Hello, Diane
I couldn't help stopping, dead in my tracks, when I read your reply on teaching to MI. I had similar reservations, until someone posed this analogy to me, some time ago.
Assume that you live in New York City. You decide to take a vacation. A friend has decided to accompany you because you're driving there. when you arrive, 4 days later, you sprint from the car to edge of the vast precipice, and murmur, "This is even more spectacular that I ever imagined". You're standing at the breathtaking scenic view of the Grand Canyon. All of a sudden, it dawns on you that you forgot about your friend in the car. And it hits you, right between the eyes . . . He's Blind! . . . and has been since birth. Now - explain it "ALL" to him . . . the best way that you can.
This little exercise helped me to see one thing, in particular. Everything that I knew about anything, had to have a starting-point. I still wonder, from time to time, how I'm going to explain it, so that he can understand it.
Without coming to grips with MI, teaching could be compared to "Firing a sawed-off shotgun at a watermelon, 200 feet away", and expecting it to explode into numerous fragments. Analyzing, categorizing, and targeting your demographic-group (Students)is the name of the game. If instructors fail to realize this, then there is no methodology . . . only "Lectures", that may or may not get through the outer shell. Knowing "How" the info is processed will inevitably lead to "USE" of the informational material in real-world situations, by the individuals who have had the "Single-item-menu" presented to them in ways that speak to their learning-style - - - "This place has the best menu that I've ever seen".
Bob,
Learners like change of pace and variety. You are offering such to your students with this strategy. This will keep them engaged and focused on the course throughout each session.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Prairie,
You make a very good point about how you can over plan your instructional delivery to the point that there is a loss of learning effectiveness. The strategy should be to offer variety to the students so they can use their different dominate intelligences to learn at different times in the course while increasing their ability to acquire knowledge through different venues.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I try to make sure my lecture isnt one sided in how it is delivered. I try to roatate every half hour from powerpoint lecture, to getting up and doing a little demonstrations and a little hands on. once we get what we are talking about i will move on to the next half hour of lecture on ppt and so on.
Understanding how people receive information can help me as I chnage presentation methods to reach a student. If one method does not work I can try another method. It also encourages blended instruction methods and materials
Knowing about multiple intelligences explains why certain assignments only seem to be effective for some students. Often, I feel as though I failed as a teacher because the entire class wasn't jumping out of their seats with excitement. I realize that perhaps the assignment wasn't working because I hadn't considered the range of students in my class. I do try to have a mixture of styles at play in any given class, but I don't always succeed in that. I think knowing about multiple intelligences is so important, while at the same time, I do wonder if it can make the instructor a little crazy in terms of planning lessons. The truth is that not every student can be reached at every moment of every class, and I think that if we, as instructors, spend so much time worrying about reaching absolutely everyone, the course content and the actual knowledge that is supposed to be acquired can get lost. Does anyone else feel this way?
I can use this understanding and knowledge to "layer" my teaching. It is best to relay information using several different strategies so that all students have a chance to absorb information in their dominant ways.
In my industry, most students prefer the hands-on or kinesthetic approach to learning. However, there are still many different intelligences in the classroom, so we must present the information in a variety of ways. Typically, we will lecture as the information is presented in a power point slide show and then we will physically perform a live demonstration, followed by the students actually performing the task themselves. Even with all the different methods of delivering the information, there will always be one or two individuals who need a slightly different methodology to absorb the information and that is truly where an instructor must "think on his/her feet".
TIMOTHY,
This is a very good comprehensive way to look at using multiple intelligences to expand your instructional delivery in an effective and efficient manner. I know your students are going to benefit from these efforts.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Darryl-
I am in a similar situation teaching in a veterinary technology program. Kinesthetic, visual and tactile learning is our student profile as well.
Since we have alot of "book-learning" to get through the trick is presenting the information in ways the student can understand, then following up with the application.
Understanding multiple intelligneces can premit the customization of teaching methodology (presentation and content)in the class setting or one-on-one (tutorial).
Which model(s)to use depends on the dominate intellegences observed in the class room and the nature of the course. If it's a lab course, clearly reading assignments coupled with demonstrations and team/individual assignments could address certain intelleence groups.
In a lecture only class, lectures (instructor and guest lectures), visuals, interviews and the written essay would be a part of my instructional strategy.
Christopher,
As a result of this grouping there are going to be enhanced outcomes and more satisfaction by everyone.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I teach healthcare so generally we try to have people work with different people because in healthcare we do not get to choose who we work with. However, knowing learning is enhanced when people are grouped by their intelligences we will take that into account more.
Albert,
Good balance and variety in your instructional delivery. This way the students will be using different learning preferences and developing skills in how to acquire content through different formats. The value of this is that in the work world they are going to have to work in many different venues and they need to know how to do it.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
By using the four categories of learning preferences, because all your students must have this. They have different personalities and you have to know each one need an specific category of learning. Most of our students in medicine field likes the visual and kinesthetic preference.
I generally try to incorporate all learning styles into my lessons. I have found that diversification seems to work best when teaching large groups of people. Most of my classes revolve around reading, logical problem solving, listening and practical application. My lectures always include class outlines, in class reading material, heavy graphic presentations & audio examples and finally practical application to support whats being taught.
Marcia,
I am sure this information will help you to select strategies that will enable your students to acquire the knowledge and skills they need. You are correct in your assessment about what intelligences are used most in the hospital setting.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
First I have to be able to determine the three dominant intelligences of my students. Then I will be able to see how they process information and communicate with others. I can tailor my teaching experiences to hit all the various ways that they learn, be it verbal, visual, kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, etc. Working and teaching in a hospital setting lends itself to verbal, visual, kinesthetic and interpersonal learning.
Your knowledge on the multiple Intelligences will help you keep all students interest and also gives you a way of reaching all students.
