1. Howard Gardner and the Theory of
Multiple Intelligences
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.martin/files/multiple_intelligences_diagram
By Patrick Gardner

2. The Plan
• Background information about Howard
Gardner and MI theory
• A short clip of Howard Gardner discussing the
theory of multiple intelligences
• Individual/group activity
• Implications and criticism of the theory
• Assessment

3. Howard Gardner
• Born July 11, 1943 in Scranton,
Pennsylvania
• Inspired by Jean Piaget to study
developmental psychology.
• Almost all of his post-secondary
life has been spent at Harvard
University.
• Developed his theory while
working with both “gifted”
children and those with severe
brain injury.
• His theory was first articulated
when he published his first book
Frames of Mind: The Theory of
Multiple intelligences in 1983.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-
lmoQFEfVeSo/UCAqFa2WGKI/AAAAAAAAMbw/YUhIxg1Mf2k/s1600

4. Howard’s Definitions of Intelligence
"Intelligence is the ability to find and solve
problems and create products of value
in one's own culture.“
-Howard Gardner
Eight criteria for intelligence:
1) Potential for brain isolation by brain
damage.
2) A place in evolutionary history.
3) Presence of core operations.
4) Susceptibility to encoding (symbolic
expression)
5) A distinct developmental progression
6) The existence of savants, prodigies and
other exceptional people.
7) Support from experimental psychology
8) Supported Psychometric Tasks (Gardner,
1983)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SnGKYdtstRg/TR1hSzW5dmI/AAAAAAAAAjI/ksSFcy0h9DY
/s320/frames-of-mind-the-theory-of-multiple-intelligences-14607077.jpeg

5. The Theory
http://sdwriters.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/intelligences.gif

6. Clip of Howard Gardner
discussing his theory
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2QtSbP4F
Rg&feature=player_detailpage

7. http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.martin/files/multiple_intelligences_diagram

8. Implications
• Not readily accepted in the
psychological community but
very influential in education.
• Many teachers have adopted the
idea of multiple intelligences as a
way to meet all students’ needs.
• Entire Schools, such as the New
City School in St. Louis, Missouri
are using the theory as a
framework for running their
school.
• Howard’s work with Project Zero
and the GoodWork project. http://www.newcityschool.org/Visit_13.aspx

9. Criticism
• MI theory is simply common sense and rather
than intelligences they refer to a student’s
abilities and strengths.
• The theory is not validated by research,
particularly in the field of cognitive
neuroscience (Kincheloe, 2007).
• Working memory is not taken into account
(Eggen & Kauchak, 2013).

10. References:
• Eggen, P., & Kauchak, D. (2013) “Educational
psychology: Windows into classrooms.” New
York: Pearsons.
• Gardner, Howard. (1983) "Frames of Mind: The
Theory of Multiple Intelligences." New York: Basic
Books.
• Gardner, Howard. (1999) "Intelligence Reframed:
Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century." New
York: Basic Books.
• Joe L. Kincheloe (ed.). (2007) Multiple
Intelligences Reconsidered. New York: Peter Lang