Today we are examining learning styles and
intelligence -- what are these things, do they exist, how do they show
up, and what do we do with them in the classroom? Today's questions will
have two strands -- one on learning styles, the other on intelligence.
We will briefly review IDEA in class next week.
As a
reminder, you must thoroughly and thoughtfully respond to the discussion
questions, and you must reply to one peer. Instead of two peers, I
would like for you to converse with the person you are replying to. Just
a simple statement that you agree is not sufficient; this must be a
thought out and in-depth response.
Your response is due Thursday at 7:55 PM.
1a. Pashler et al.
detail the research on learning styles and whether or not they are
something that should be used as widely as they are. Using what we have
discussed previously in class about cognitive development and thinking,
why do you think these learning styles are so popular? Have you seen
this popularity in your own school or life, and how does it relate back
to why you think these are popular?
1b. How can you as an educator reconcile the popularity of “learning style” programs with the lack of evidence to support their use in the classroom.
2a.
Gardner provides an overview of intelligence testing then introduces
his theory of multiple intelligences. Discuss at least two ways to
measure intelligence as cited by Gardner. and explore why you agree or
disagree that this is a "good" way of measuring intelligence.
2b.
Describe the most intelligent person you know. Just their attributes,
the ones that make him or her "intelligent." (Try to avoid using
identifying characteristics -- e.g., my friend Genie who has blond hair
and is often eating lunch on campus at 1pm.) How do you know this person
is intelligent? What do you value in intelligence.
See you all Tuesday in person!
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ReplyDelete2a. Gardner suggests that we should assess the individuals by their ability to carry out tasks that involves certain intelligences. He explains, that we should not test musical intelligence by looking at an individual’s ability to distinguish between two tones but we should rather teach people to sing songs and see how readily they master it. This reminds me, that if someone is a slow learner, does it mean that they are less intelligent? Every individual has a different learning rate, is it fair to label someone as intelligent if they readily master a concept (Person A) compared to someone who might take longer to master the same concept (Person B). Is person B less intelligent than person A? In my opinion, this method is also flawed as both person A and B can be equally intelligent after mastering the concept.
ReplyDeleteGardner also suggests that we could use technologies to present realistic situations to individuals in order to gauge their ability to deal with situations. For instance, Gardner suggests that a student can be presented with an unfamiliar tune and then he/she will be asked to learn the tune, and orchestrate it. Again, Gardner assumed that a person is intelligent if the student is able to carry out the task successfully on the spot. Some individuals need a lot of practice in order to master a skill, does that make them less intelligent compared to someone with a photographic memory?
Measuring one’s intelligence only through IQ or SAT is also flawed. Thus a mixture of both is needed in order measure one’s intelligence.
2b. One of the most intelligent people I know is one of my cooperating teachers I met during my internship. Teacher A is a reflective person who always tries to improve his teaching practices and learn about various topics. He is highly adaptable as a teacher in various situations and a great problem solver. He is open to new ideas and makes a great effort to learn new concepts. He is up to date with current events and incorporates them into his lesson plans. Teacher A’s expertise in other fields besides science and his desire to constantly learn makes him an intelligent person. The most important thing I value in intelligence is the quest to learn more. Intelligence is not constant, but constantly in motion. Various experiences obtained within a day, hour, minute, or second shape our intelligence.
1a. One benefit of identifying different learning styles and tailoring lessons based on it seems appealing as it helps educators meet the needs of the students. During my student teaching, I have used experiential and visual learning activities to engage the English Language Learners. I have witnessed that English Language Learners master science concepts better through hands on activities. Based on studies by Massa and Mayer, Pashler et al claims that taking student preferences might not be helpful in providing effective instruction. Similarly, studies done by Thomson, Thomas and Thomas (2009) hypothesized that learners with a “sensing learning style” will perform better if they were given instruction in which the problem was given before the content information while the reverse was done with learners with an “intuitive” learning style. The scientists found no support for their hypothesis. Even though there is no solid evidence supporting the learning style hypothesis, interestingly, aspiring teachers are often told to differentiate instruction in order to accommodate different learning styles.
DeleteAlthough many studies have been done to test the learning style hypothesis, and often received negative results, the hypothesis is widely popular. One study done by Stensvold and Wilson (1990) showed that students with low verbal ability performed better by using concept maps in a chemistry learning activity. During my field work experience, I have noticed many schools using a pre-assessment and a post assessment policy which is done to identify student weaknesses and strength. Based on their data, scaffoldings were provided for the students. The scaffoldings sometimes consisted of a checklist and a concept map. Sometimes, the student themselves chose the scaffold they wanted to use. This ties back into their own preference for a specific learning style. The concept of learning style hypothesis gives educators the assurance or the illusion that they are meeting the needs of their students by accounting for different learning styles.
Delete1b. Although the learning style hypothesis lack substantial evidence, I would still try to find the learning styles of my students and differentiate my lessons according to that. Although, the theory lacks evidence, some studies such as the ones done by Stensvold and Wilson (1990) showed that students with low verbal ability performed better by using concept maps in a chemistry learning activity. Students do not learn through only one learning style, they often use multiple learning styles. For instance, throughout my school journey, I learned concepts better through visual and kinesthetic means. However, I was still able to learn through class lectures (auditory).
I also believe as an educator presenting the material in one manner will fail to engage the students, thus it is important to incorporate a variety of learning styles into the lessons in order to engage the students.
Mahfuza,
DeleteI really liked what you had to say about noticing that modifying the lesson plan for the ELLs to make it more hands on was successful. I totally agree. We use so much language and it's easy for an ELL student to get lost, but the beautiful thing about science is it's universal. An experiment that works in New York will work in Ukraine or Haiti or Finland. So to show them that will also hopefully pique their interest and motivate them to learn more about science which requires reading and comprehension. I love doing science experiments in my class and my students always love them. You said you used experiential and visual learning activities, could you describe one?
I'm also glad you see the value in scaffolding. To go back to what we discussed in class, it's easier to approach something if you learn to break it down into smaller chunks and that's basically what scaffolding is, giving the students the tools to figure it out and then having them do it on their own. And it's great that you were able to identify in yourself what kind of learner you were, visual and kinesthetic, this will help you identify students who also learn that way and you'll be able to help them in a way that others that learn differently cannot.
Finally, your belief that educators must present material in more than one manner or else they are failing the children was music to my ears. As a student, I struggled a lot because the way they were teaching me was not the best way I learned, and now that I am a teacher, I am so aware of that and it's great to see other person come to this realization as well.
Mahfuza,
DeleteI found what you said about Gardner's techniques to be interesting. I had the same initial response to the idea of asking someone to master the task at hand in order to measure their intelligence. --If he or she masters it quickly, does that mean they are more intelligent than another? I feel as though while it may sound this way, Garner is trying to say this may simply be another angle for assessment. If one person finishes it efficiently and still more quickly, he or she may be more talented in *X* area. Whereas if another may take much time to plan how they are going to accomplish the task, and do so just as efficiently, they may be more successful/"intelligent" in another area. It seems to be confusingly worded and perhaps Gardner could have provided more examples of what results these kind of assessments would show. I do agree with you that there should be a more broad and relevant test in order for any sort of result to be close to fair.
Andy,
DeleteI also enjoy doing science experiments in my class, especially inquiry based activities. One of the activities I do to introduce the scientific method is the blue bottle reaction. Students work in groups of four and receive two vials. One is half filled while the other is completely filled. When the half filled vial is shaken, the liquid changes from colorless to blue.
Another activity that my students enjoy is testing the effect of various amounts of calcium chloride on the temperature of the water. Students actively participate in the experiment, make observations and record data. As they are engaged in the activity, students are able to make connections.
Great conversation, everyone!
Delete1a. These learning styles are so popular because it address the fact that everyone learns differently. Some are verbal learns, some are visual, some learn by doing. As stated in the article people like the idea of different learning styles because they see themselves as unique individuals “Another, very understandable, part of the appeal of the learning-styles idea may reflect the fact that people are concerned that they, and their children, be seen and treated by educators as unique individuals” (Pashler et al, 2009). It makes people feel as if they can do anything provide it’s explain properly and the correct learning style is utilized. It’s one thing to tell someone they can do anything, but it’s quite another to be able to back it up. To be able to tell someone they can learn anything as long as it’s approach the right way. This is basically what I do all day at my school. My school exclusively serves children with moderate to severe developmental delays, mainly autism, and there is a stigma that these kids can’t learn anything when that is completely untrue, they just learn different from everyone else. It might take long and the methods might be unconventional, but my students absolutely have the capacity to learn. Some learn through stories, some learn through activities, some learn through trial and error, these are all different learning styles that are employed to get the most out of my students.
ReplyDelete1b. I can reconcile the popularity with the lack of evidence because, honestly, I don’t need evidence, I see it every day. It’s hard to quantify what I see, but I see it. Everyday, I see students learn, generalize, and apply knowledge. I see student that other schools have given up on, come to my school and flourish because we utilized different learning styles that fit the students needs. Also, there is evidence, it’s just a slow moving process. When you consider that the IDEA Act was passed in 1975 and it wasn’t until 2004, when IDEA was amended, that it included furthering education past 21 years old, job training, and independent living support. It takes a while for evidence to be collected, papers to be published, and information to enter the mainstream. It’s out there, it just takes a while.
Regardless of the lack of evidence, I also will continue to instruct based on the learning needs of my students. In the beginning of the year I give my students a multiple intelligence survey to determine what are the learning styles in my students. I incorporate them into my lessons. I also find that students love novelty and new ways of receiving information. So when using different teaching modalities to target my student's learning styles, it really engages them and motivates them to learn. So regardless, I teach according to how my students learn.
DeleteHi Andy,
DeleteIn the school where I am teaching, there are many students with IEPs and 504, and as you mentioned, I see how they enjoy learning with books, activities and even assessments within their own level or knowledge (schema) and capacity. As you said, I think that any student deserves to be treated as unique individual and to have the opportunity to show his/her best in different settings. I totally agree with you, as educators, we need to stop labeling students and take out the stigma that students with disabilities cannot learn.
It's important to remember that all students learn all ways. Just because you PREFER to learn visually does not mean that a) you actually learn visually and b) that you can't learn other ways. You can, and you should.
Delete2a. The two ways to measure intelligence that I will be discussing will be two that often get confused with each other, interpersonal and interpersonal. Interpersonal is the relationship between two or more people, while interpersonal is what is happening within one person. There is a lot of crossover with these two intelligences, one feeds into the other. That is to say if one has a good understanding of ones own self, they can understand other “selves” or at least have a better understanding.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this can also cause trouble. One with good interpersonal intelligence might become frustrated with others that might not see things the way they do, “This makes sense to me, why doesn’t it make sense to anyone else?”.
The opposite is also true. Someone with high interpersonal intelligence might be lacking with intrapersonal intelligence. This is commonly found with celebrities. They’re great with an audience, but it’s when they are alone with their own thoughts that they struggle.
I think this is a good way to measure intelligence, but like all things, it is not the ONLY way, there are no absolutes. I like that it breaks people down into many different categories, because we are not just one thing. I also like that the categories range from abstract, intrapersonal, to concrete, musical. It doesn’t just decree if you are smart or not, but more what areas are you smart in and where are you lacking.
I recall learning about this in another class in which I had to take a multiple intelligence test and, for the most part, I agreed with the results, but that’s just it. The test was mostly accurate, but not 100% accurate and after all, that is the goal of any test.
2b. The most intelligence person I know is my friend Lauren. I know she is intelligent because in addition to knowing a lot about a lot of different topics, she has a great comprehension about those topics, and goes in-depth on such topics that includes looking at different perspectives. She will know a lot about something, be able to explain it to you, and have an opinion that has considered an opposing angle.
What I value in intelligence is open-mindedness. It's one thing to be smart, it's another to admit you don't know everything and be willing to learn and/or be wrong. Intelligence is acknowledging that you don't know everything, but always striving to know more.
Andy, I like how directly you expressed reconciling the popularity of multiple intelligence by saying that you don't need evidence because you see it every day. Good teaching can be hard to explain but almost everyone knows it when they see it. Perhaps we do over-quantify student learning rather than stepping back and seeing what really works. Sometimes it may be an accident that happens when trying everything we can at teachers to make a concept click with a student. While the evidence may not fit neatly into an academic paper, you have seen enough students who others have been exhausted come to have success when being taught by new teachers with fresh methods.
DeleteI appreciate what you have said about viewing intelligence as open-mindedness. I think people that may be otherwise smart can be clouded by their awareness of their intelligence and fail to listen to other ideas. Someone who is an intellectual and is open-minded could certainly be considered as intelligent as someone who scores extremely high on an IQ test.
Many of the ideas of multiple intelligences came to fruition due to the common practice of focusing on narrow definitions of intelligence such as those tested on IQ tests. Although many of the intelligence tested on such tests are important, they are but a small part of the intelligence picture.
ReplyDeleteMy experiences in the classroom have shown that every student has an individual response to the way lessons are taught. My observation is consistent with the Pashler in that he and the researchers of this paper “do not claim that the same kind of instruction is most useful in all contexts with all learners” (Pashler et al 2009).
Pashler and company gave many reasons for the popularity of the theory and practice of meshing intelligences, however, it makes sense that teachers and other observers of students would come to the conclusion that students learn differently, therefore, we should teach them in the area of their strength. As the Pashler article demonstrates with the proposed methodology, none of the studies are successful in supporting the effectiveness of meshing, however, this only discounts over-evaluating students rather than incorporating different teaching methods using the general theory of multiple intelligence as a broad guide for lessons.
The more compelling argument that was made in the Pashler paper was the idea that “optimal instructional method is likely to vary across disciplines” (Pashler et al 2009). I’m not sure that this is a new idea or something that hasn’t been happening in classrooms for decades but it seems obvious when read. However, I’ve seen one teaching method of teaching math skills work well with one student and not at all with another while an alternative method “flips the switch.”
As an educator, I would be mindful of how each of my students learn. Beginning of the year evaluations are a powerful tool do gauge each students strengths and needs. That isn’t to say that expensive training seminars and tests are necessary but it is a good way to begin to know new students strengths and possibly see how the methods have worked with students you have seen before. It may also be helpful to a brief mid-year evaluation to track each student.
Gardner states that we shouldn’t test for a particular intelligence but rather teach skills in that area and observe how a given student responds. This is consistent with what I think is a successful way to work with students. It is also the best way to explain the practicality of using multiple intelligences I agree with Gardner’s statement because I have seen students respond or fail to respond to so many different methods of teaching a given lesson. I have also failed to learn lessons in school as a student and have discovered alternative ways to successfully teach myself.
I think that IQ testing is too narrow and is not an effective way to place students or judge their intelligence. So many students would be excluded where they otherwise could be successful students because of a test testing a specific set of skills. As we discussed in the last class, much of what determines a child’s success on these tests can have a lot to do with their environment. There are too many variables for one test to determine so much.
The person I have thought to be the most intelligent person I know has other attributes that contribute to absorbing knowledge. She has the determination and focus to sit for long periods of time and teach herself skills and entire subjects in a short period of time. I’ve also heard stories from her mother about her as a child teaching herself how to swim. She stood in the deep end and paddled and sank until she finally figured out how to swim. She developed into a very good athlete with that focus and a straight A student. I often judge people’s intelligence on their ability to think critically and self-teach, although, I recognize that even this definition is very narrow.
I think what you bring up, Christian, is very important -- it is not learning styles that is important, but getting to know your students on an individual level. I think that learning styles can be a cop-out for not just students, but teachers as well. It's not just students who say, "Oh, I can't do that, I'm a visual learning," but it's also TEACHERS as well who will slough off lack of understanding based on what they view as permanent characteristics. The trick to teaching (if there can be just one...) is KNOWING your students on a professional and personal level. That is more important than learning styles.
Delete1a. No one learns the same. It would be an injustice to our students if educators think that one way will meet all. Identifying your students learning styles helps to ensure that they are learning in your class and are receiving the most out of what you are teaching them. The cause is to teach our students and reach them to the best of their abilities. If that isn’t happening because you are not meeting their needs by disregarding their learning styles, as teachers, we are not doing our job. Learning our students’ learning styles allows us to tailor our lessons to meet their needs. As a teacher, initially, this may seem like a lot of work. One may easily think that we have to create 10 different lessons, when really it is much similar than that. Sometimes, it is as easy as giving them an agenda before class, giving them pictures alongside reading texts, giving them step-by-step instructions, giving larger font texts, and etc. From experience, I have seen that taking simple easy steps as these for our students supports them in such a tremendous way. Not only does it support their academic learning, but I have seen that it immensely boosts their confidence.
ReplyDelete1b. Personally, I would still identify my students’ learning styles whether there is sufficient evidence or not. I am in the classroom with my students, I see firsthand what works and what does not. If I see that a specific method is working for my student(s), I am going to use it. In this matter, it isn’t about evidence or lack of; it is about what works with my students.
Hola Shahanaz,
DeleteOne of the things my school promotes the first couple of days of the new school year, is to provide students with a "get to know you survey". Where the teacher asks the students various questions about them and it includes questions about What helps them learn? We also ask them What did their previous year teacher did that helps them learn? Some of the students are very concrete when it comes to asking them what helps them learn. Most of the responses we would get involved Videos and Hands-on activities. Believe it or not but they those responses did help them learn and remember concepts. Also, not to make it sound bad, but having the students' grade your teaching can also help. They tell you how it is, and they tell you how you can improve your teaching as well.
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ReplyDelete1A) I think learning styles are so popular because every individual has their own unique way of learning information. People learn by seeing, hearing, touching, listening and feeling. Omrod (2008) states that some cognitive styles and dispositions “do” seem to influence how and what students learn. Furthermore, students seem to learn better when information is presented through visuals, where as others may learn through words. I find this to be important because it reinforces that fact that not everyone is going to “get it”. However, the best thing to do is to tailor the information to your audience so that everyone can understand the bottom line information that’s to be given. I’ve witnessed different teaching styles from my fieldwork this week. I observed how some students could just listen to the instructions for their group project and execute the task at hand. Therefore, they learned the basis of the project just from hearing. Whereas, others needed further clarification on the instructions in order to just start the project. Also, I witnessed how a group of students were able to follow the instructions to the group project, but they were not able to understand the reason behind the project until they saw the final results of the experiment. For this, I think its imperative that educators are versatile in information delivery so that no student is left behind, and that all students have the chance to learn, understand, and retain information. From personal experience, I learned better when I heard teachers speak and saw them writing on a board. The action of seeing my professors write along with verbal reinforcement, it’s what helped me remember information.
1B) I would reconcile the popularity of learning style by adjusting my teaching style to a comfortable modality in which all of my students could learn and be successful. I would incorporate learning exercise in the classroom that would pinpoint what causes a student to be more engaged so that they can absorb the information I’m delivering (visuals, open discussion, group work, projects, and experiments). I would assume that students would have a higher tendency to retain information if they are more engaged. Therefore, I would “put my students to work” and get them involved in the teaching/learning process. Furthermore, I would ensure to reinforce and reiterate information given so that questions and answers can be asked and addressed accordingly. I think this approach is what makes for a better learning atmosphere. Despite the negative hypotheses of learning styles, with this approach, I feel that students will then have the ability to learn from me, themselves, and also learn information from their peers.
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ReplyDelete2A) In the article, Gardner mentions IQ and SAT testing as a way to determine if a person indicates success, and he also touches on the topic of simply giving a student a task and having them execute the task as a way to measure if the student holds a certain level of intelligence. I think these approaches are flawed and ineffective. Reason being, students learn at different levels. Some students can perform exceptionally well in the classroom, but are not great test takers (and vice versa). I disagree with this notion to an extent. With adolescent students, I feel, without a doubt, there are certain tasks that they should be able to execute flawlessly. However, when it comes to a person being intelligent or not, I can’t agree. I feel that intelligence itself is something that can’t be measured effectively by a standardized test. Saying so, would say indicate that I feel anyone who scores low on any area of a test are less intelligent than those who score high. That’s not something I can say that I agree with --especially after what we discussed in our last class. A student has to have some sort of awareness/knowledge about something in order for them to have the capacity to learn or achieve high results. If a student is given a standardized test and has no idea (or little to no exposure) to what’s being presented, that doesn’t mean they are less intelligent than someone who has been exposed to it and can execute the test and score higher.
ReplyDelete2B) The most intelligent person I know is my brother, Logan. The reason I say this is because he has this innate ability to just grasp things easily, he always gets enjoyment out of learning new things that most perceive as complicated (for example, physics, calculus, etc) and has held a solid A average his entire life. He’s never made a B in his life. I know my brother is intelligent because he has the “gift of gab” when it comes to learning. He usually has an interest in things that most people don’t care to learn more about, and he has this eagerness to find answers to things just for pleasure. When it comes to things that most people find difficult, my brother will not settle until he can easily break things down to where it’s easier for him to learn it and retain it. I think he has this magical photographic memory because I am more of a visual learner. He can learn from verbal explanations alone. It’s very rare that things have to be simplified for him to understand it. If you tell him something once, he won’t forget it. Ever! He’s gone on to teach himself other languages on top of the two he already knows. He’s dominated different spots athletically as well. What I value the most in intelligent is its flexibility. I value the social and emotional aspects of intelligence because a person may not learn as quickly as the next person; it doesn’t mean that they aren’t “intelligent”, but have their own unique way of learning and processing information. Intelligence is something that I feel comes from within. I think that one has to “want to be intelligent” to be seen as an intelligent person. When a person places value on social and emotional aspects of intelligence, they tend to be able to empathize better with others, have good communication skills, and can help motivate and inspire others.
DeleteGreg,
I agree with your reasoning that students learn at different levels and the usage of SAT or IQ tests to predict success are ineffective. I also have students who understand the material in class, consistently participate but are not good test takers. There are also some students who do not understand the material quite well but receive high scores. This shows, that test taking is also skill. As teachers, we have to teach a plethora of skills to students ranging from analytical to mathematical skill. However, if a student has mastered the test taking skill, does it mean he is more intelligent than others? Often, his/her 90+ test score will be used to predict his/her success. Thus, I can relate to your belief that standardized tests cannot effectively measure intelligence. Unfortunately, test scores are used by schools, and universities to determine student readiness and success rate. Many parents often place their children in prep schools in order to help their children prepare for exams such as SHSHAT, SAT, Regents, and AP exams. Students who have attended these prep schools are also more likely to do well.
I agree that standardized testing does not prove whether a student is intelligent or not. Over and over, I have seen students who do so so well all throughout the school year, but during the state exam, check out and perform very poorly. I had a student this year who failed the state exam, which surprised me very much. When I put together his portfolio for summer school and assessed him, again he performed extremely well. I didnt get it. He is such a bright kid but I guess test-taking is not his thing.
DeleteHi Greg!
DeleteI also made it a point to bring up that some students are not great test takers. I feel that IQ tests are flawed in such way that they do not consider intelligence in specific areas. I can say that a lot of my students parents opted out of the NY state exams. Parents wanted to prevent their children from thinking, if I do not pass the exam I must not be smart. Using one test cannot give accurate results when I see students learn at different paces. I feel tests should be given to monitor progress within each student. I also agree that labels or values should not be placed reason being I have seen students transition from scoring low in tests to scoring high within weeks.
Hi Greg, I am so with it on your take of learning styles. I found the article to have a negative hypothesis as well. I had a professor last semester discuss 3 modes of Learning Styles and what I found so interesting was that our preferred learning styles can change over time. I've experienced this myself and think that having students get to know their own learning style preferences will help them for so long down the line. You're brother sounds like a great learner and a passionate on at that. I value passion in learning as well. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Emily
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ReplyDelete1a. Learning styles seem to be hugely popular because of how they make students and parents feel about the education they and their children are receiving. Learning styles recognize the individuality of each student, particularly regarding their successes. When a student’s strength in learning is assessed, and lessons provide opportunity to apply these strengths, they feel recognized, and I would imagine, more confident because of this. Additionally, parents may feel like their child is receiving an education that is tailored to their abilities, which can only provide them with academic success. I also feel as though the use of learning styles makes students feel better about subject areas or strategies they are not the best at. For example, a student who may not be doing so well in math might tell themselves that they are simply more right brained, meaning they are better at thinking more creatively than thinking in a linear and organized fashion.
ReplyDelete1b. While there isn’t much evidence supporting the success of using learning styles in the classroom, I think it still works in that it engages students and may possibly give them the motivation or confidence to tackle the task at hand. It is also important for teachers to differentiate lessons despite the lack of evidence, as no two students learn in the same way. I remember my own difficulty with math lessons, and how some teachers would show different methods of solving a problem to get the same answer. She would tell students who already had an understanding to disregard what she was about to do, while asking the students who still weren’t fully on board to pay close attention. Simple efforts like these address different learning styles and have been effective from my own memory of school.
Paige, I agree with you statements completely! Specifically, when you mentioned how a student’s strength should be assessed and a plan of action can be created to maximize on the opportunity of helping the student. You couldn't have said it any better! Not only does it promote confidence and helps the student learn, but it also promotes engagement between student/teacher/administration. I think that students need to feel as though "someone" cares about them. I think this is part of the reason why students shy away from seek help. They are not confident, afraid that they will be judged, and fear that they will be labeled a not so intelligent student. Furthermore, I think this approach is something that should take place early on before it's too late. You can't dig a student out of a hole thats too deep to get out of. That's just my opinion. Hopefully DOE uses the methods that you mention to actually help students as opposed just passing students on without addressing issues head on.
Delete2a. Gardner proposes the general idea that we should present individuals with tasks and interactions that we can observe in order to study their multiple intelligences.One example he gives is to place individuals in simulated interactions and ask them to assess the actions and motivations of different people in the scenario. He states that “such a measure should reveal much about the interpersonal or emotional sensitivity of a subject” (7). I find this to be a much more complex and fair way to study one’s multiple intelligences, as it is far more realistic and can provide more insightful results than a wrong answer to an irrelevant IQ-test question would. He also proposes studying how readily one can take on a task: while studying one’s musical intelligence, instead of asking to pick the correct tone, one can be asked to learn a song or play an instrument. This new practice would provide much more to study—their method of approaching the task, how quickly they can accomplish it, their success in accomplishing it, and I’m sure infinitely more. I think these two examples are much more fair and realistic than IQ tests or the SATs. The latter are antiquated in a world where we are encouraged to harbor many talents and interests, sometimes even having to adopt multiple careers. Furthermore it leaves out much of the biases involved in IQ and SAT testing, which involve assumptions about culture and background that make it nearly impossible for some individuals to score as highly as their peer on. I feel passionately about this and have held disdain for the SATs since high school. Being the first to even take the SATs in my family, I was unprepared and completely unaware of it. I specifically remember discussing with a friend how unfair I felt it was—there were certain students who I felt weren’t necessarily “smarter” than me, but were simply more prepared, whether that meant by their parent’s own educational background or the use of tutors. I still feel surprised that the same unfair method of testing is used to determine what college (which can then determine your entire future) you will be accepted into.
ReplyDeletePaige, I totally agree with your comments about standardized tests. So many forms of intelligence are unfairly not touched during something like the SATs nor are they good predictors of college success. It helps us ask the question as educators: are we preparing students for standardized tests or real life and the challenges of future levels of education? I would love to see schools move to a model of standardized testing PLUS task-based testing that would showcase other forms of intelligence.
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Delete2b. The most intelligent person that comes to my mind is a woman I worked with. What I initially noticed about her was her ability to listen to others when they speak and react in such a way that showed understanding and patience. She is heavily involved in current issues and not afraid to speak plainly and openly about the huge problems that occur in our country. When someone disagrees with her (her and I found ourselves in this position often as we were the avid Bernie supporters at work) she understands that they will not learn if she altogether shuts them down, so she listens to their opinions and asks questions. I value her constant thirst for knowledge and opinions that challenge her own. A lot of these traits come from a place of sensitivity, which I think may be what I value highly in a person. I think approaching things with new perspectives constantly makes for a well-rounded intelligence. Self-reflection and self-awareness is key in this, too, as I feel like an intelligent person is constantly challenging themselves to be better in the world around them.
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ReplyDelete2a. Howard Gardner gives us a historical background on the Alfred Binet's and Lewis Terman creation and use of the IQ test. Gardner further discusses the SAT posing as a chameleon for the IQ test. He immediate tells us the first flaws of the IQ test. By the results placing someone on a wrong career path.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I strongly disagree with the use of measuring someone's intelligence with these test. How & who gets to define what intelligence is? The test could put someone at an unfair advantage if they inhabit the same environment as the writer of the exams. The participants of the exams could be at a disadvantage depending on cultural and economic background. Also, could as stated place someone on the wrong life choice. These biases make room for a flawed review. Furthermore, some people are not good at taking the test. A person could do better with an oral vs. a pen & paper exam. I do agree that there are several kinds of intelligence to make up a human being. The further inclusion on moral, ethics, creative intelligence and is much needed.
2b
My brother is the most intelligent person I know. He is moral, ethical and creative. He has an excellent memory and makes people happy. What I value above all is a high moral and ethical behavior. Howard Gardner warned us about stretching the-the list but, I believe that our society would benefit with these attributes included.
Hello Sherie, I definitely agree with your comment on Gardner and his explanation on the IQ and the SAT exams. I strongly believe that these type of exams should not determine the intelligence or capability of a student because of the result of an exam. Honestly, there are many students who are not good test takers (myself included) because taking an exam can cause anxiety or lead to other negative factors such as pressure, that can alter the student's confidence in taking an exam. I also believe students should use their multiple intelligences in diverse tasks that can help their aptitude and also improve their intelligences. It is important that we determine the intelligence of a student not by their test score but by their assignments, their positive trajectory, and the importance of school improvement. It is true that probably students may excel in taking an oral exam than a written exam because it can cause less pressure on students. A person's attributes/skills should be determined by their work and their effective completion of tasks and not by a simple test score.
Delete1a
ReplyDeleteThe excitement of learning and teaching various styles are a benefit to the students. As their minds develop presenting different methods is a way to keep learning fresh. As Omora ( 2008) said. "Some students learn verbally, and some through visual styles." I witness in my recent field work, a teacher; visually teach math. He did it in such a creative way that I saw how engaged the students were. When it appeared that a student had some difficulty, he sat and had this amazing verbal dialogue to encourage and teach the student. Having the student work out the problem by explaining the process and how the answer was achieved. Proved to beneficial to the student.
Referencing Dun & Dun (1992, 1993, 1999) Their declaration on students attention, how to trigger and to maintain it. They talk "about natural processing style to produce long-term memory and retention." It is imperative to test and find a starting point on which style and why would benefit the student. From what I learned on metacognition and the melding of several techniques this ties into the Flavell. During the testing, finding which areas to hone in on for teaching. I now recognize that metacognitive experiences and knowledge have a direct correlation to the students psyche. If a student believes they are not proficient in an area, through various teaching styles, a new image can be attained by dispelling the old narrative. So, therefore I believe, that different learning styles can be productive and fruitful in teaching.
1b
I am all about variety, introducing new and excite techniques into my Art! Therefore, it is imperative that I keep finding ways of teaching and learning myself. I feel that exploring the learning journey is bound to have antidotes on which styles work, and which need retooling. As a future educator, finding strengths and weakness in techniques make room for innovation and growth. Even though there will be students, who have preferences on how they learn and retain knowledge. Varying the styles will stimulate cognitive development and expertise on subjects. The list of using audio, visual, oral, written forms I believe is a recipe for success on learning. This is why I was so excited about the passage for Kolb's (1984, 1985) on an individual who are divergers, assimilators, convergers, accommodators." There are more than one or two paths to learning and teaching." There is an endless path of methods to use. Becuase, each student, will have their unique knowledge, psych, and preferences on how they want to learn. It goes back to Nicole saying to a student " how can I help you?" Here, I can find levity, and approach teaching with control and balance. Prepare a map, strategies, to help the students.
Sherie, I love that you connected this idea to your own experience as a life long learner. How often we forget as teachers to feed our own internal student! And I have also seen different styles of teaching help get through to a student who was struggling with a specific concept. I wonder if that same student you observed needed the additional verbal explanation in a different discipline or if it was math-specific? Certainly as educators, it is imperative that we present material in a variety of ways in hopes of breaking through to as many students as possible. I like your image of "prepare a map and strategies" as a way to think about lesson planning. It creates a clear plan but leaves wiggle room in case you aren't getting to students in the ways you'd hoped.
Delete1a. Pashner’s article explains that there is currently no evidence to support or justify the concept of learning styles. However, the literature and commercial activity surrounding this topic is thriving, and instruction dedicated to its existence is popular and widely used. The concept itself is an attractive one. Not only is it comforting to think that your learning style (or your child’s) is individual and unique, but it may also offer an external explanation for poor performance, low ability, or not being able to efficiently comprehend a lesson (or subject).
ReplyDeleteI think another very obvious reason for the popularity of techniques used to reach “visual learners” in particular, is that visual lessons are often more fun and more engaging. This relates to what we have discussed previously in class about cognitive development and thinking. When students are entertained, they pay more attention and are more engaged -- this means they are also more likely to comprehend and remember the material.
1b. Due to the lack of evidence, I would not support a "learning style" program that included student assessments and/or the use of the school funds. However, as an educator I would support differentiating lessons to explain concepts in more than one way. Regardless of a student’s “learning style”, a concept may be more easily understood if explained visually rather than verbally, or in combination -- I also strongly feel (and this may be because of my art background), that the occasional visual interjection makes a lesson more fun, more enjoyable, and easier to pay attention to.
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DeleteWhen reading the Pashner et. al article I didn't really consider the idea that certain lessons meant for certain types of learners might be more fun and engaging, but while reading your response I definitely see how that has contributed to the popularity of such techniques. In one of my classes last semester we discussed lesson plan "flow," or thinking about how our lesson as a whole is moving: are we moving from small details to big abstract concepts or vice versa? Are we moving from individual work to pairs to group work? Are we moving from seated and stationary to movement-based work? Etc, etc, etc. I think the introduction of the learning styles theory has probably contributed a lot to different ways of flowing through a lesson, many of which are more engaging to our students.
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ReplyDelete1a. I believe learning styles are popular because it can facilitate how each student can learn differently and learn to understand information more effectively. “Learning style is the way in which each learner begins to concentrate on, process, absorb, and retain new and difficult information” (Dunn and Dunn, 1992, 1993, 1999) Each student is unique and they may not require the same type of instruction as everyone else. Students have different abilities and can comprehend concepts either through verbal or visual methods. Also, it is essential for students to receive the needful instruction, because students have the opportunity to learn if their needs are met. However, it is the important that the educator also creates an instruction that will meet the standards for all students and therefore, every student will be able to understand and apply these concepts in the best way possible. For example, in the middle school that I previously worked in, I observed the different instruction methods designed for different students. Several classes consisted of using more visual instruction, where students were able to learn more through word walls, larger texts, images and videos shown on the Smartboard. Also, students who learned more through visual instruction learned on different pace than the other class. As for students who learned through verbal instruction, they used a variety of textbooks; teachers would reiterate information and used a more lecture style class. Students are smart in their own way; they just need to the right instruction and guidance.
ReplyDelete1b. As an educator, I could reconcile the learning styles to implement an effective instruction designed to facilitate the learning of my students. Although the learning style hypothesis was negative, as an educator it is necessary to observe the students or use different methods to determine, which types of instruction are beneficial for their learning needs. Due to observing our students, we will therefore comprehend which types of instruction are best for our students. I believe that the negative results should not determine how we should use the proper instruction in the classroom. Also, the use of differentiation is also important, as with these types of methods, students are able to learn effectively from both their teachers and classmates.
Hello Elizabeth,
DeleteYou are so on point about approaching learning from various angles.
By taking a negative and flipping it to a positive to create a learning atmosphere for your students. The prior methods have their past, but the new educator such as yourself comes to the table with a new set of skills. By realizing, we are different, and there is not one cookie cutter method to learning. Even further I like what you said about "students participating in the teaching process." This is powerful, cause it includes the students voice and perspective into the learning model. How welcoming to have children add to the learning process for their peers. Your point in further provides an extended educational bonding for your classroom. It would been great to see this thought in the essay! Bravo!
Elizabeth
DeleteI totally agree in reference to your views on learning styles, and I am living proof of this thought process. For example you mentioned how each student is different and they may not require the same instructions, I can totally relate to this because I often struggle to read directions and or information from a book or on a paper as oppose to just hearing the very same instructions/ information spoken in word. I learned this at a young age, I couldn’t understand how I retain information so much better if someone told it to me as appose to if I read it, so much so, I began to buy programs just to verbally read articles to me so I could better retain the information, and it worked for me. This has saved me so much in time, money and overall quality of my life! I also agree that this isn't for everyone, it just worked for me in my life experiences. Each individual has a better learning experience and it is essential to your growth and development to identify this as early as humanly possible.
Sherie and Jermaine, thank you very much for your input. It is true. We should not determine and define the intelligence of students through a simple result from a standardized test or only use one method for all students. As you said Sherie, we are not just a cookie-cutter image. We are all different, unique and we all learn in various ways. We are intelligent in our own ways and we pursue success in different ways. Jermaine, I am glad you found an effective method to improve reading directions. It is cool to see how you discovered a way to decipher directions in a more effective manner. Therefore, not only we are designed to learn from different methods, we should also implement this towards our students as well. Great!
Delete2a. According to Gardner, there are a variety of multiple intelligences and humans can have all of these multiple intelligences and even more. (Gardner, 1999). He explains thoroughly that intelligence can be interpreted in various ways and through different methods. In addition, Gardner explains the factors that involve emotions, moral, interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. It is interesting how all these factors also contribute to intelligences as well such as musical intelligence (tunes) and how we apply this to humans. Two ways Gardner measured intelligence in the reading was through the use of the IQ exam and the SAT exam. Gardner explains that both of these exams just determine the capability of a student through, reading, writing essays and use of their critical thinking skills. However, it is not necessarily the only method to determine the intelligence of a student. Students comprehend and use their intelligence in diverse tasks and not should only require a “pencil and paper” assessment. Remember, the IQ exam and the SAT exam are both flawed. I agree with Gardner’s interpretation of the use of these exams because students may excel in various tasks and may use their intelligence in various ways. I believe an exam should not determine the intelligence or the aptitude of a student.
ReplyDelete2b. The most intelligent person I know is my friend, Monique. Throughout college, Monique was able to adapt in many different tasks that consisted of critical thinking and analysis. She is the type of person that believes in “the more you learn, the less you know”. Her humble persona and her ability to complete all sorts of tasks is the true definition of intelligence. What I value in intelligence is when an intelligent person is a person is able to figure out all types of tactics and uses all of their multiple intelligences to complete an assigned task. That was she. She also had the gift in solving the most complex issues with her perseverance and patience. Also, she always was capable of facing any challenge and tries to solve it in the best way possible. She would understand concepts easily, had the ability to explain thoroughly and coherently and she would never forget any information given to her.
1a.Both Piaget and Vygotsky think that “development precedes learning.” According to Pashler et al., “optimal learning requires that students receive instruction tailored to their putative learning style.” (Pashler et al., page 105). And “learning style refers to the view that different people learn information in different ways.” (Pashler et al., page 106). According to their different need, these learning styles are all different for different leaners and these learning styles help learners obtain information most effectively and quickly. So, that is why these styles are so popular, because these are more helpful for varied learners. In my school, it is common that teachers apply learning styles to their instruction, so students can use the optimal method to achieve the learning information. According to students’ different learning processing preference, teachers will tailor their own learning style for different students. For examples, some students like visual processing, so teachers may provide more real objects, books and pictures to help students process the information. Some students like drawing and painting, so teachers will give them more chance to be involved in drawing for acquiring the related information. Thus, it requires that teachers usually give students differentiated instruction, because students use their own learning style. According to my fieldwork observation, I find out that learning style is indeed supportive for teachers instruct different students from different background effectively, especially for students with special need.
ReplyDelete1b. As Pashler et al., it lacks of evidence to support the popularity of “learning style” program, but I still apply it to my future classroom. It is because I strongly believe that the variety of learning style helps the diverse modern class. Currently, many schools already all the general students and special students together in the classroom under the same instruction. So, it is important that educator applies learning style into the classroom, because different students obtain the information in a different way, especially students with special need. I am very interested in ELLs, and I think in my future classroom I will have a lot of English language learners. For them, I will definitely prefer to use more visual instructions to help them comprehend the knowledge, such as video, book, picture and so on.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to learning Styles, the term is widely used throughout the educational world nowadays. How a teacher often addresses a student learning style is a key component to how "effective" a teacher is. Humans now a days tend to learn in different ways. Some people are visual learners, some are auditory learners, and some may also learn best through a hands on approach. There are also different environmental factors that can be included in the discussion of learning styles. People learn better in a group setting or they may learn better by themselves without any distractions. Learning Styles are more important now a days because it helps teachers tailor their lessons to improve a student's knowledge or retention of a skill or concept being taught. Students absolutely do not all learn the same way. If that were the case, then there wouldn't be any technology introduced to students within the school system. Everything would return to being old school, which includes pencil, paper, chalk boards and teacher centered lectures. Students are more engaged when their learning styles become addressed. They are more likely to retain information and understand concepts better. Catering to student's learning styles is promoted within the school that I work at. Teachers are provided with tools such as technology, to help address students learning styles. The reason why I believe there is such a big push for teachers to address learning styles is because as the years progress in the educational world, teachers and administrators are noticing a lack of engagement between students and lessons being taught. The only way to engage a student in a lesson is to address their learning style. Once the student's learning style is addressed, then there will be an increase of knowledge attained. There will also be an increase of college readiness which is the focus of many state standards. Or will college readiness increase.....
ReplyDeleteIn order for educators to address learning styles, they must attempt to include one of the learning styles within their lesson. They could end their lesson with a formal assessment and see if the learning style used increased comprehension of what was being taught to some or all students. Teachers can also give students a survey that would determine the student's learning styles.
1a. As teachers, we are always looking for ways to connect with the student who struggles, disrupts, doesn't meet expectations, etc. I think we are willing to try anything we can to help. This theory of learning styles is an attractive idea which seemingly has the possibility to unlock a student's best performance. I definitely grew up with the idea of learning styles being presented to me. I still say things like "I learn best from a combination of visual and verbal information." Maybe that isn't true. I was really drawn to the idea Pashler et al. presented about different styles of learning serving different disciplines better. Perhaps we confuse this for a student's preference when really it is a better way to learn a given concept or subject. As a theatre teacher, my students need to get up and try the concepts physically in order to truly understand them. This seems to be universal and not just a certain group of students. I've always tried to present material in several styles: visual, verbal, and physical. I have seen moments in each style click with different students. But I don't think I've seen any clear evidence across the board that one type of student consistently understands one type of instruction best. I do think I've assumed that fact without the evidence, however.
ReplyDelete1b. I think there is wisdom to be found in learning style programs. As teachers, it is important for us to not be satisfied with the current method we use for teaching a given concept or subject. I also think we use this idea of "learning styles" to get students thinking metacognitively. By asking them "how do you learn best?" we're really asking "think about how you think and describe it to me." The exercise of building in metacognition is important but there is surely a better way to do it. Instead of asking about learning styles, we could ask students to describe their process of learning: how do you learn new concepts? Draw a diagram of your mental process when learning about a certain war in History class. Explain to your neighbor how you found the right answer to that chemistry problem. It is also important to create a classroom where students get to experience both highly structured lessons and less structured lessons. I am certain they will learn different things in each environment, regardless of their particular preferences or learning aptitudes.
2a. On page 7, Gardner offers the following: "To be concrete, we should not test musical intelligence by looking at the ability to discriminate between two tones or timbres; rather, we should be teaching people to sing songs or play instruments or transform melodies and seeing how readily they master such feats." I think this exposes some flaws in his theory of multiple intelligences. First, it is a good way to test of musical intelligence. If a person can not only replicate what they hear but also expand upon the basics and make them their own, they could certainly be considered to be musically intelligent. BUT, they would also need to be quite creative. This test would not merely evaluate intelligence. Creativity is a key piece of the puzzle. Without creativity, you do not master an instrument or change a simple melody into a different, larger piece. Gardner provides his own counter-argument to not considering creativity a form of intelligence. He does the same thing on page 6 when he says "once we decide to restrict intelligence to human information-processing and product-making capacities..." I would argue that many creative tasks are indeed product-making skills.
DeleteHe also mentions on page 7, "Why not instead ask people actually (or virtually) to carry out such tasks?" I think task-based assessment could be a great gauge of intelligence. I have heard it said that taking the SATs or other standardized tests is really only proving your ability to take tests of that nature and not your knowledge or intelligence. A task-based test might get past those concerns and show how someone would respond in a situation closer to real life.
2b. This was a hard question. I'm not entirely sure what I consider "intelligent" especially after reading this article. But I selected the person who came to mind first. She is careful when making decisions, never reacting emotionally or wondering how something will "make her look." She carefully weighs both sides of an issue. She is a confident leader, setting high standards for her employees but also very easy to talk to. She solves problems easily. She is well read and up to date on current affairs. She has an inquisitive mind. She adapts well to new situations. I know she is intelligent because I learn something new from her each time we speak. I bring her my problems or concerns and she always shines light on them in new ways. I value her openness and candor. She is unemotional in her response instead of worrying about how it will be taken by someone else. She doesn't worry about what people think of her. She stays true to her values and beliefs and backs them up with facts and experience.
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DeleteJanie, in regard to your answer to 2a, I had a similar reaction. Toward the beginning of the article, I felt like Gardner was saying, “Let’s not forget creative intelligence!”, but then in the passage you’ve pointed out, he seemed to be saying that it wasn’t a matter of actual creativity; that creative intelligence should be measured by how quickly a creative skill is mastered…? In this case it was playing an instrument, or singing a song.
DeleteAlso, on page 5 he states:
“Indeed, creativity seems more dependent on a certain kind of temperament and personality – risk-taking, tough-skinned, persevering, above all having a lust to alter the status quo and leave a mark on society – than on efficiency in processing various kinds of information.”
This is very much not true….. and is a strange and clichéd generalization of creative people. Also, I would argue that creativity definitely involves information processing and problem solving. For example, if you’re drawing an object from observation, you’re processing the visual information you observe, and problem solving to create an image on the working surface.
Good conversation!
Delete1a. to think and or suggest that we all learn the same way would be a disservice to us all. And the importance of understanding this ideology is just as important and goes hand and hand when trying to identify a learning style to fit an individual or group’s needs. This seemingly simple yet crucial thought process can help promote learning and also provide greater understanding on how someone can maximize his or her learning potential. Just think, if you can relate and or reach a person through what helps them learn best, in theory you should be able to encourage a greater learning potential. Take for example myself, from my personal experiences and the fact that I am an adult now, I fully understand how I learn and retain information. I retain and learn information much better when I can visually see it and verbally hear it. If a person explains a concept to me through words… I can quickly process and understand it much better than I could if I read the exact same information on paper. On the contrary, I am well aware that many findings suggest and support the notion that learning styles often receive negative findings, I personally just don’t agree with these findings. To further my thoughts, in the school where I am doing my fieldwork, the teacher uses video, which uses hip hop to help the children learn math, and the kids love it and sing along and seemingly are more proficient in math, and I found this to be extremely impressive.
ReplyDelete1b. as an educator, the most important findings for me is the actual performance of the population I am servicing. Again granted the evidence may not be strong in favor of these methods. But I have seen firsthand the difference that learning styles can have on a developing mind. I watched a group of 3rd graders this week learn math through very unconventional ways and it worked. By using hip hop to use words that rhyme and I saw kids who had tremendous problems in the beginning learning the math, and those same children learned toward the end. Also, I can harbor on my own experiences knowing that I too learn much better when the learning experience is geared more to my strengths.
Jermaine, I think you bring up an interesting point. As an empirical researcher, Pashler has to rely on scientific papers and journals, but I don't think it can be ignored that people have the experience of being able to understand content one day and not understand the same content another way, as you said is the case with you. I also feel that way, and it seems to me that millions of people who hold to that can't all be wrong. I'm not sure what data could emerge to account for anecdotal evidence but it can't be ignored either.
Delete2a. in the article Gardner, it cites IQ testing and SAT testing as ways to measure intelligence. While I do understand that these are test that can give an individual an idea as to the potential of their intelligence. I am vastly opposed to agreeing with the thought that this is a good way to measure intelligence. Please allow me to elaborate. These test use a uniform system of testing, and this ideology assumes that we all learned the same things? Take for example a child who grew up in a poor area as appose to a child who grew up in a wealthy area. The dialogue that this child may engage in, in these areas would seemingly be very different. The resources that these children would be exposed to would be very different thus effecting the learning of that child. This would also have an effect on the child’s vocabulary to some degree… and these types of things would affect the score this child would receive on test such as IQ and or SAT test. But just because this could affect scoring on a test, this isn’t and shouldn’t be representative of their measure of intelligence. The child who had less resources is at an alarming disadvantage and this can be seen on scores related to test I just spoke of… But again, this isn’t indicative of their intelligence. The child who didn’t have the resources could be just as intelligent if not more intelligent and the other child, just with a lack of knowledge due to lack of exposure.
ReplyDelete2b. I find this question to be extremely difficult. Because I see intelligence in multiple ways. But for the sake of this question I will attempt to answer it one way. For example I have a friend who I find to be extremely intelligent, her name is Sam. Sam always and I mean always does well on every darn thing she does. It’s actually a little sickening. But she also puts an extreme amount of time into each and everything she does. For example, Sam will study days upon days to be overly prepared for each and everything she does academically and professionally. To the point where she could actually teach the topic seemingly better than a professor could and or was prepared for work assignments to a higher degree then I can even explain. But she prepared so darn hard I understood what made her intelligent, it was her preparation. I knew she was intelligent when I took a few classes with her and she stared to teach the class on a few occasions at the professor’s request. It was quite a seen. And I actually value her preparations, it showed me that intelligence isn’t innate and it can be learned.
Part 2.
ReplyDeleteIn his article, Gardner talks about intelligence being assessed through an IQ test and the SAT exam. With the IQ test, it can be determined if a person has a learning disability or if they are considered "gifted". The SAT exam is used to assess a adolescent's college readiness. Do I agree that they are the most effective ways to measure intelligence? Absolutely not. The reason why I believe that both exams are not effective is because the test is solely based on certain skills rather than a person's ability. Also, our students are not familiar with terms within the content that they are being tested on. Such as suburban living. It throws them off when it comes to the concept that they are being tested on as well. Also, not all humans are wonderful test takes, thus putting them in a disadvantage from the start. One of the things that I am in agreement with gardner is when he states "We should be assessing the extent to which human beings succeed in carrying out task of consequence that presumably involve certain intelligences". We as a society should assess multiple intelligences.
This is a tough one. What could define intelligence? The amount of knowledge one can retain? or the amount of practice one has gone through in order to master a skill? Since in my mind I cannot just think of one person being the most intelligent person I know. I am going to say that I believe teachers are the most intelligent people in the world. Why? because the have a skill set that is like no other. They have the knowledge and the ability to address many components in a human's life from the beginning of Kindergarten to their doctoral degrees. Without teachers, there wouldn't be any presidents, doctors, lawyers, mechanics or even professors. Teachers have the ability to know their entire class like the back of their hand. Teachers are a jack of all trades. So when I am asked who is or are the most intelligent people in the world, I cannot just pick one. I must say teachers should be considered the most intelligent people in the world.
Hi, Bikelby! I really agree with your idea about IQ test and SAT exam. I also question about these assessment. It indeed only test people some certain ability, and it can't cover all the abilities people have. After all,these assessment tests are also made by human beings. Human beings are not the perfect creatures. So, the high score in SAT test does not mean he is good at everything. Instead of that, It only means that the person is a good test taker and know more scholastic knowledge than others to some extent. Multiple intelligence should be recommended in the schools, because it can cover more abilities than other intelligence tests. Besides, the definition of intelligence is still a open question. How to define intelligence? Moral intelligence and creative intelligence should be concerned more in the society, which often are forgotten by people.
Delete1a.
ReplyDeleteI think these learning styles are so important because it acknowledges students individual learning needs. The multiple learning styles gives every student a chance to learn using different methods. I feel it’s a fairly new way of teaching new material. Back when I was in school, I don’t remember ever being asked or evaluated on which was my preferred method of learning . I have to say, I wish I was asked or at least been given options being that I struggled to keep up with my classmates. However, in the school I work in and in various workshops I have attended promote learning styles specially, with learning disabled students. Differentiation as new material is being presented is encouraged among our staff. One way it is implemented in the classroom is with the use of three stations. A computer station was incorporated for students who learned easily with visuals with the use of a computer. A second station consisted of a one on one session with the teacher and student. The last station consisted of group work. Every 15 minutes the sound of a bell indicated the transition to the next stage. Each station presented the same information while using distinct learning styles. The integration of computers
I believe relates to the popularity of learning styles. Given that
Computers execute difficult tasks some may not think are “smart enough” to do.
1B
Despite the fact “ learning style” programs lack evidence to support their use in the classroom, I believe it is an educators job to engage their students. Educators must be willing to put in the necessary time and effort to teach in multiple ways according to the students ability. Because of the effort teachers put in I have seen positive learning style programs work well in my school.
Although, I must consider part of the population that will fill in the gap of parents to believe “the fault lies with instruction being adequately tailored to one’s learning style” (Pashler et al 2008). At this point educators must show their abilities to accommodate each student accordingly.
LUZ , I'm agree with you about question 1a. Many people recognize that each person prefers different learning styles, students try to figure out their own learning style because it is more easily to them to understand their material. Also I think that learning styles have more influence than we may realize. students learn in different ways and they tend to prefer some ways more than other. Visual learning style I think help a lot to students to understand their lessons
Delete2a.
ReplyDeleteMultiple intelligences is an accurate way to describe how intelligence should be perceived. I believe no person is smart in every subject matter. I can acknowledge book smarts and street smarts as two different forms of intelligence but, within these realms a single test cannot present accurate IQ levels. No particular tests like the SAT or IQ test should be used in seek of “general intelligence” data. A lot of people simply are not good a taking tests.
I feel citywide exams should be eliminated . Students should not be penalized for getting low scores on state tests. I know the state of NY, parents can have their child opt out of taking these exams. I applaud this decision and suggest any type of tests should be composed by the teacher or the school.
2b.
The most intelligent person I know is my cousin Andrea. Andrea excels in almost everything she does. In school she was at the top of her class, received recognition awards for French class (she is Spanish, nothing to do with the French language) and got a scholarship to St. Johns university. In college she majored in speech pathology and excelled as well. Not only is she academically gifted Andrea was one of the best point guards on her basketball team. Early into her new current job she got a promotion. Andrea has great critical thinking skills. Often I would turn to her for help on homework. Despite the fact she did not know much about the subject Andrea was capable of producing an accurate conclusion.
I know my cousin is intelligent because she has a nonbiased way of approaching situations and everyone in the family thinks so as well. I value her intelligence because I believe her intelligence derived from her dedication to everything she does. I don’t simply believe she is naturally smart. Many factors such as family, schooling and home environment attributed to her intelligence.
1a. I see similarities between the popularity of learning-style programs and the “critical thinking” programs discussed by Willingham. I think both are popular because we want to focus on helping students develop metacognitively. If they know what kind of learner they are, it shows that they are thinking about how they process information, which is an important part of metacognitive development. I have definitely seen the importance of “learning style” both in my primary education and my program here at CCNY. When I was in elementary school I remember taking “What kind of learner are you?” tests at the beginning of every school year. It did give me a sense of power over my own education, and pushed me to think about the way I think, which may have been one of the goals as I discussed earlier. Here at CCNY we have discussed differentiating our modes of instruction for different learning styles. Whether or not “learning styles” exist in the way we talk about them, I do think differentiation is an important technique for educators.
ReplyDelete1b. I believe that knowing what modes of instruction help your students learn best (whether that be because of a preference or a so-called “learning style”) is important for an educator, and that differentiating, or presenting the same information in a myriad of ways, is a vital skill. The lack of evidence to support learning style programs does not necessarily affect my pedagogy, because I don’t prescribe to the meshing hypothesis. Pashler et al. discuss the so-called meshing hypothesis, or the idea that instruction should “be provided in a style that matches the learner’s style” (2008, p. 108). They argue that the meshing hypothesis is one result of this focus on individual students’ learning styles; once educators learn that someone is a visual learner, they should present information to them visually. I believe that we as educators can use our knowledge of a student’s preferred learning style to help them gain skills in processing information presented in other modes. For example, if a student struggles with auditory learning, that doesn’t mean we should never include that method of instruction, it means we should teach them skills to help them process auditory information as successfully as they process information in other forms.
I agree with your conclusions about the different style of learning of your students. I would like to apply the same mode of teaching you used in primary school. It is an effective way to determine the different learning style within the classroom.
DeleteYour statement about the lack of evidences in learning style is very similar to my point of view. I affirm that such lack of evidence does not affect my teaching style whatsover based on the fact that by tradition or educational philosophy, teachers have their own style of teaching, which they consider so effective and productive inside the classroom.
2a. Two of the ways of measuring intelligence discussed by Gardner are written assessments and task assessments. The first example of a written assessment Gardner gives is that of the IQ test developed by Binet and widely used by psychometricians. I agree with Gardner that these tests are full of implicit biases, and that even when psychometricians have worked to weed out questions that are clearly indicative of bias, the way in which the tests are given skew the results in and of themselves. Not only that, but even if those administering the test tried to weed out all questions with bias, if they all happened to be white men (which was highly probable a century ago) their implicit biases would still be present and much harder to catch. Gardner proposes a task-based means of assessing intelligence, meaning whether humans can carry out tasks that involved certain forms of intelligence. I think that this idea has its merits, because you are putting people in situations where they can demonstrate their intelligence, but I wonder what scale would be used to evaluate it.
ReplyDelete2b. When thinking about the most intelligent person I know, there are a few who immediately come to mind. What they all have in common is curiosity and inquisitiveness. They are all avid readers, and strive to challenge their beliefs through what they read. They try to see things through multiple perspectives, and are able to debate and discuss with others while both defending their own beliefs and genuinely opening themselves up to learning from others.
2a. The IQ test and the SAT exam are two well-known and widely accepted forms of testing used to assess an individual’s intelligence. I believe that neither test can provide an accurate assessment. For example, how many of us have a friend with a perfect SAT score whom we might not describe as being particularly bright? I can think of at least 2... (sorry, friends!) The SAT exam in particular is not able to accurately measure intelligence because it requires prior knowledge of the content being tested and in most cases, extensive preparation. It may serve as an indicator of future academic performance for American high school students going to college, but it doesn’t prove or measure much else. Students who prepare for the test will perform better than those who do not, but a higher score doesn’t necessarily equate higher intelligence.
ReplyDeleteAs explained in the article, one of the issues with the IQ test is cultural bias. The wording and format of the test may be unfamiliar to an individual from a low income and/or linguistically diverse background. Though the test aims NOT to be dependent on prior knowledge of a particular content area, there are questions related to sports, that someone who was unfamiliar might not be able to answer.
2b. The most intelligent person I know is my friend, Sam. He and I went to college together and I was repeatedly astounded at his ability to acquire and process heady/heavy information and concepts. In class, he would ask interesting and pointed questions, and was always able to offer thoughtful and considered observations during discussions. He was (and is) an excellent speaker and writer, with the ability to have lengthy conversations or speak endlessly about any topic thrown his way. Additionally, I’ve always admired his ability to engage with others, regardless of experience level or background. He could be talking with someone who’s an expert in his/her field, and he quickly develops a rapport and has something insightful to say. He could be speaking with a layman (or my mom) about his own work, and the same occurs. He adapts quickly to whatever situation he is in, and whom he is speaking with. Though he is clearly very intelligent, when speaking with him it never appears that he believes he’s more intelligent than you. He’s an extremely modest person, but I’m sure anyone who knows him would also cite him as the most intelligent person they know.
I suppose I value critical thinking in intelligence more than anything else. I really admire when someone has a thought or insight that I hadn’t considered after reading an article or listening to a lecture, for example. I also admire when someone is able to put together a persuasive argument, or problem solve effectively. I think too, I value emotional intelligence quite a bit. A lot of what I value about my friend Sam is his ability to know his audience, and be receptive to them. I hate to add this, because I wouldn’t self describe myself as being a quick to learner per se, but I am also very impressed when someone consistently understands new concepts quickly.
ReplyDelete1a.
These learning styles are so popular because people like be recognized as “unique individuals” instead of being treated as lump sum. Teaching in different ways suggest that everyone, “…have the potential to learn effectively and easily if only instruction is tailored to their individual learning styles” (Pashler et al, 2009). This allows for a student that is not performing to make the teacher accountable for his or her failure instead of the student taking responsibility for his lack of performance.
In my first year of college, I had to fill out a learning style survey and based on the results, my learning style was kinesthetic and visual. However, I am not limited to those learning styles. The learning style is popular because people always want to find out more about themselves. It’s egocentric and it attempts to describe the learning of an individual. Humanity can be quite self-centered and another assessment like their preferred learning style is always welcomed.
1b.
As an educator I noticed that students love novelty. By using different modalities of teaching it may lack evidence to support its effectiveness in the classroom, however, it does motivate and engage the students in the class. Also incorporating lessons to teach to the whole brain and not just visual but also oratory learning.
2a.
The IQ test is one way of measuring intelligence; it designates a ratio between mental age and chronological age. An IQ of 120 describes a person who is above average for their age, while an IQ of 80, describes a students that is older than average for his intelligence. This test in the United States is mostly used to determine the students that are mentally limited. School Psychologist uses this test to determine whether a student needs services to accommodate and compensate for their mental disabilities. The SAT exam is also a form of intelligence testing trying to predict the success of a student in college. It’s one of the ways colleges use to determine a student’s intelligence. These exams can depict a portion of a student’s intelligence but it doesn’t paint the whole picture. For example to determine whether a student is mentally retarded the school psychologist would also need to assess the students abilities at home like doing chores, or going to the store and knowing how to count money, etc. If the student is limited in those areas as well, then, and only then can they deem the student mentally disabled. Otherwise, the IQ test alone cannot make that determination.
2b.The most intelligent person I know is my best friend, Remy. I know he is intelligent because using Gardner criteria of intelligence, I observe he is linguistically and logically/mathematically gifted, for example, he is a public speaker, and he is also a math educator. He also loves to play chess. He plays the piano and sings. His bodily kinesthetic is developed greater than most. This is evident on the basketball court. He has great communication skills and knows how to deal well with others. His intrapersonal intelligence is also above average, he is emotionally stable and is aware of his strengths and weaknesses. In intelligence I value when a person recognize that they don’t know everything and that each day you can learn something new.
You make an excellent point about novelty -- that it really isn't about how you learn best, but about how you are able to refocus attention.
Delete2a. As Gardener states, intelligence testing was prevailing for a long time. And during the time, many intelligence tests come out. The famous one IQ test, referring to intelligence quotient, “designates the ratio between mental age and chronological age. Clearly we'd prefer that a child in our care have an IQ of 120, being smarter than average for his or her years, than an IQ of 80, being older than average for his or her intelligence”. (Howard Gardener, page 1). It is often used to assess the kids “gifted” or “feeble-minded”. However, there are many educators and psychologists questioning the intelligence test. For example, “Lippmann pointed out the superficiality of the questions, their possible cultural biases, and the risks of trying to determine a person's intellectual potential with a brief oral or paper-and-pencil measure.”(Howard Gardener, page 1&2). Other psychologists also challenge the intelligence test. They think that many intellectual factors are included into intelligence and intelligence is not singular. Besides, they are also concerned whether the IQ test is biased. It is still a problem whether IQ test can represent the actual level of intelligence. Based on this, “the testing of IQ in the schools is restricted to cases involving a recognized problem (such as a learning disability) or a selection procedure (determining eligibility for a program that serves gifted children).” (Howard Gardener, page 3). The other intelligence test mentioned is SAT. SAT, renaming scholastic assessment test, is widely used for scholastic measures. At the same time, there are many concerns about the risks of this kind of scholastic assessment test. In my mind, I am also skeptical about the scholastic assessment test. Does the high score in SAT really represent the good level of intelligence? And is it biased that SAT can affect the future of the student to some extent. However, even though they all have some flaws, I still agree with these intelligence tests. Whatever, it is still helpful to test their intelligence. And I prefer to use multiple intelligence, because it help divide the tests into many categories for more accurate test results, such as “emotional intelligence”, “creative intelligence”, “moral intelligence” and so on.
ReplyDelete2b. The most intelligent person I know around me is my husband. I really admire his intelligence, because in my eye he knows everything including something I don’t know, especially in business area. When I meet problem, I often ask for his help. Instead of dealing with the problem by himself, he would like to teach me the way to solve the problem. He is the kind of person that continues to learn, even though he is not a student any more. Of course, human being can’t know everything in the universe. He also have a lot of thing that he doesn’t know. When he meets something he has no idea, he will try his best to study about it and solve it rather than to stop here. He looks up the question in the internet or asks somebody who knows it. He always tells me that Google is our best friend. If you have questions, ask Google. Discovering something new is the thing I always value in intelligence. Everybody has weakness and something don’t know, even the scientists and wise man. Somebody can be regarded as intelligence if he struggles to learn in his life.
2a. Gardner talks about IQ testing and how that bases people’s intelligence. The article also mentions that intelligence is established by giving people specific tasks and examining how they respond to them. In my opinion, this method is inconsistent as sometimes we are just not naturally born being good at something, we must acquire that knowledge. This idea is too much of a narrow viewpoint. Yes, one person may comprehend and grasp a skill quicker than another, but that does not make them more intelligent. I think intelligence can also be based off of how a person thinks critically, takes time, and not simply how quick a person can solve a problem. Everyone can break though limitations, but some just make it quicker. I guess there is a pecking order where there will always be chase in which the person who acquires knowledge first will most likely be reach first.
ReplyDelete2b. The most intelligent person is my brother. The reason why I believe he is intelligent is because he is able to think critically, do that process of elimination, and can acquire knowledge both quick and over time. He was never a good test taker, and school was just not his thing, but it is amazing how he can do higher level thinking, read through lines, and do high levels of math in his head. When he was in school however, his standardized test scores never showed any of that. This just proves to me that IQ’s cannot be determined off of standardized testing.
1a
ReplyDelete2a.
ReplyDeleteMultiple intelligences is an accurate way to describe how intelligence should be perceived. I believe no person is smart in every subject matter. I can acknowledge book smarts and street smarts as two different forms of intelligence but, within these realms a single test cannot present accurate IQ levels. No particular tests like the SAT or IQ test should be used in seek of “general intelligence” data. A lot of people simply are not good a taking tests.
I feel citywide exams should be eliminated . Students should not be penalized for getting low scores on state tests. I know the state of NY, parents can have their child opt out of taking these exams. I applaud this decision and suggest any type of tests should be composed by the teacher or the school.
2b.
The most intelligent person I know is my cousin Andrea. Andrea excels in almost everything she does. In school she was at the top of her class, received recognition awards for French class (she is Spanish, nothing to do with the French language) and got a scholarship to St. Johns university. In college she majored in speech pathology and excelled as well. Not only is she academically gifted Andrea was one of the best point guards on her basketball team. Early into her new current job she got a promotion. Andrea has great critical thinking skills. Often I would turn to her for help on homework. Despite the fact she did not know much about the subject Andrea was capable of producing an accurate conclusion.
I know my cousin is intelligent because she has a nonbiased way of approaching situations and everyone in the family thinks so as well. I value her intelligence because I believe her intelligence derived from her dedication to everything she does. I don’t simply believe she is naturally smart. Many factors such as family, schooling and home environment attributed to her intelligence.
There are several reasons why the idea of learning styles is popular. I agree with the authors’ suspicions that it can be used as a way to shift responsibility onto educators rather than take responsibility for one’s own learning and success. I also suspect that underlying the motivation for support in this idea is a rationalized alternative to comparing oneself to others. Learning styles assessments normally do not endorse one style over the others but give each individual an opportunity to find a sense of uniqueness, and even a sense of purpose or calling that can be fulfilled given certain natural aptitudes. The styles and aptitudes are meant to be things that can be used to do things like find a spouse or a career. Hence the many questions one is asked on online dating sites, for example. People have a deep need to matter and be important, and that need is expressed in a need for purpose, significance and identity.
ReplyDeleteLearning styles are widely popular. They are built into the IEP process of every student in the city who needs a transition plan. In my school, every student with a transitional plan in their IEP receives a vocational assessment at the IEP meeting. It asks questions such as “Circle the one that best describes your learning style: Visual, Audible, Tactile, Kinesthetic, Other: __________.” This is a perfect example of how people connect learning styles and perceived aptitudes to a career or educational goals. Parents want to have a rationale for their children’s futures, and children themselves often have not decided what they want to do after high school.
It seems as if the idea of learning styles is false when an assessment designed for one student’s learning style is performed equally well on by students of other styles. But, not to unnecessarily complicate things, it could be a “Top 3” situation, where of many styles, several are particularly strong in a student, and even that number itself could be different for some. So that a student who does well on a test for one style but is categorized as being a learning with another style may have the style on which he/she was tested.
Gardner cites numerous intelligence measures. Two that he discusses are the SAT and more performance-based, authentic assessments such as essay writing, critiquing musical performances, and designing scientific experiments. I certainly do not think that the SAT accurately measures intelligence. I agree with Gardner that there are multiple forms of intelligence. At best, it identifies levels of several of all the kinds intelligences that are out there. On top of the narrow topics the SAT addresses, it Claude Steele found that students of color face negative stereotypes about their intelligence, a factor that contributes to their generally lower test scores when compared to white students. Authentic Performance based assessments are much more favorable because they can be approached creatively and can simulate real-life situations and problems.
It is very difficult to choose the single most intelligent person, but I can think of someone who I believe is very intelligent. There are several characteristics he has that give me reason to think he is intelligent. First, he has a great ability to examine several options when making a decision and foresee the outcomes. This foresight allows him to proactively address issues. He is also an excellent problem solver. He is able to strategically identify the nature and components of a problem and effectively address it. Finally, he has a consistent worldview. When developing a worldview, it is impossible to reconcile everything we experience with everything we want to believe, but he has reached a degree of consistency in thought and worldview-based lifestyle that is very rare.
Outstanding response.
Delete1a-According to Pashler, people have different styles of learning. I agree with his statement. I think that knowing these learning styles are important because it is a fact that students have different styles of learning. I imagine that you acquire your own style of learning depending on cognitive development and thinking, since people are mentally unique and have the potential to develop their own style of thinking and consequently, their own style of learning.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have seen this particularly in my own school. In my classroom, students are different in personality, aptitude, critical thinking, and learning style. It is extremely difficult for me to find a single appropriate tactic that would be effective for all my students. While I am teaching, I observe the reactions of my students and if they don’t understand what I am teaching, I ask them to raise their hand so they can fully comprehend the material. If I see that nobody raises his/her hand, I can determine that in my classroom, in that specific class, students learn in different styles. From my observations, I saw one student moving her pen on her hands. I observed another student constantly touching their hands. Moreover, I saw the rest of my students doing different things while I taught.
How do I know is this an effective way of learning? I would ask questions at the end of my Spanish class. I was impressed with their answers and the way they had learned Spanish grammar. Honestly, teaching Spanish can be truly hard; however, Pashler’s theory convinces me more about the different learning style from each student.
1b. Even though, there is no existing evidence, I strongly believe that learning styles are different for each student. I strongly believe in a traditional saying I have heard since I was a little child, “Each teacher has his/her own little book to teach.” From that traditional philosophy and the different learning style I can definitely reconcile the popularity of “learning style” in my classroom.
As I said before, I can measure the achievement performance of all my students and at the same time, I can determine throughout observations that my students have different styles of learning, which are effective for educators. Given the time I have been teaching Spanish, I think that it is not necessary to supply any evidence to support my belief of learning style.
It is clear that Pashler’s study did not find any concrete evidence to support the theory of learning styles. I know by facts and from my professional and personal experience that my students learn in different learning styles. For instance, my daughter is in high school. She is a cartoon artist. I have received complaints from all teachers since she was in primary school, telling me that my daughter drew while they were teaching. She is an A student. She has told me that it is part of her learning style. She affirms that she cannot learn anything if she is not drawing when her teachers are lecturing.
2a. I agree with Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) and the concept of Multiple Intelligence (MI), he defines as the ability to solve problems, or to create products, that are valued within one or more cultural settings. By analyzing his concept of intelligence and Looking at the list of intelligences named by Gardner, I have not option other than accept his findings about intelligence. I also believe that anyone who meets his criteria is intelligent.
ReplyDeleteI affirm that to a person to be considered as an intelligent person must involve this type of Multiple Intelligence (MI) measure without a doubt. From my point of view, I consider Gardner’s theory as one of the most credible based on the fact that intelligence cannot be determined from one, two or three abilities; it must be a combination of abilities.
2bI am glad you have asked us this question because I wanted to share with you a story of the person I consider the most intelligent person in my life. I have known this person for more than twenty years. I met him when he was still a teenager attending high school. He dropped school when he was seventeen. He only did a General Educational Development (GED). He never attended college. Nevertheless, he learned how to fix computer without taking any class at all on how to fix computers.
When my car messed it up, he simply read about the part of the car was damaged and bought a replacement part. After that, he placed the piece and fixed the car. During all years I have known him; I have observed him solving difficult problems that seemed only solvable with academic knowledge. This is what I value as an intelligent person: an individual who can solve problems without having any kind of previous academic or practical knowledge.
Dear Alejandra.
DeleteI do not believe in the use of the term intelligence multiple, seems to say that one person is intelligent in many areas , I prefer to use the term of different intelligence, since the processes are not equal, nor are applied in the same way in all areas. Neither, I don’t think it is a unique and universal as not question, really in our hands is the challenge of being able to analyze and identify other points to discuss. You do not believe that rather Gardner leaves an open space and with this prevents set your personal position on this, remember what says at the end of the article: "Just how precise limits of intelligence are drawn is a question we can leave scholars. But the imperative to expand our definition of intelligence in a responsible manner goes far beyond the academy.” So we can understand that even he establishes a theory of intelligence. The rather collects contributions and studies and others, and many have expressed. In that order we can see are different views about it.
Good conversation!
Delete2a. I agree with Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) and the concept of Multiple Intelligence (MI), he defines as the ability to solve problems, or to create products, that are valued within one or more cultural settings. By analyzing his concept of intelligence and Looking at the list of intelligences named by Gardner, I have not option other than accept his findings about intelligence. I also believe that anyone who meets his criteria is intelligent.
ReplyDeleteI affirm that to a person to be considered as an intelligent person must involve this type of Multiple Intelligence (MI) measure without a doubt. From my point of view, I consider Gardner’s theory as one of the most credible based on the fact that intelligence cannot be determined from one, two or three abilities; it must be a combination of abilities.
2bI am glad you have asked us this question because I wanted to share with you a story of the person I consider the most intelligent person in my life. I have known this person for more than twenty years. I met him when he was still a teenager attending high school. He dropped school when he was seventeen. He only did a General Educational Development (GED). He never attended college. Nevertheless, he learned how to fix computer without taking any class at all on how to fix computers.
When my car messed it up, he simply read about the part of the car was damaged and bought a replacement part. After that, he placed the piece and fixed the car. During all years I have known him; I have observed him solving difficult problems that seemed only solvable with academic knowledge. This is what I value as an intelligent person: an individual who can solve problems without having any kind of previous academic or practical knowledge.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete2b. This is an incredibly difficult question to answer. Someone whom I consider to be incredibly intelligent I consider so because she is inquisitive and knows how to find the answers to things. She reads an exorbitant amount of books, and listens to them while she knits. She not only reads factual information, she reads Science Fiction, product reviews, and some pop culture. I have known her for 10 years and though she failed out of med school, I believe she did so because this was not her passion. When she did find her passion, she threw herself into it and excelled to work in a well-respected scientific field with the City of NY. I’ve always admired the intelligence of those who fail and go right on succeeding.
ReplyDelete1a. I think for the facilities gives teachers adopted more often, but also because it helps students to understand and analyze their lessons, for this reason this model of learning styles is more preference over others, hence the popularity. The teacher also has a support 71 different schemes comes from commercial educational sector. For example, in my field study in a math class (students aged 9 and 10 years, bone 4th grade), between the teacher and I have resorted to using small magnetic hub for those who have yet to use their fingers to count using small magnetic cubes, others give figures of characters from the comics, other small geometric figures (all several of texture and material), students must do arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). We have also resorted to short video where children of that age like solving mathematical problems. We have included a section of very soft and relaxing instrumental and classical music so they can work based this new environment. Therefore I see, that's suggestion that speaks Pashler begins to notice. I assume that students differ in the learning mode, but do not know how fast or slow students is perceived as an individual, but is differentiated instruction is paying off. It is good to respect and support the child's learning style, be it visual, auditory, ect. As mentioned Pashler of Omrod that "some cognitive styles and arrangements do seem to influence how and what students learn 'and I think so, because there are some students seem to learn best when given information through words, although I prefer learning style Dunn & Dunn covering the proper use of environmental, emotional, sociological, physical and cognitive stimuli that from my perspective helps them in their learning. This style has a diversity and ease of application, offering us 24 different elements, which come from 4 basic stimuli affect a person's ability to absorb and retain information, values, facts and concepts.
ReplyDelete1b. I think, I should not go far, nothing becomes popular in education if they did not give good results, I think that although some are questioning is no reason to let them to use, if we see the variety that is available in the education sector, is a point for us, of course only select those that best suit our students, either because of their characteristics, strategies, materials and resources used. But it also demands that our evolution and more thorough observation, because there may be students who do not fit into some of these learning styles. As an educator, the first thing I would comment with my supervisor is to bring the data on the styles applied for at least a period of three years continuous learning, these results subjecting them to a statistical process and finally analyze the final results, I think on that basis as support could adjust and make many changes also see the effectiveness of learning style, taking into account avoid generalities.
1a. And 1b.
ReplyDeleteOh wow. It seems that Pashler et al. weren’t thinking about Special Education when they were writing this paper or researching previous studies. I was at odds with many of the assertions given throughout this article. My main point of contention is with the criteria for judging whether or not tailoring to learning styles is important. I have experienced the use of learning styles as instructional methods and I have experienced the push for understanding different learning styles in my Grad School classes here at City College. I was given a paper detailing, not two, but three forms of learning styles, Auditory, Visual, and Kinesthetic. I was surprised the focus of studies was only comparing two learning styles, whether inductive/deductive or auditory/visual, or high ability/low ability.
As a Special Education Teacher, much of my studies and subsequent job responsibility are aimed toward Individualized Education Plans. These also exist for Gifted students, like the ones in one study Pashler et al. presented. For this reason, I was almost aghast to read what I find to be sentiments misaligned with the Socio-Political viewpoint I take on disability and the kinds of instructional methods I hope to participate in. “Another, very understandable, part of the appeal of the learning-styles idea may reflect the fact that people are concerned that they, and their children, be seen and treated by educators as unique individuals” (p.106) And again, on page 107, “the learning-styles approach has to do with responsibility. If a person or a person’s child is not succeeding or excelling in school, it may be more comfortable for the person to think that the educational system, not the person or the child himself or herself, is responsible. That is, rather than attribute one’s lack of success to any lack of ability or effort on one’s part, it may be more appealing to think that the fault lies with instruction being inadequately tailored to one’s learning style. In that respect, there may be linkages to the self-esteem movement that became so influential, internationally, starting in the 1970s (Twenge, 2006).”
Later in the article on page 108,I had a hard time accepting the statement, “Basically, evidence for a learning-styles intervention needs to consist of finding that a given student’s learning is enhanced by instruction that is tailored in some way to that student’s learning style.” I believe that learning is enhanced when students are more apt to participate. Pashler et. al later bring up the dictionary definition of style to mean preference. They claim and emphasize, “that the implications of such preferences for educational practices and policies are minimal. The existence of preferences says nothing about what these preferences might mean or imply for anything else, much less whether it is sensible for educators to take account of these preferences.”
I was so surprised to read that students’ preferences be treated as having minimal impact on student learning and are considered to have little importance. I have found that graduation rates are of a huge concern for Special Educators and High School teachers in general. Getting to know one’s students, including, and I believe especially so, their learning style preferences, is a major factor in influencing the outcome of student graduation rates. Building trust and rapport with students has been a focus in many, if not all, of my classes related to education. The above passage seems to negate this altogether. I wonder what the writers of IDEA would have to say to this specific quote as it relates to student-centered planning. I think this article fuels me to look into studies regarding how learning style preferences and student-centered planning really relate to graduation rates, student and parent perceptions of schools, and the overall well being of those involved in education.
1a). The article by Pashler et al was a definite eye-opener. It read like investigative journalism as well as a straight up academic piece. In the early going, the authors address the “thriving set of commercial activities” surrounding the learning styles industry and I found this to be an important point because it is a business. I immediately looked back on my time as a paraprofessional where I have observed plenty of different “learning styles techniques” employed in many classrooms. Students are often grouped together not just by level of mastery but also by their preferred learning styles. This often involved the use of extra materials (paid for out of the teacher's own pocket). While I have noticed some success I have also observed the failure to grasp certain concepts regardless of the tailored learning style. I often wondered why the student was having issues with say, essential geography, when said student was known to be a visual learner. Then came the quote on page 117, “our intuitions and beliefs about how we learn are often wrong in serious ways” and I immediately thought how that can also be applied to how we feel others may learn.
ReplyDeleteI believe these programs are popular because they allow the educator a somewhat manageable approach to each individual student's learning process. However, I think it all depends just a s much on the subject matter as much as the student.
1b) I feel it is important for teachers to always remain flexible in how they educate their students. Constant and frequent assessment are vital to ascertaining a student's acquisition of knowledge. I actually believe that a person is not locked in to any one learning style and it is our collective job to tailor our coursework to the student in front of us.
2a) Like other classmates I find SAT testing useless and unfair for the sole reason that some students have the resources to attend test prep courses while others don't. Likewise, I feel the same way about the GRE.
2b) The smartest person I know is full of wisdom. He is not typically book smart or academically gifted although he is well-read. He is a self-made man, tough, street smart, an artist who also runs a successful business. He possesses what I feel is a well-rounded intellect.
1a. In the reading the learning-styles are presented as "type theories" since they classify people into distinct groups rather that taking into account different learning dimensions C.G Jung (1964). The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test was popular back in the 40's and is still being used nowadays since this test seems to make the people believe they and their children are unique individuals, even though this is a fact, this type of approaches could make us thing that if a student is not doing well in an specific subject it is because the educator is not aiming at the student's learning-style. For instance, some time ago in Colombia when a student does not succeed in school was mainly because of the student's lack of attention or incapability to grasp the contents, so that the educator had no fault, in the present is the completely opposite, the teacher is who has inadequately tailored the student's learning style. So, it is clear that learning styles are modeled by the student's preferences, however the effectiveness of this preferences for educational practices are minimum, so, these preferences do not demonstrate that evaluating a student's learning style would be helpful in providing effective education for that student in particular(Massa and Mayer 2006)
ReplyDelete1b. I would say that a learning style approach should be integrated taking into account categories like: Accommodation (search for mental balance between cognitive schema and information from the environment), the Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding, since using verbal prompts and structuring to help a student accomplish a task is the best way to keep the instruction based on a real context.
2a. According to the reading intelligence can not be measured as one general characteristic throughout humans, I completely agree with the idea of intelligence portrayed by Gardner, some people tend to standardized intelligence or give it to the dominant social group and they are probably who have designed the test to measure the intelligence of people from different backgrounds, it is evident that this test is biased, who except the wealthy could readily answer a question about polo?
2b.According to this idea I could not describe the most intelligent person I know, I might have already known the most intelligent person in class, I would also say that the intelligence is not measured by intellectual achievements or number of awards and that problem solving could be another away to determine how intelligent a person is.
Hi Carlos,
DeleteAccommodation is very important for students, especially if they are in SC classrooms. However, it is also important use differentiation because each one has a different learning style, and as we learned in class, with effective strategies and methods, we will help them to enhance their schema and achieve their academic goals.
I agree Rachel, some cultural tools can also be used to communicate, think, solve problems and create knowledge, human development can not be understood apart from the social context.
Delete1b. As an educator I can reconcile the popularity of learning styles even with a lack of evidence because even though it might take more time, I would accommodate my students to learn with the style they prefer. Some learn visually others learn with physical movement and also learn by experience. i just have to evaluate when learns with these certain styles to teach then the way they prefer to learn
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ReplyDelete2b. For me, though I did not know him personally, but if I have done studies on his life and works, is Pablo Picasso, who had a way of working very hard, his intelligence was based on the transformation of things, people and political situations on Ideas through the image, he never lost time, so that adverse situations as pleasurable could get ideas (works) increasingly marked new standards in contemporary painting. Today I know many people who even read and work hard, they are very practical and organized but I see that they are creators and have not invented anything, rather I think your taking responsibility with a habit and that locks them creativity . I know a cabinetmaker, who leads a normal life, but perhaps the most quoted the country for its bright constant to create decorative art in the houses and yachts of the rich, and even the headquarters of many large companies and hotels cabinetmaker. He reads very little, almost not write anything, have a social life as much from us, we like football, chat between friends, personally do not like luxury, but creates jewelry with wood. He always says that his genius are in action and in customers' tastes, it really seems to know what the customer wants.
Picasso is also a personal favorite!
Delete2b.As working with kids of early age, i can say that all have intelligence, but some catch more things easier than others, taking as an example one of my students for me she is very smart at her early age because she understands much quicker than my other students at the same age. she speaks very clear and express herself very clear. In every class I teach she is the first one to always participate in everything, she knows most of her personal information while my other kids still have trouble knowing. What I value most about intelligence is that with intelligence you are always capable of making choices, bad or good, making a bad one you realize it because of your intelligence and it helps you pick a better one.
ReplyDelete1a." All people have the potential to learn effectively and easily if only instruction is tailored to their individual learning styles"( Pashler) The popularity of the learning styles is relatively new approach for teachers and these learning styles are so popular because students learn in different ways and they tend to prefer some ways more than others . Teachers recognize that students prefers different learning styles, research shows that each learning style uses different part of the brain, that's why students learn more easily than others, some learn visually, others physical, verbal, logical, and even solitary. In my experiece doing observation in different schools,I saw how teachers use these learning styles to engage students attention, also they use visual activities such as pictures, images,videos to develop their lesson and this styles help student to learn better. But some schools still depend on books and repetition technic because they don't believe on these learning styles.
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