Multiple Intelligences Synthesis

Written in conjunction with the lesson I developed in meditation, this is a deep look at Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory and how it can be applied to adult education to create a more learner-centric environment.

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Gardner's MI theory is usually applied more often to primary education, but studies of its use in adult education do exist, if in rather small numbers.

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MI theory holds that a person possesses nine 'intelligences,' or ways in which they learn. Every person possesses each one of them, but some are stronger for each individual than others. There is no formal test available to determine which of the intelligences are strongest for a person, because Gardner felt that intelligence testing was a flawed mechanism. There are surveys, however, that allow students to discover which they are more comfortable with. One advantage to using MI theory with adults is that they most likely have enough self-awareness to know which methods of instruction they'd prefer.

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One of the challenges in using multiple intelligences as a learning theory for the facilitator is developing materials for an intelligence that they are not as strong with. While I personally appreciate nature, for example, it's at a more abstract level than someone who uses the leaves of different types of trees to illustrate a particular learning concept.

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I've included this synthesis in my portfolio to demonstrate my comprehension of MI theory and as an example of both my capability of research and reporting about the same.