Multiple Intelligence
It is important to know that not everyone can learn the same way. People are a sum of multiple intelligences. Some might excel in linguistic and/or logical-mathematical intelligence and others in bodily kinesthetic intelligence. That is why students have different learning styles. It is important for instructors to help students find and understand their learning styles and also address all of them during instruction time.
Knowing how students best learn is obviously essential. It stands to reason that instructors look closely at Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory to know how they can teach better.
There are sites on the net that allow a student to take a quiz to determine what type of learner they are. I have had a class where i had to print out the results and we discussed our learning style briefly with the class and then devised strategies to effectively utilize class content in a way most beneficial to us. The instructor learned our learning styles that way also.
I usually make attempts to define the difference between intelligene and stupidity. For the most part this does help. However I still get students who don't want other students to ask questions. I've never been able to understand this as I budget time for questions into my leson plans, and encourage questions. But there are still those who want me to keep lecturing ad nauseum.
I usually try early on to establish the difference between intelligence (one's measure of awareness) and stupidity (knowing the right thing and doing the wrong thing anyway). Upon making that distinction I quickly go over the different aspects of intelligence (logical, spatial, kinesthetic, musical, etc.) with examples from personal experience.
This sets the stage for getting students to appreciate thinking and learning differences based on perception and experience. Consequently, they are more patient with their classmates and they understand why I often cover the same topic in different ways. Also this eases some anxieties borne out fear of asking questions - asking questions to make one more intelligent is NOT being stupid.
