Training teachers to observation: An approach through multiple intelligences theory

AuthorPaola Nicolini
PositionDepartment of Educational and Training Sciences, Macerata University, Italy.
Pages91-98

Page 91

1. Introduction

Our scholarly interest and practical interest in the application of Multiple Intelligences Theory (MI), has led us to develop an online environment for educators, teachers and experts who are, or wish to, working with this theory. MI used in classrooms greatly relies on qualitative observation and monitoring of children. Yet, such observation generates a large quantity of qualitative data, which is difficult to manage. In this article, we'll describe on experience in an Italian nursery school, which has been applying MI for the last 8 years. After an initial period, during which educators' observational work relied on paper and pencil data, a web application was developed to facilitate their task. The web application enabled educators to monitor children's behaviors and development in real time, and to take brief written observation texts on a laptop. In addition Web-Ob allows the users to describe what a particular child is doing, when, with whom, during what kind of activity and so on. The on-line environment can also be used by different groups in different schools in different countries, in order to form a community of practice in specific fields.

2. The Multiple Intelligences Theory as Background

Multiple Intelligences Theory was proposed by Howard Gardner, a developmental psychologist at Harvard University. Using a wide variety of evidences, initially detailed in "Frames of Mind: The Theory of MultiplePage 92Intelligences" (1983), Gardner argues for seven relatively autonomous intelligences, briefly described in the below list.

· Linguistic intelligence (LI) features sensitivity to language in spoken and/or written forms, the ability to learn languages, and to use language in pursuit of one's goals.

· Logical-mathematical intelligence (LMI) concerns the capacities for mathematical operations, logical analyses, and scientific investigation.

· Musical intelligence (MI) facilitates composition, performance, and appreciation of musical patterns.

· Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence (BKI) involves the use of all or parts of the body to solve problems such as in an athletic performance or the creation of fashion products.

· Spatial intelligence (SI) entails the perception, use, and transformation of spatial information.

· Interpersonal intelligence (PI) enables individuals to recognize and make distinctions among others' feelings and intentions.

· Intrapersonal intelligence (PI) allows to understand themselves and to use this understanding effectively to manage their own lives.

In a second time, Gardner added to the first list two additional kind of intelligence:

· Naturalist intelligence (NI) allows people to distinguish among, classify, and use features of the environment. Gardner has also tentatively proposed the following kind of intelligence, but it is not yet in place:

· Existential intelligence (EI) consists in the capacity to use philosophical reasoning, to manage justice, to deal with religious issues. This last intelligence is not really completely approved by Gardner, as it does not match all of his eight criteria to establish that a group of abilities can be considered an intelligence.

Currently the full list consists of 8 intelligences and a half.

3. Four Reasons to Adopt Multiple Intelligence Theory in Education and Teaching

We are convinced that to adopt Multiple Intelligences Theory in education and teaching can be useful both for teachers and students. First of all, MI Theory provides a framework for understanding children's pluralistic behaviors and products. In fact, MI Theory equips teachers with a theoretical mental structure helpful for identifying beyond children's actions, expressions, items and creations a cluster of specific abilities. As the way in which, within different cultures, we assign meaning to one practice or another, to adopt MI Theory can improve the chances that teachers will regard the whole range of children's cognition as significant. Even if to know the theory, and to observe children through its assumptions is a very basilar way to deal with, it is clear the kind of consequences it may have when in a classroom there are disables, children with special needs, foreigners, and children who don't mainly use language and logic in their daily problem solving and learning process.

A second reason targets the development of the range of children's multiple intelligences. This requires greater action, because the educative context has to be equipped with a variety of physical, cultural, and social affordances (Gibson, 1977) to engage the range of children's strengths. In the Project Spectrum, Gardner and a group of his collaborators suggest to organize the class with the so called learning centers. The learning centers can be organized as controlled contexts, mainly built in order to facilitate the expression of one of the intelligences. In the reading/narrative center children are mostly asked to use words (linguistic intelligence); in the math center children can deal with numbers or logic (logical-mathematical intelligence); the building and arts center addresses to the abilities to manage forms, balance and colors (spatial intelligence); in the musicPage 93center instruments and any kind of tools useful to produce noises, rhythms and melodies are available (musical intelligence); the social center arrangement engages children in self-reflection (intrapersonal intelligence) and group activities (interpersonal intelligence); physical experiences are provided in the bodily-kinesthetic center (bodilykinesthetic intelligence); experiences in and/or with the natural world/objects are presented in the naturalist center (naturalist intelligence); objects addressed to involve children's reasoning on rules and values are at disposal in the philosophical center (existential intelligence).

A third and more complex reason to apply MI theory consists of documenting children's specific behaviors, in order to build a holistic vision of children's competences. It can be done systematically observing children within the centers. For this use of the theory, educators and teachers need deeper knowledge of the theory and greater competence in relating children's observable actions to their probable underlying abilities.

A fourth reason to apply MI theory is to draw on children's profiles to promote greater balance in their development (at least in the Italian educative culture), that is to say to adopt bridging strategies. Through the use of learning centers any teacher or educator can identify the areas in which the students have strengths. In fact students' strengths and preferences are reflected through the activities they selected, the length of time they devoted to the activities, their body language during the activities, what they said about the activities both during and after doing them, and also through the outcomes and products they arrange. Starting from the strength areas, it is possible to propose activities in which students can exercise their abilities applying them to an array of choices and opportunities linked to the weak area. This would allow students to explore receiving and communicating information in ways that suited them best.

4. The Role of Observation Process

It is quite clear that, at each of these four levels, a consistent work in observation is implied. As intelligences by themselves cannot be observed, but only be inferred by analyzing individual actions, expressions and products, it appears clear the reasons why to develop a training model towards the acquisition of competences for teachers and educators in observing child through MI theory.

In fact, educators and teachers are supposed to assume a correct approach when observing children. If anyone can observe children using informal ...

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