DefinitionThis approach to learning emphasizes the fact that individuals perceive and process information in very different ways. The learning styles theory implies that how much individuals learn has more to do with whether the educational experience is geared toward their particular style of learning than whether or not they are “smart.” In fact, educators should not ask, “Is this student smart?” but rather “How is this student smart?”
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Each individual child is different and special in his own way, which means he also learns in his own way. Along with using his right and left-brain in combination, he has to make split-second decisions and tap into his emotional intelligence. But, along with all that, he has a special learning style that works best for him, and connecting with his multiple intelligences only boosts his abilities to greater lengths.
DefinitionThis approach views learning as an act of membership in a “community of practice.” The theory seeks to understand both the structure of communities and how learning occurs in them.
The communities of practice concept was pioneered by the Institute for Research on Learning, a spin-off of the Xerox Corporation in Palo Alto, CA. The Institute pursues a cross-disciplinary approach to learning research, involving cognitive scientists, organizational anthropologists, and traditional educators. Communities of practice is based on the following assumptions:
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DefinitionThis theory of human intelligence, developed by psychologist Howard Gardner, suggests there are at least seven ways that people have of perceiving and understanding the world. Gardner labels each of these ways a distinct “intelligence”–in other words, a set of skills allowing individuals to find and resolve genuine problems they face.
Gardner defines an “intelligence” as a group of abilities that:
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Has a core set of information-processing operations
Has a distinct history in the stages of development we each pass through
Has plausible roots in evolutionary history