The Internet can provide a wealth of resources that allow students
to experience information presented in a myriad of formats: slide
shows, interactive animation, simulation, sounds, charts, video,
and text.
To give an example of the wealth of material computer technology
offers, consider the Library of Congress' American Memories
collection. There are over fifty extensive multimedia collections
available for study and use by students. They range from sheet
music to historical photographs, and from pioneer diaries to
examinations of athletes' achievements.
The ability of the World Wide Web to allow teachers as well as
students to link related material representative of different
intelligences helps facilitate multiple intelligence research.
A student could collect links on a topic such as clouds. Each
link could lead to information about clouds from a different M.I.
perspective. See a similar example from one of our M.I. experts
in the "Expert View" button below.
Computer technology provides a medium for M.I. expression
In a school with available computer technology, a single student
can
research a thesis, and catalogue and organize his or her
information using the internet connected computer in the library
media center.
scan drawings, take digital photographs in art class.
write an essay or story on a computer in the writing lab.
compose a tune in music.
combine them all and add animation in a computer lab.
give a speech and multimedia presentation in social studies.
Broad curricular themes like photosynthesis, the Civil War, or
Beat poetry all lend themselves to a project like this.
Cassette recorders can allow students to provide "soundscapes"
or musical accompaniment to a writing class or a visual demonstration.
Students can use camcorders to videotape themselves reading their
work.
Digital or 35 mm cameras may also be available for photojournalism.
Developed pictures can be delivered on CD-ROM for use in computer
projects.
When your school has a Web site you and your students could use
it as a medium for presenting demonstrations. You could invite
people to view your work on the Web and provide a discussion board
and email links for feedback. There are a number of schools that
do this. Go to the M.I. Resource
section for examples.
How will we explore multiple intelligences theory in the classroom?
How does technology complement the M.I. approach?
