more isolated and alone because – a sensor is not a friendly face, a sensor does not ask us how we are feeling, in the end a sensor does not care.

So I’m all for technology – with the caveat that it enables human interaction and does not disable it. A computer cannot care – another human being can – and those relationships are what give life meaning.

But for me Technology is both Boon and Bane. 

What is Educational Technology?

As an academic discipline, the study of educational technology prepares individuals by helping them acquire a deeper understanding and mastery of:

• learning resources: messages, people, materials, devices, techniques and settings;
• processes for analyzing and devising solutions to those problems through research, theory, design, production, evaluation, utilization;
• the processes involved in organization and personnel management.

The focus is on effective processes to facilitate learning using technologies and understanding the impacts of technology on learners and organizations.

As what i have understand my teacher ma'am tablante that Educational Technology is also a technology applied in teaching sessions and enriched your teaching styles and also your pupils learning comprehension as well.