Issue 35: Assessing Through Multiple Intelligences
Did you know?
Research shows…
Successful assessment of a specific intelligence must employ problems that require use of the materials and notation systems of that form of intelligence (Chen & Gardner, 1997; Gardner, 1999).
"Assessments that are 'authentic' — that mirror real tasks, rather than situations cooked up solely for test purposes — also contribute to student learning by giving students challenging, engaging tasks that ask them to use their knowledge. " –Rothman, 1999, p.46
Authentic assessment provides feedback for future performance, providing students a chance to practice and improve (Trice, 2000).
Performance Learning PLUS is a monthly e-newsletter by Performance Learning Systems (PLS), a comprehensive educational services company that has provided a full spectrum of programs, products, and consulting services to educators and business professionals since 1971.
Are you looking for new ways to move beyond traditional written tests and quizzes? This issue provides practical tips and strategies for how to integrate all eight intelligences (as defined by Howard Gardner) into the assessment process.
Are you looking for new ways to move beyond traditional written tests and quizzes? This issue provides practical tips and strategies for how to integrate all eight intelligences (as defined by Howard Gardner) into the assessment process.
Tips
Howard Gardner, creator of the theory of multiple intelligences (MI), defines assessment as "the obtaining of information about the skills and potentials of individuals, with the dual goals of providing useful feedback to the individuals and useful data to the surrounding community" (1993, p. 174). In other words, the purpose of assessment is to provide useful feedback to students, educators, and parents about students' performance and abilities. Since students are intelligent in multiple ways, it follows that the most accurate and meaningful assessments are based on multiple intelligences as well.
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES ASSESSMENT MENU
BODILY-KINESTHETIC
(Involves physical movement and knowledge of the body; usually large-muscle activity; coordinated.)
INTRAPERSONAL
(Identifies with intuition and introspection; self-knowledge [not necessarily introverted].)
INTERPERSONAL
(Oriented toward social or group relationships; affectively communicative; cooperative.)
LOGICAL-MATHEMATICAL
(Oriented toward thinking: inductive and deductive logic, numeration, abstract patterns; contemplative problem solver.)
MUSICAL-RHYTHMIC
(Responds to acoustic patterns, sounds, rhythms, and tempo.)
NATURALIST
(Recognizes and classifies plants, animals, and minerals including a mastery of taxonomies.)
VERBAL-LINGUISTIC
(Focuses thinking on language, both aural and symbolic.)
VISUAL-SPATIAL
(Depends on visual and proximity thinking; thinks in images; imaginative.)
BUILDING A MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES ASSESSMENT PROFILE
Develop well-rounded assessments in your classroom by drawing from all eight categories. See below for a sample profile.
SAMPLE:
Subject: American History
Topic: President Thomas Jefferson
Bodily-Kinesthetic: Act out a scene and/or event from Jefferson's life.
Interpersonal: Stand in the shoes of Jefferson and discuss a modern issue (i.e., his thoughts about our treatment of the environment).
Intrapersonal: Choose a problem you are facing and imagine what Jefferson would advise you to do.
Logical-Mathematical: Create a timeline of the key events of his life and presidency.
Musical-Rhythmic: Create a song based on the key events of his life and presidency.
Naturalist: Identify and describe the impact of Jefferson's naturalistic beliefs and "inventions."
Verbal-Linguistic: Write an interview with President Jefferson, including your questions and his probable answers.
Visual-Spatial: Present the costumes, art, and architecture for which Jefferson was known. Designing assessments that involve multiple intelligences ensures that students are being assessed fairly, regardless of their strengths and weaknesses in the different areas.
Source: The above concepts are based on the PLS graduate course Purposeful Learning Through Multiple Intelligences™.
References:
Chen, J.Q., & Gardner, H. In D.P. Flanagan, J.L. Genshaft, & P.L. Harrison (1997). Alternative assessment from a multiple intelligences theoretical perspective. Contemporary intellectual assessment: Theories, tests, and issues, , 105-121.
Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences: The theory in practice. New York: BasicBooks.
Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st century. New York: BasicBooks.
Rothman, R. In D.D. Marsh & J.B. Codding (1999). Standards and assessment: the foundation of high student achievement. The new American high school , , 37-61.
Trice, A.D. (2000). A handbook of classroom assessment. New York: Addison Wesley Longman.
MI Assessment Menu
Would you like supplemental educator material to use while creating your own MI assessment profiles? Here's a more comprehensive version of the menu provided in "Tips":
PDF: 35_MI_Assessment_MenuMI Assessment Profile Form
Check out this convenient form for help in designing MI assessment profiles:
PDF: 35_MI_Assessment_FormRelated Graduate Course
Purposeful Learning Through Multiple Intelligences™
This graduate course is based on the research of Dr. Howard Gardner and focuses on three major themes: understanding each of the eight intelligences, integrating the intelligences into classroom lesson plans, and discovering current schoolwide reforms that complement multiple intelligences. Some of those complementary reforms include: Integrated Thematic Instruction, projects, portfolios, work stations, and Live-Event Learning™.
Purposeful Learning Through Multiple Intelligences®
Related Online Graduate Course
Multiple Intelligences Online
This is the online version of our MI graduate course, designed to give you a comprehensive knowledge base of Dr. Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, along with practical applications. PLS recognizes that each teacher has a unique teaching situation and comes to this course with a wide variety of experiences and needs. The choices offered throughout the course will give you the flexibility to meet your individual goals. The course provides many practical opportunities to experience the intelligences and, in addition to using the computer, you will use a printed text and videotapes.
Purposeful Learning Through Multiple Intelligences® Online
