Multiple Intelligence Theory in Online Teaching & Learning

In what ways, if at all, do you think the concept of Multiple Intelligences can be useful to the online instructor?

Although it may not be as evident initially as it is in the traditional classroom setting, the concept of Multiple Intelligences is definitely useful to an online instructor. For example, if you assign the students to work on virtual group projects it may be helpful to group them based on their strengths and weaknesses in terms of their types of intelligences. If the project requires a logical or mathematical component, it would be helpful to make sure that each group has someone who is intelligent in that area so that all of the students can benefit from that group member. This example of peer learning applies to all types of intelligences dependent on the type of project that is assigned.

I feel strongly that intelligence fluctuates and that it is possible to improve each type of intelligence over your lifetime. Personally, when I took the Multiple Intelligences test I scored the highest on Musical Intelligence. I know for a fact that I didn’t come out of my mother’s womb singing Rutter’s Requiem, but years of musical training and numerous performances have fostered my musical aptitude. With this idea in mind, online instructors may also have the ability to help students strengthen some of the types of intelligence during their online courses.  For example, an online course that is writing intensive may give a student who would otherwise not attempt to improve their linguistic intelligence the ability to do so. Discussion boards provide students the opportunity to improve their interpersonal intelligence in the virtual realm as they share their thoughts and experiences. Additionally, an online course that requires a self-journaling component may improve the students’ intrapersonal intelligence.

These are only a few examples of how a strong understanding of the Multiple Intelligences concept can be helpful to an online instructor. I am confident that you can discover many more.