Combining what we know about multiple intelligences with
virtual classroom features can help us enrich e-learners'
experiences.
Howard Gardner, creator of the theory of multiple intelligences
(MI), alerted us to the different ways people process information
and the importance of taking those differences into account when
designing learning events. You may have modified the activities in
your traditional classroom based on multiple intelligences theory,
but what about your virtual classroom? In many companies, 50
percent or more of the curriculum is now offered in some form of
collaborative virtual classroom. However, much of that material
appears to be little more than PowerPoint slides with audio of the
instructor's voice. Often, companies assume that this limited
approach is all that's possible with existing technology. But many
more features exist in a virtual classroom, and combining these
with what we know about MI can help us enrich e-learners'
experiences. Here's how.
Use all of the available features
There are dozens of major virtual classroom providers and hundreds
of companies that resell the classrooms under a private label
arrangement. Once you select the right virtual classroom for your
needs and budget, you can begin to design learning events and
programs that take advantage of the available features. These
features vary a bit from provider to provider, but most providers
offer the ability to
- display presentations, such as PowerPoint slide shows
- share the facilitator's desktop or an application
- use a whiteboard for drawing and charting
- hold conversations in chat rooms or sub-chat rooms
- create voice sub-conferences, often called breakout rooms
- document and slide markup tools, such as highlighters and text
or drawing tools
- administer surveys and quizzes
- download documents and reference materials
- connect to URLs on the Internet or an intranet
- use symbols, sometimes called emoticons, to show emotions and
raise questions.
Plan to engage as many different intelligences as
possible
Once you're familiar with the features in your virtual classroom,
plan your learning event or program to engage as many different
intelligences as possible, using all of those features. As you
review the list of suggestions below, remember that we all have
these capabilities to some degree, but each of us will be stronger
in some areas and weaker in others. The best way to ensure that
you're engaging as many learners as possible to the greatest degree
possible is to use as many different ways to appeal to those
multiple intelligences as the technology will allow. Here are a few
ideas, listed by intelligence type, to get you started.
Visual/spatial intelligence. People with a strong
visual capacity tend to create pictures in their minds to represent
thoughts or concepts. These learners respond particularly well to
learning activities that let them
- see key points demonstrated with detailed graphics or visual
effects, such as in a PowerPoint presentation
- watch a video of a process or a story that pertains to the
course (No talking heads, please!)
- interpret and apply charts that summarize statistics
- use flow charts or maps to arrive at a solution or destination
- interpret visual puns or metaphors that capture a key fact or
concept
- share mind-mapping software or graphic organizers to understand
a problem or collaborate on a solution
- design, draw on, modify, or correct a diagram using a
whiteboard and digital markup tools.
Verbal/linguistic intelligence. People with highly
developed speaking and listening skills often think in words rather
than in pictures. These learners will respond particularly well to
activities such as
- listening to or telling stories that illustrate a key learning
point
- taking detailed notes during a lecture
- reading and interpreting text
- selecting and advocating a course of action
- memorizing key facts or dates
- analyzing case studies
- exchanging typed ideas and information with the instructor or
other learners in a chat room
- answering written quizzes or surveys based on facts.
Logical/mathematical intelligence. People with a
highly developed ability to use reason, logic, and numbers tend to
think by using patterns and linking concepts. These learners always
like to ask a lot of why? questions and expect detailed answers to
help them link pieces of information together.
They may benefit from learning activities such as
- working on a spreadsheet or calculating percentages or metrics
with other learners
- conducting or analyzing an experiment
- interviewing an instructor or subject matter expert to get the
answer to a problem
- classifying or organizing separate items into larger groups
- developing theories or conclusions based on facts in evidence
- solving a problem expressed as a crime or mystery.
Bodily/kinesthetic intelligence. These people have
a highly developed ability to control body movements and handle
physical objects. They process information by interacting with the
physical space around them. Because the space around them is
virtual, you'll have to create virtual interactions to help these
people use their intelligence effectively. They will respond well
to learning activities involving
Musical/rhythmical intelligence. Learners with a
heightened ability to appreciate and produce music tend to think in
sounds, rhythms, and patterns. They're also extremely sensitive to
environmental sounds that might be interpreted only as background
noise by other learners.
Try some of these activities to engage these learners:
- compose or ask them to compose a song or rap to summarize key
points
- associate tones with different stages of a process, different
eras in time, or different levels of performance
- use sound effects to accentuate the key points in a
presentation
- play subtle background music to enhance the desired mood
(excitement, deep thought, relaxation, and so forth).
Interpersonal intelligence. Learners with an
advanced ability to relate to and understand the feelings of other
people often process information by linking it to a story about how
other people feel in a given situation. They enjoy learning in a
team setting, working with other people, and possibly taking a
leadership role.
Activities for interpersonal intelligence include
- creating sub-conference groups to allow for small group
discussion
- role-playing the same case from several different points of
view
- analyzing case studies for motivations, conflict, feelings, or
intentions
- using verbal skills to build consensus or agreement.
Intrapersonal intelligence. People dominant in
intrapersonal intelligence exhibit a strong sense of self and the
ability to understand and share their inner thoughts and feelings.
These people process information by reflecting on their own
strengths and weaknesses, establishing dreams and goals, and
understanding their relationships with others. Intrapersonal
learning activities might include
- surveys that focus on how the learner feels about a particular
subject or fact
- role play showing their own responses or emotions in a
particular setting or scenario
- discussion of how the actions of others make them feel or think
- retracing how they solved a problem or learned a new skill and
applying that process to a new learning situation
Naturalist intelligence. People with a heightened
appreciation for and understanding of the world around them like to
experience the outdoors and relate well to animals. They tend to
process information best by exploration. These learners will
respond well to activities that let them
- visit other Websites or resource documents and investigate a
topic on their own
- organize and conduct a virtual field trip to show sites that
have interested them to other learners
- go on a virtual tour of a company site, library, or museum
- create blended learning that combines live field trips with
sharing those experiences in the virtual classroom.
Put it all together
Remember that everyone exhibits a combination of the various
intelligences. The goal is to engage as many of these different
capacities as possible within the same learning event or program.
Too often, we find that inexperienced instructional designers use
one particular activity and continue to repeat it exclusively, when
other types of meaningful activities would create more variety,
increase learner interest, and appeal to multiple learning styles.
For example, in a project management course, you could use a small
group discussion followed by a visual activity such as a
collaborative flow chart. Later, you could bring the entire class
to a Website to explore project management principles and
resources.
Build a library of learning activities.As you
begin to deploy your virtual classroom, you will build a curriculum
of learning programs that you have designed specifically for this
environment. In addition to leveraging reusable learning objects, be sure to build a database of reusable learning events and activities. This approach will save you time as your virtual classroom curriculum continues to grow.
Assess your own intelligences. It's natural to
develop an unconscious bias that reflects your own areas of
intelligence. By taking a self-assessment, you can learn more about
your preferences for one form of delivery over another and work to
establish more balance in your approach.
Here are some sites where you can assess your intelligences and
learn more about MI.
By paying attention to the multiple intelligences of your audience,
you'll find that your learning programs are more exciting and more
effective. As you grow more comfortable with the technology, your
own creativity will begin to respond to the challenge. Use these
simple suggestions to help you get started.