Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences in Students

by Barbara M. Manner

Students’ exhibit different learning styles and multiple intelligences, and only by
accommodating these various abilities can instructors properly plan and conduct
assignments and assess what students have learned. This article outlines the types of
learning styles and multiple intelligences of students, as well as instructional techniques
that work best with students’ respective learning traits.

Most of us who teach science courses lead or participate in field studies. We do it for various
reasons: to examine a particular feature or outcrop, to visit a wetland for the purpose of studying
the flora or fauna inhabiting it, or just to get into the outdoors rather than spend all of our time in
a classroom or laboratory. Even physics classes, long relegated to the laboratory, are now going
to amusement parks to study the physics of rollercoasters and free-fall rides. When we design
and conduct field studies, however, do we really think about how we can make them pedagogically
successful endeavors?

Simply conducting field studies does not ensure that we will achieve optimal educational benefits
for our students. In many cases, the social aspect of the field trip overshadows the learning aspect
(Orion and Hofstein 1991). It is at this point that a field study is reduced to the category of a field
trip; a lot of time spent on logistics with little return in learning.

To maintain the intellectual integrity of a field study, the coordinator has to look at it from the
perspective of pedagogical as well as science content. Structure, learning materials, and
instructional techniques determine educational quality (Orion and Hofstein 1994). But to design
assignments that work well, we must first look at how students learn. This requires that we
consider the learning styles and multiple intelligences of the participating students. After
understanding these, an instructor can then design the field study so that students derive
maximum educational benefits from it.

The following discussion and outline of learning styles and multiple intelligences of students, as
well as instructional techniques, was prepared with science field studies in mind, but its content
is general enough to be applicable to virtually any teaching situation.

Learning Styles
How students process information—how well they learn and how well they retain knowledge—is
directly related to the learning style of the individual. Teachers have long felt that if they lecture
and tell students the same thing over and over again, the student will learn and understand a
particular science concept. This learning style and instructional technique were traditionally
thought of as the way that the majority of people learn. We now know that this is not true. Not
everyone learns best with a single instructional technique. Students actually learn best through
various styles: personal meaning, conceptual learning, how things work, and self-discovery.

Students who learn best through personal meaning process information according to its
relationship to the individual. They learn by listening and sharing ideas, they perceive information
concretely and process it reflectively, they tackle problems by reflecting alone and then
brainstorming with others, and they view experiences from many perspectives. These learners
are usually insightful and have a need to become personally involved with their learning.
Those who acquire knowledge best through conceptual learning are goal-oriented, solitary
learners who tackle problems with logic. They perceive information abstractly and process it
reflectively, form theory and concepts by integrating observations into what is known, and think
sequentially.

Students who are actively involved in their own learning thrive

during manipulation of objects or when presented with a
problem to be solved. These are the “how things work”
learners. They love a challenge and will cut right to the heart
of the matter. It is these learners who are most suited to active
field study. They perceive information abstractly and process
it actively, excel in down-to-earth, hands-on problem solving,
and tackle problems by acting without consulting others.

The last of the learning styles is self-discovery. The person who learns best in this way is
stimulating, impulsive, and enthusiastic; avoids isolation; and seeks to energize others. However,
the drawback to all of this enthusiasm is that he or she will often take on too many responsibilities
and as a result will often not complete a task. These learners perceive information concretely and
process it actively; are impulsive and intuitive; and thrive on challenges and crises.

Multiple Intelligences
In addition to having differences in learning styles, not everyone is smart in the same way,
according to Harvard’s Dr. Howard Gardner (Brualdi 1996). He says that individuals are intelligent
to some degree in each of the following areas:

 verbal-linguistic: facility in producing language;

 musical: sensitivity to components of music as well as to emotional implications;
 logic-mathematical: ability to reason deductively or inductively and recognize and manipulate abstract
relationships;
 spatial: ability to create visual representations of the world and transfer them mentally or concretely;
 kinesthetic: use of one’s body to solve problems, make things, and convey ideas and emotions;
 interpersonal: ability to work effectively with others and understand their emotions, goals, and
intentions;
 intrapersonal: ability to understand one’s own emotions, goals, and intentions; and
 naturalistic: capacity to recognize and make distinctions in the natural world and use the ability
productively (Nicholson-Nelson 1998); has keen sensory skills (Dickinson 1999).

Individuals possess each of these eight multiple intelligences to some extent. The combinations
and degrees of their intelligences are all different and very rarely operate independently (Black
1994). Rather, they are used concurrently and typically complement each other as individuals
develop skills and solve problems (Brualdi 1996). This must be kept in mind, not only in planning
and conducting field studies, but also in assessing what the students have learned.

Instructional Techniques
Students have different learning styles and multiple intelligences. This has implications for the
design and execution of a field study, or any teaching situation. Science teachers should think of
these as equally important and aim to reach a broader range of talents and skills. This philosophy
contradicts the traditional educational systems of teaching science that typically emphasize the
development and use of verbal and mathematical intelligences (Brualdi 1996).
Self-Check Guidelines Consideration of the various learning styles
To make it easier to address all of the learning styles and intelligences of participants in field
and multiple intelligences of your students, here are studies requires that the coordinator of a
some self-check guidelines you can use when designing study select instructional techniques that
and carrying out your field study. engage most or all of the intelligences and
learning styles. This not only excites students
- Give options for learners to acquire mastery of about learning, but it allows a teacher to
material (i.e., don’t limit yourself to pencil-and-paper reinforce material in various ways. By
tests; include journals, group projects, and activating a wide assortment of intelligences,
photographic essays); a teacher can facilitate a deeper
- Provide problem-solving opportunities; understanding of the subject material, and a
- Create “What if?” situations; student’s ability to observe, memorize, and
- Approach the topic in an orderly and creative recall facts will be significantly higher
fashion; (Manner 1997). Although each learner has
- Set up situations that require hunches about his or her own characteristics, it is important
outcomes; to realize, just as Gardner did, that some of
- Set up field-based experiences that go beyond the these characteristics overlap. One
text or lectures; instructional technique may address the
- Emphasize the broad nature of the topic; needs of more than one learning style or
- Ask learners to explore relationships within or intelligence.
among topics;
The instructor may draw on various
- Ask learners to analyze material or information;
instructional techniques, accommodating all
- Introduce topics with situations recognized by the
learners; of the above learning styles during the field
- Use problem-solving group work; study. Such techniques involve offering
- Help learners to see patterns; materials to read (e.g., field guides and
background information on natural history
- Provide cultural as well as scientific experiences;
- Offer leadership opportunities. and culture of the study area) lectures before
and during the study describing what to
expect on the trip; the biology and geology of
the area; and other relevant information.
These lectures provide information and schedules that are necessary for the “conceptual” and
“how things work” learner.

Also, instructors should present hands-on experiences, such as research projects, site
explorations, interdisciplinary activities, first-hand experiences with concepts, and examples
described in lectures. Hands-on experiences take into account the learning styles of most of the
participants.

The “personal meaning” learner listens and shares ideas. He

or she also needs direct experience. Research projects for the
“conceptual learner” are the ideal vehicle for forming theories
and interpreting observations. The “how things work” learner
thrives on manipulation and loves exploration. And the “self-
discovery” learner is well suited to the interdisciplinary nature
of the activities. Interaction is a plus for all learners except the
“conceptual” learner who must have opportunities to work
alone. Types of interaction among participants include group
activities, interdependence activities, and individualized activities.
In addition, a field study can feature specific instructional techniques and experiences to address
each of the multiple intelligences (Dickinson 1999). For example:

 verbal-linguistic learners favor using computer technology and entering into discussions;
 musical learners study by listening to recordings related to the topic (e.g., Holst’s “The Planets” or
recordings related to nature, such as Grofe’s “Grand Canyon Suite”);
 logic-mathematical learners prefer classifying, sequencing, and solving problems;
 spatial learners like to observe and imagine and solve spatial problems;
 kinesthetic learners excel with manipulatives and prefer to participate actively;
 interpersonal learners like to work on group projects and discuss with others;
 intrapersonal learners work independently; and
 naturalist learners see patterns and like to identify a problem and research solutions (Meyer 1998).

Investing time and effort into planning and conducting field studies will result in an optimal
educational outcome. Numerous instructional techniques can be employed, but we also need
various ways in which we evaluate what the students have learned. Assessment that truly reflects
what a student has learned can be accomplished through group projects, journals, artwork, and
portfolios. As Gardner believes, we should encourage students to use their strongest domains,
but help them to develop their less dominant abilities and reflect on and analyze their own learning
styles and ways of thinking. They must “learn to think about how they think and learn” (Brualdi
1996).

Field studies are a concrete bridge toward more abstract learning levels. The structure, learning
materials, teaching methods, and ability to direct learning to a substantial interaction with the
environment determine the educational quality of any field study. Proper planning will ensure that
the field study is enjoyable and educational for all participants.

References
Black, S. 1994. Different kinds of smart. The Executive Educator 16(1): 24–27.
Brualdi, A. 1996. Multiple Intelligences: Gardner’s Theory. ERIC. ED410226.
Dickinson, D. 1999. Learning through many kinds of intelligences. New Horizons for Learning
Electronic Journal 4(4).
Manner, B. 1997. Teacher’s Guide to Accompany Environmental Atlas of the Cuyahoga Valley
National Recreation Area. Monroeville, PA: Surprise Valley Publications.
Meyer, M. 1998. Learning and teaching through the naturalist intelligence. New Horizons for
Learning Electronic Journal 3(5).
Nicholson-Nelson, K. 1998. Literacy activities that tap kids’ multiple
intelligences. Instructor 107(5): 65–68.
Orion, N., and A. Hofstein. 1991. The measurement of student’s attitudes towards scientific field
trips. Science Education 75(5): 513–523.
Orion, N., and A. Hofstein. 1994. Factors that influence learning during a scientific field trip in a
natural environment. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 31(10): 1097–1119.