We’ve been studying different learning styles and intelligences. This module asks us to take a couple of learning style tests* and examine what they say about ourselves. The guiding question is:
How are learning styles and multiple intelligences similar? Different?
My tests came out as 1) visual learner, 2) visual learner, 3)even split visual-auditory-tactile/kinaesthetic 4) the chart below:
Given my even balance on visual, physical and Aural above, I’m not surprised that I came out with an even 4-4-4 split in test 3, where there were fewer questions (the test with the graph had 70).
Reflecting back on my multiple intelligences (MI) test results, the results of the learning style test appear strongly correlated. As in the graph above, which shows a low level of learning in a solitary way, my interpersonal MI was one of my highest scores. Additionally, my kinaesthetic and visual scores were high on the MI test, so it would seem that I also use these in my learning.
After taking the tests, we were to review the following article and answer the guiding question listed above. Here’s the citation for the article:
Solvie, P. & Senske, L. (2009). Teaching for Success: Linking Technology and Learning Styles in Preservice Teacher Education. In I. Gibson et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2009 (pp. 2681-2684). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
So to answer the question, how are MI and Learning Styles the same and different? For starters, there is some crossover in categorization: visual, kinesthetic, aural, all seem to correspond directly to different intelligences, but there are more intelligences than categories of learning style. It would seem that each learning style is able to encompass aspects or totalities of these intelligences.
Learning Style: Intelligences
Visual: Visual/Spatial
Social: Interpersonal
Physical: Body/Kinesthetic
Oral: Musical?
Verbal: Linguistic
Solitary: Intrapersonal
Logical: Logical-Mathematical
Outside of these are Naturalist and Existentialist, which may fit into solitary, visual and logical for naturalist, and solitary and logical for existentialist.
Applications
When I think about MI and learning styles in the context of my classroom, I see quickly how lacking the current curriculum and near-mandatory lesson plans are. I spent some time today on my commute thinking about how I might open at least parts of the curriculum for students who, like me, don’t necessarily work well with just processing text. I spent some time thinking about alternative homework to even making learning teams among my students to allow them to work with the target language in ways that were beneficial to them, rather than the boring, out-of-date methodologies proscribed by the required text. I wondered if I could create some MI and learning styles test for them during the first week to create these groups. I also wonder if I will be able to adequately prepare my students for the unified written exams that all students in my classes must take with the rest of the cohort. I don’t want to be self-defeating before I even try, but I have concerns about leaping off a cliff and not doing it well.
*I also took the test to look at my motivation style, and it came out to be purely learning. Sure, I valued some of the items in “Goal” and “Social” sections, but if I were honest about what mattered most, it was the learning option.
