Vadodara : Podar World School organised a workshop on Multiple Intelligences . Professor Ms Margaret Warner from UK was the resource person.
The theory of multiple intelligences has emerged from recent cognitive research and "documents the extent to which students possess different kinds of minds and therefore learn, remember, perform, and understand in different ways," according to Gardner (1991). According to this theory, "we are all able to know the world through language, logical-mathematical analysis, spatial representation, musical thinking, the use of the body to solve problems or to make things, an understanding of other individuals, and an understanding of ourselves. Where individuals differ is in the strength of these intelligences - the so-called profile of intelligences -and in the ways in which such intelligences are invoked and combined to carry out different tasks, solve diverse problems, and progress in various domains."
Gardner opposes the idea of labelling learners to a specific intelligence. Each individual possesses a unique blend of all the intelligences. Gardner firmly maintains that his theory of multiple intelligences should "empower learners", not restrict them to one modality of learning If applied well, education through multiple intelligence method can create skilled citizens for the future need as the country's dearth for skilled personnel is increasing day by day. This can create a revolution in teaching learning but this requires dynamic and versatile teachers too.
The Podar World School's 55 educators attended this 2 day workshop. The presentations and group activities made the workshop really meaningful. The content of the workshops were:
- Research findings showing improvement in schools which use MI theory
- Educational reform in India
- Reflection on your own school's values, problems and goals and how MI can help you reach these goals
- Ways in which teachers can recognize their own and pupils' different multiple intelligences
- Implementing schemes of work and syllabuses through MI lesson and unit planning
- Cross-curricular links through MI activities and the use of ICT and multi-media
- MI and the knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes that teachers need to promote
- How to write MI Topic and Lesson Plans
- Ways of using MI methods to assess pupils
- MI and classroom organization and management
The learning would be applied in the class rooms for the benefit of the students. MI would be incorporated with the lesson plans made by the Curriculum Research and Development Centre, a Podar Institution.
