Rich, Real World, Performance-Based Learning

Howard Gardner challenged that prevailing definition of intelligence with one concise description of what it means to be smart: “the ability to find and solve problems and create products of value in one's own culture.” It’s so simple it’s profound! There is no single measurement for intelligence in this definition. There is no “quotient” that can quantify ability or predict potential. Gardner’s theory attempts to provide for the complex processes of human cognition without setting limits on its potential. If the human mind has an operating system, Gardner’s model is the manual that attempts to explain how it runs.

Consider these observable actions for each intelligence:

Intelligence	Observable Actions
Verbal	Read, write, speak, tell, ask, explain,  inform, convey, report, articulate, address, confer, request, recount, lecture, present, announce, narrate, debate, discuss, converse, recite, quote, describe, clarify
Logical	Solve, resolve, question, hypothesize, theorize, scrutinize, investigate, experiment, analyze, deduce, prove, verify, decipher, determine, predict, estimate, measure, calculate, quantify, simplify
Visual	Observe, symbolize, draw, sketch, draft, illustrate, paint, color, contour, outline, rearrange, design, redesign, invent, create, conceive, originate, innovate, imagine, picture, envision, visualize, pretend
Kinesthetic	Build, construct, erect, assemble, make, manufacture, structure, craft, imitate, play, perform, walk, run, jump, dance, collect, gather, compile, fashion, shape, duplicate, dissect, exercise, move, transport
Musical	Listen, hear, infer, audiate, note, pattern, sing, clap, chant, model,  repeat, replicate, reproduce, copy, echo, imitate, impersonate, mimic, compose, harmonize, dub, rap, orchestrate, resonate
Intrapersonal	Express, imply, support, sponsor, promote, advise, advocate, encourage, champion, justify, rationalize, characterize, defend, validate, vindicate, assess, evaluate, judge, challenge, survey, poll
Interpersonal	Share, lead, guide, direct, help, mediate, manage, conduct, collaborate, cooperate, interview, influence, persuade, campaign, convince, compromise, role play, improvise, ad-lib, referee, reconcile
Naturalist	Sort, organize, categorize, compare, contrast, differentiate, separate, classify, detail, align, order, arrange, sequence, inventory, catalogue, group, file, index, chronicle, log, map, chart, graph
Existential	Reflect, contemplate, deliberate, ponder, summarize, synthesize, associate, relate, recap, encapsulate, elaborate, appreciate, appraise, critique, evaluate, assess, speculate, explore, dream, wonder

Our goal should be to provide instructional opportunities that promote all nine intelligences. MI Theory was not developed to label or exclude individuals, but to allow all learners to be successful through the different paths to learning that Gardner has identified.

Technology can provide us with the tools we need to redefine how and what we teach. As the old saying goes, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything around you looks like a nail.” There is no longer a one-size-fits-all solution for providing instruction. With this in mind, let’s consider how different technologies map to each of the intelligences. While this is by no means exhaustive, it offers examples of technologies and the intelligences they stimulate.

Intelligence	Technologies
Verbal	Textbook, pencil, worksheet, newspaper, magazine, word processing, electronic mail, desk top publishing, web-based publishing, keyboard, text bridges, speech recognition software
Logical	Cuisenaire rods, unifix cubes, tangrams, measuring cups, measuring scales, graphing calculators, spreadsheets, search engines, problem solving tasks, programming languages
Visual	Videos, picture books, art supplies, chalkboard, Smart board, slide shows, charting and graphing, digital camera/camcorders, graphics editors, digital animation/movies, WYSIWYG editors
Kinesthetic	Manipulative materials, screw, lever, wheel and axle, inclined plane, pulley, wedge, assistive technologies, digital probes, simulations that require eye-hand coordination, video games
Musical	Puzzles, virtual pattern games, musical instruments, digital sounds, digital recotding, digital sampling, multimedia presentations, multimedia editing software, MP3 players
Intrapersonal	Journals, diaries, voting machines, learning centers, children’s literature, student-centered projects, online surveys, online forms, digital portfolios, digital self-assessments, blogs
Interpersonal	Laboratory, board games, walkie-talkie, cell phone, chat, message boards, instant messenger,collaborative projects, online projects, virtual interactive games, Twitter, LinkedIn
Naturalist	Magnifying glass, microscope, telescope, bug box, scrap book, sandwich bag, plastic container database, semantic mapping tools, social bookmarking sites, online file storage
Existential	Theater, virtual communities, virtual art exhibits, virtual field trips, wikis, Facebook, Google+, multiple user virtual environments, virtual reality

By keeping in mind the affordances of each technology, teachers can successfully select those applications that will match learning objectives to the intelligences that thrive in every classroom.

But how do schools adopt a new model of thinking and learning that adequately parallels the demands of the Information Age workplace? And if we tend to teach in the same ways that we ourselves were taught, how then do we as teachers break away from the standardized, homogeneous approach to schooling that we knew as students? And for those innovators in the classroom who have already recognized the changing needs of society, in what sound theory can they base their evolving instructional practices?

Gardner’s definition of intelligence resounds clearly: the ability to create products and solve problems that are of value in one’s own culture…to be able to demonstrate understanding in rich, real world, performance-based tasks. For example, any standardized test can ask a student to identify the major organs in the digestive system of a fetal pig, but the student who is able to take that working knowledge and identify similar organs while manually dissecting the feline digestive system demonstrates that s/he has truly mastered the skill. Which student would you rather have working in your laboratory? Good test takers aren’t necessarily so because they master content easily. They’re good test takers because they can infer and deduce information and make correct choices a high percentage of the time. This may suffice for the needs of a multiple choice test, but any master teacher will tell you a student really hasn’t mastered a skill or concept until s/he can apply it in a completely novel context. When all students can demonstrate these kinds of abilities with regards to math, science, history, language and the arts then we will have truly revolutionized public education.