Allied Health & Multiple Intelligences
When it comes to didactic courses such as phlebotomy or ECG, how influencial would the understanding of multiple intelligences be?
David,
Wouldn't it be fun to see a moving colorful wheel/ pie shape of the multiple intelligence types, set to music, maybe with a fun little cartoon depicting each type ? Or even real video podcasts of a little skit where each person represents just one type of intelligence and they have to get together in a group to solve a complex problem ?
Deborah,
The use of tactile items to teach abstract concepts is a great idea! This is how learning becomes real for students in an area like this.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Teaching A-P can be challenging. Students need to visualize the internal structures. Diagrams, models, coloring, and recreating the structure or system through play-dough has been very effective.
Cambria ~ Thanks for this. Some years ago I had students in the respiratory therapy program take the Meyers-Briggs and a Learning Styles Inventory. I used the data to try to construct my lesson plans so I could meet the various learning styles of the students. Like you I found that some of the best teaching I did. Now to got back to that!
Benny,
Great point about the additional, significant aspect. It is often the 'scaffolding' among intelligences that allows strengthening in areas of weakness. Using innate strengths to overcome innate weakness is great for personal and professional growth.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Hi Jennifer. Your strategy to constantly switch up your lesson plans is great. I agree that it supports the students no matter their strengths in the different multiple intelligences. I would just like to add that there is an additional, very significant aspect to this technique. It provides an event that challenges them and can possibly increase their weaknesses out of the multiple intelligences. It is a great learning activity as well as a personal growth opportunity.
Krystal,
Very good. These are excellent recommendations. Do you have ideas for practical ways to implement this approach in the online classroom? Thank you for your contribution.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
I think it can be helpful to know what will help students to remember material. For example, someone with musical intelligence would benefit from a rhythmic mnemonic device. A student with kinesthetic ability would probably do well with an activity that required getting up and moving around, etc.
Jennifer,
Using multiple instructional approaches within the same lesson is a great way to address multiple intelligences. Not only does each student learn differently, but almost all students have some proficiency across several different intelligences. A diverse instructional approach provides a very robust learning situation for most students. Keep up the great work.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
It is very important to understand multiple intelligences. Every student I have learns differently, so I am constantly switching up my lesson plans to support the different typles of learners. I always put together different activities for one single topic. For example, I will have a lecture then pair it with a group matching activity or a shark tank exercise. This will help me evaluate what the students have learned.
Cambria,
That sounds like a terrific excercise. Thank you for sharing the experience with us. I will probably create my own version for teacher education courses I teach.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
I agree. When I was in college and learning to be a teacher we were challenged to take one lesson and create a lesson plan for each intelligence. After struggling to prepare for some of the intelligences I am low in, we were challenged to then take all of those lessons and condense them back into one lesson for all types of intelligences. It was one of the most helpful exercises not only because it made me stretch from my wheelhouse of facilitating discussions and lecturing but it also provided me with a much needed mind expansion to what my students faced in the classroom.
John,
In most learning situations (including phlebotomy or ECG) an understanding of multiple intelligence may be used to enhance instruction. Implementing different approaches for students who may be more socially intelligent then mathematically intelligent could make the learning more efficient. However, this is not an "off-the-cuff" instructional design issue. Usually, the intuition of a good teacher will adjust for the differences within the class and there is no formal instructional design to accommodate this facet.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
