EP SPECIALS
Interview: Every intelligence is value-neutral, says Howard Gardner
“Every intelligence is value-neutral. It can be used constructively or negatively,” says renowned developmental psychologist Howard Gardner
Howard Gardner needs little introduction. One of the most admirable intellectual cult heroes of our times, this renowned American developmental psychologist happened to be the correction of a faulty tilt in the very concept of human intelligence. We were not at all bothered about judging our children as smart and dumb, given their varying dimensions of general intelligence.
As far as intelligence and teaching are concerned, Gardner provided ample signs that there was something terribly wrong with the so-called conventional method, and it was only going to crash sometime, slowly but surely. Because, we–from the teachers and parents to policy makers and administrators–only thought of maintaining ourselves with our grim take on everything related to intelligence.
Howard Gardner is the Hobbs Research Professor of Cognition and Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education
The so-called bright child with conventional intelligence belongs to one line. And others belong to the other line. That is the reason why some students find themselves in limbo despite doing many things right in their schooling.
Gardner has shattered the myth of intelligence being a singular concept and proved that there are multiple intelligences within a human being. He describes human beings as the ones having several relatively independent information processing capacities (Read more about Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences here) . Branded as the founding father of the universally acclaimed Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory, Howard Gardner is the Hobbs Research Professor of Cognition and Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
In an exclusive interview with the Education Post Online Chief Editor and Co-founder Dipin Damodharan, Gardner says that he has moved on to study the way that intelligences are used–positively and negatively– in the real world. Excerpts…
How do you look at the future of education in the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic?
Of course I hope that we return to regular in-person classes, especially for young students. We will have learned a lot about what topics, approaches, and ages work well online, which can be boosted, and which have to be done in person. Whether and how we apply those learning is an open question. I’d bet more on some countries and regions (northern Europe) than on others (The United States, Brazil).
MI (Multiple Intelligences) is a theory about how the mind is organized and how it operates. That is not affected by COVID in itself
Howard Garnder
What do you think of the relevance of the theory of Multiple Intelligences in the new scenario?
MI (Multiple Intelligences) is a theory about how the mind is organized and how it operates. That is not affected by COVID in itself. But to the extent that more education takes place at home, with parents and students working side by side, the more crucial it will be to know about the mind of each student, how it works, what helps it work well, what is frustrating or counterproductive. This requires intrapersonal intelligence (what works for me and how) and interpersonal intelligence (how can I help my child, my sibling, my friends, etc).
As the educational institutions are still closed, how educators can teach students about survival skills using MI theory?
MI theory is very relevant since it features the personal intelligences. We need to learn more about how each of us learns, what works, etc and to make use of that knowledge– that’s intrapersonal intelligence. And to the extent that we are working with others– peers, parents, children– we need to understand how the other person learns, what works etc.
I have always felt that online education provides an invaluable opportunity for personalized learning
Howard Gardner
Of course, the other intelligences are relevant as well– including what I call ‘pedagogical intelligence”– how do we teach someone else? – and ‘existential intelligence’– what are the big issues in life, and how can we think well about them and make progress in understanding them?
And depending on the topic, we also make use of other intelligences– spatial intelligence in learning geometry or geography, musical intelligence in the arts, and so on.
Every intelligence is value-neutral– it can be used constructively (the way that South African leader Nelson Mandela used his interpersonal intelligence to bring a warring country together) or negatively (the way that Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic used his interpersonal intelligence to promote hatred and ‘ethnic cleansing’)
In countries like India, online education is gaining momentum. What should be the educators keep in mind to not repeat the ‘one size fits all’ mistake of the past?
Online education has become more important in the COVID era. Also, there is every reason to think it will improve, if we study carefully what works and why, and if we also reflect on what doesn’t work, and why not.
I have always felt that online education provides an invaluable opportunity for personalized learning. In a class of 30 or 50 students, it’s very difficult to personalize. But there is no reason in the world why a good online educational system cannot individualize to a great extent. An AI system should be able to custom fit each learner. “One size fits all’ could and should end up in the grave yard— that’s always been an aspiration of MI theory and practice!
Education
Could you tell us how MI theory will evolve further, from a futuristic perspective?
With all due respect, I am no longer working actively on MI. Through the Good Project (thegoodproject.org) I have moved on to study the way that intelligences are used–positively and negatively– in the real world. That’s because, in and of itself, every intelligence is value-neutral– it can be used constructively (the way that South African leader Nelson Mandela used his interpersonal intelligence to bring a warring country together) or negatively (the way that Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic used his interpersonal intelligence to promote hatred and ‘ethnic cleansing’)
While I am not working actively on MI, I do monitor the findings about the brain and also about artificial intelligence. I no longer think that I have identified correctly all of the intelligences and how they work, but I feel strongly that an appreciation of the multi-faceted nature of the mind will be with us from now on.
I write about this in my forthcoming memoir A SYNTHESIZING MIND, to be published in September 2020, by the MIT Press.
EP SPECIALS
Aishwarya Subramanian – How this young woman designs her life as a Production Designer
‘Lights, Camera, Action’ are the three words we are all familiar with. Behind these three words there is a whole team of professionals, who are easily unseen. They act as an invisible force to help put together a film from start to end.
Aishwarya Subramanian, hailing from Delhi, is now an upcoming production designer associated with a handful of projects including short films, music videos and indie feature films in various roles. Aishwarya has completed her Master’s In Production Design from the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Georgia, USA in the year 2022. Before that, she did her Bachelor’s In Design (Interior Design) from Manipal University, Manipal. She finished her high school at International School of Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Aishwarya is finding a place of her own in a largely male-dominated field. Apart from her unfailing passion for designing and art, she is equipped with the rich experience of having lived through various different cultures. However, she believes it is her upbringing in Indian community that laid a strong foundation for her interest in art and cinema.
As a schoolgirl, Aishwarya Subramanian used to attend stage performances of her brother. She, however, was more interested in all the drama that happens behind the stage. The people and the processes that go into the making of a performance was all that mattered to her. She probably would not have heard the term ‘production design’ those days. But the inspiration from watching all that behind-the-stage bustle stayed within her and grew over the years, prompting her to pursue a career in art direction. Even as a beginner, Aishwarya has a clear-cut approach to designing a project in a manner it enriches and enhances the narrative. She does not look at sets as mere lifeless props, but as important as a character.
“Whenever I watch a film or TV series, I notice the backgrounds and the settings of the film. I have always felt that sets have the power to make the audience empathize more with the characters in the story. Whenever I am working on a new project, I read the script first and try to understand the characters and how they would react to and/or interact with their surroundings. Based on this, I put together a lookbook/moodboard to discuss my thoughts and ideas with the director and producers. Once we lock in on them, then we proceed with securing the necessities for the set design” says Aishwarya.
Some of the projects she was a part of as a Production Designer includes an upcoming horror film, ‘What Are You Afraid Of?’, telling a thrilling story of a weekend trip of 5 high schoolers. She was also part of another film named ‘Game Nite’ as a Production designer. She says these projects allowed her to learn methods of designing sets within a small budget and creative methods to repurpose different objects and spaces. As a set decorator in another upcoming thriller film ‘Get Back Girl’, she was able to collaborate with a team of professionals and see different aspects of set design.
Some of the other projects she was part of the production design team, includes ‘Adelina’, a short thriller story of a medical doll. This film has won accolades in international film festivals.
“Through all these projects, I was able to redesign sets both on-stage and on location, which has both challenged me as a designer and allowed me to identify my strengths. They have let me both be in a team and lead a team as a production designer” says Aishwarya. When asked about her future endeavors, she says, “Currently I am working on a few projects including a web series as Production designer. I am thoroughly enjoying my path and also learning throughout from different professionals. I am just at the beginning of my career and still have a long journey ahead to establish myself in the industry, not just in US but also in India.”
EP SPECIALS
How can Indian language assessment tests overcome existing issues to meet international standards
Tests in India need to benchmark themselves against internationally accepted tests so that individuals can find better career opportunities
Am a Blessed Soul, my Ammaa !
Am not lonely, Mother Dear
Never lonely from the beginning
Mummy ever with me always
From my first breath onwards
Ever since stepping In here
First cries to beaming smiles
Birth to birth and rebirths
Life to live and living Alive
Feeding strength always as own
Feeling lively from umbilical cord
Musical ways Of Mother Nature
Chords Of contentment and pride
Notes Of love forever required
Am a blessed soul my Ammaa
Am not lonely Mother Dear ..!
Ammaa, you inculcated my character
That all women are God’s Own
Mothers be God’s own particles
Mums,the sufferers Of man’s identity
Every woman, a Mother-Goddess!
So God be present everywhere
A forever ally Oh Mom
Praying forever you are Omniscient –
So, none preys upon righteous me ..
No stronger bond there is ;
No emotion simply as divine;
No more natural a bondage ;
Source of sustenance in adversities ;
All pain swallowed in love;
Am a blessed soul my Ammaa;
Am not lonely Mother Dear …!
My silent protector par excellence
Shield of Nature forever motherly
Shelter from all woeful aches
All shocks cushioned ever happily
Heaven on Earth – your Noble Heart
God in person – It’s You Ammaa..!
Godliness in action – your care
Religion in display – all motherliness
Beginning of growth – you Alone
Drinker of all my tears , Mother Dear
Epitome of nobility – only motherhood
Joyous creation of almighty God
Sacred bond cast upon us
Bound In love of a Mother
Am a blessed soul, my Ammaa
Am Not Lonely Mother Dear..!
Mother dearest : light of love
Mother sweetest : beacon of hopes
Mother mightiest : strength of lives
Mother noblest : source of confidence
Mother ablest : supreme God’s Presence
Mother, Goddess incarnate , Amma Dear
My Mother dearest – devoted , dedicated
committed, exalted, exemplary – constant, forever Love alone
Mother always endearing – nonstop,endlessly
Alpha to omega – infinitely adorable
Are you alike in all generarions?
Aren’t you awake in whole humanity?
Oh Mother Divine, bless all world
Aren’t all creatures blessed alike?
Oh Mother Supreme , Bless Mothers
Am a blessed soul, my Ammaa Dear..!
[ From ‘Chasing a Shadow’ by Pamarty VenkataRamana ]
Aishwarya Subramanian – How this young woman designs her life as a Production Designer
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A Mother Goddess
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