Developing a Unilinear Testing Approach - Book Report/Review Example

Running Head: CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE IN RELATION TO CURRICULUM RESOUCES Critical Analysis of Multiple Intelligence in Relation to Curriculum Resources [The Writer's Name] [The Name of the Institution] Critical Analysis Of Multiple Intelligence In Relation To Curriculum Resources Every person needs to learn knowledge in the world, but only some people can become successful learners. Studies show that people do 70% of their development by doing, 20% of their learning by observing other people, and only 10% of their learning from courses or books, the development plans usually have exactly the opposite order of these three components (10%, 20%, and 70%, respectively). Charles Spearman (1904) defined and developed a unilinear testing approach to general intelligence (G), which is based on a positive correlation among varying subjects like math, earth sciences and vocabulary. Gardner (1983) proposed multiple intelligences (MI), or seven areas of intelligence, linguistic, musical, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, intrapersonal, and interpersonal, (Gardner, H,1983) and that each person has more than one of these skills. While testing of G intelligence is still used to assess overall IQ, universities and corporations look at the wider consideration offered by Gardner. In the book "Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman, the central thesis that he tries to point out is that emotional intelligence may be more important than I.Q (Merrill, May 2004))in determining a person's well being and success in life. George Rogers Clark was born in the Charlottesville, Virginia. He was born on November 9th, 1752 (Belavkin, R.V., 2005). He was the second son of John and Ann Rogers Clark. They were Virginia landholders. George Rogers Clark played an important role in the American Revolution. George Rogers Clark was living in Kentucky and was also working as a surveyor at the beginning of the American Revolution. According to Maslow, the level of self-actualization entails characteristics such as; a more efficient perception of reality, acceptance of self, others, spontaneity, etc. Maslow asserts that this is the highest level in a hierarchy of needs and only when all the level that precede it are in order can a person reach this level (Clarke-Willson, S., 1998). Carl Rogers was a clinical and educational psychologist. Roger's theories concern the interpersonal dynamics of learning and therapy. Rogers believed that teachers and clinicians took too much responsibility in their relationship to their students and their patients. Rogers assumed a position of co-equal, mutual development with his patients and his students. He felt that it was important to acknowledge his own search for knowledge and self-understanding. Maslow and Rogers come from a school of thought, which is referred to as humanistic. Such an approach steers away from the idea that man is a robot, (Damasio, A.R, 1994). who is the total product of outside forces, as the Behaviorist would maintain; or that man simply results from the interaction of primal drives and the demands of community - a belief held by many Freudians Gardner has said, this place too high an emphasis on IQ and test scores, and in ignores certain intelligences and abilities that people can bring to the workforce. Relying solely on IQ test scores not only can exclude an individual with superior a talent (G) from getting a proper education in the area of expertise, but can eliminate the individual from the education and professional arena altogether (Filliozat, I., 2002). We are all endowed with multiple, genetically determined forms of intelligence that can be enhanced through practice and learning MI theory is only just being put into practice at the educational level. Gardner's MI were put into practice on a scale approaching that of Spearman. Apparently, Gardner's theory that students are being held back is supported and if his theory were put into practice, all students could "excel" and increase their chances for success in the workplace. Gardner's Multiple Intelligence in more inline with society today. Knowledge cannot be put into just two types and tested that way. There are many different types of knowledge and if you included more of them into tests and stopped timing people on tests there would be a clearer understanding of why there are so many people failing the tests (Gilligan S.G. et al, 1985). You would know exactly what is wrong and could teach them more in-depth on that subject. Common sense is also a type of intelligence that needs to be tested if testing for the perfect IQ. A person could be a genius when it comes to academics, but have no understanding of common sense. You would have to be a genius in both to truly be a genius. IQ tests are not very accurate and do not go in depth enough on subjects. There may not even be a way to fully test to see if someone is a true genius. It would be a challenge to come up with a test to see if someone is an all around genius. There are seven areas of intelligence instead of one to focus on, Gardner goes a different route than Spearman basing he theories on biological facts. "Premise 1: If it can be found that certain brain parts can distinctively map with certain cognitive functioning, then that cognitive functioning can be isolated as one candidate of multiple intelligences. Premise 2: Now it has been found that certain brain parts do distinctively map with certain cognitive functioning, as evidenced by certain brain damage leading to loss of certain cognitive function". (Maccoby, 2003). These theories give a basis for multiple intelligences. Biologically, Gardner determines that the brain is the major player in the equation. For example; if a person was physically handicapped, he determined that the particular part of the person brain that controlled motor functions was damaged. The differences between the two psychologist's theories are basically the same, but explained differently. Spearman's theories are narrow focusing on one general type of intelligence, G and reaction time. Gardner's theories are essentially the same but broader focusing on multiple intelligences. Point here is that Gardner doesn't believe that one intelligence can be sufficient to determine intelligence (Goleman, D, 1995). As for overall use of these theories, Spearman's theory has more evidence that it works compared to Gardner's theory. The proof conquers that there is a connection between someone's IQ and simple everyday tasks. The only place where Spearman's theory is suspect is that it doesn't account for all people. Example; if you gave a poor child an intelligence test, they would probably score poorly thus be deemed to have a below average intelligence. However, the child probably knows how to do basic math to survive and get by, consequently, it can't take into account different talents that certain individuals have. Gardner also has the same critiques with his theory. A lot of people don't prefer this method because it is too excessive and has too many components to gauge and measure. His theory has a very casual explanation, but due to the variety of different components to the theory, it's difficult to pinpoint the exact cause and effect of a situation, and since no one has accurately figured out the complexities and diagramed an accurate depiction of the brain, I would have to call the theory hypothetical. Through research it is easy to form the opinion that some behaviours do reflect biological predisposition's that are expressed more frequently in one sex, for example, aggression, rough and tumble play in boys can be attributed to their higher pain thresholds, heightened activity and muscular physiques, and this in turn perhaps explains their choice of toys, such as construction items, action figures, vehicles etc. We can accept this possibility without concluding that biology means behavioural destiny (Beal, 1994). Although social learning theory seems to make sense and can explain things that biological theories cannot, it still has a few weaknesses. Social learning theory does not seem to allow for gender variation in each gender. (Maccoby, 2003) concluded that there was no relation between children's degree of gender and the masculinity or femininity of their parents. It is obvious that children are influenced by things other than their parents, where gender is concerned; since many parents who have tried to bring their children up in a non gender stereotyped atmosphere have found out (Bussey and Bandura, 1992) provide a perfect example; when a girl was given a toy race car to play with, she said, "my mummy would want me to play with this, but I don't want to." This example clearly shows there is more to social learning theory than parent reinforcements. This is what the cognitive development theory helps to explain that social learning theory does not. All over the world in any culture, religion or economic state, the sex of a child will affect its upbringing like nothing else. The biological theory is the theory that nature develops gender, and the social learning theory and the cognitive developmental theory believe that gender is nurtured through socialization. However these two theories also rely on certain aspects of nature. From the research on this topic, it is hard to disagree with Carole R. Beal (1994) who stated that "biological influences do not work in isolation; children always develop within a social context, and thus nature and nurture inevitably interact." Therefore the conclusion that can be made is that the 3 theories combined together, help to explain how multiple intelligence affects the learning resources. However one must consider that other influences affect the child as well, such as peers, school, and the media. References Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books. Merrill, C. (May 2004). Action research and technology education. The Technology Teacher, 63, 8, 6. Belavkin, R.V. (2005). The role of emotion in problem solving. Emotions, Cognitions and Behavior. UK: Cambridge University Press. Clarke-Willson, S. (1998). Digital Illusion: Entertaining the Future with High Technology. USA: ACM Press. Damasio, A.R. (1994). Descartes' error: Emotion, reason and the human brain. NewYork: Avon Books. Filliozat, I. (2002). L'intelligence du Coeur. France: Marabout. Gilligan S.G. et al. (1985). Cognitive consequences of emotional arousal. Emotions, Cognitions and Behavior. UK: Cambridge University Press. Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. USA: Bantam. Beal, (1994). Boys and Girls: The Development Of Gender Roles. Maccoby, E.E. (2003). Social Development: Psychological Growth And The Parent Child Relationship. New York: Harcourt, Bruce, Jovanovich. Bussey.K., & Bandura, A (1992). Self Regulating Mechanisms Governing Gender Development. Child Development, 63, 1236-1250. Read More