Using Gardner's Theories of Intelligence in the teaching of Early Childhood Education

Abstract

This small-scale qualitative study was carried out to examine a perceived gap in the teaching and learning experiences of a group of students in a two-year childcare course of a specific College of Further Education. The distinction between teaching and learning will be discussed, while acknowledging Gardner's theories and encouraging crosscurricular interactions within the Further Education setting. Students were asked to identify how they thought they learnt material in the context of Gardner's Theories of Multiple Intelligences to see if it would assist them in addressing a persistent assessment problem. The research involved an individual interview at tutorial, a follow-up group interview and a small-scale student-centred application of the resultant findings that could be addressed in a cross-curricular approach using resources already available in the setting. Students experienced a new type of learning, which centred on each individually identifying their own best learning methodology that could be applied to any learning situation presented thus opening up learning as a goal not a challenge. More importantly, students were involved in a process, which allowed them to contribute to greater understanding of a persistent learning problem on the part of students in their college department.