Page 119 - Keys to College Success

in class, during study time, and in the workplace. Understanding yourself and others as
learners also helps you choose how to respond to people in a group situation. In a
study group, classroom, or workplace, each person takes in material in a unique way.
You can use what you know about others’ learning preferences to improve communi-
cation and teamwork.
Remember, there are no “right” answers, no “best” scores. Completing a self-assessment
is like wearing glasses to correct blurred vision. The glasses don’t create new paths and pos-
sibilities, but they help you to see more clearly the ones in front of you at this moment. As
you gain experience, build skills, and learn, your learning preferences are apt to change over
time. If you take the assessments again in the future, your results may shift. Finally, to enjoy
the reward of useful results, take the risk of answering questions honestly, reflecting who
you are as opposed to who you wish you were.
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CHAPTER CHAPTER WHAT TOOLS CAN HELP YOU

explore learning preferences?

A variety of tools exist to help you become more aware of different aspects of
yourself. Some tools focus on learning preferences; some on areas of potential; and oth-
ers on personality type. This chapter examines two assessments in depth. The first,
Multiple Pathways to Learning, is a learning preferences assessment focusing on eight
areas of potential, referred to as intelligences. It is based on Howard Gardner’s Multi-
INTELLIGENCE
ple Intelligences (MI) theory. The second, the Personality Spectrum, is a personality-
As defined by Gardner,
an ability valued by a group type assessment based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). It helps you evaluate
of people for what it
how you react to people and situations.
Following each assessment is information about the typical traits of each type of
can produce.
intelligence and each personality spectrum dimension. As you will see from your scores,
you have abilities in all areas, though some are more developed than others.
Assess Your Multiple Intelligences: Pathways to Learning

In 1983, Howard Gardner changed the way people perceived intelligence and learning
with his theory of Multiple Intelligences. Like Robert Sternberg, Gardner believed that
the traditional view of intelligence, based on mathematical, logical, and verbal mea-
surements that made up an intelligence quotient (IQ), did not reflect the true spectrum
of human ability. Sternberg focused on the spectrum of actions that help people achieve
important goals, but Gardner chose to examine the idea that humans possess a number
of different areas of natural ability and potential that he
called multiple intelligences.
The theory of Multiple Intelligences
Gardner’s research identified eight unique types of intelli-
gence or areas of ability. These included two areas tradition-
ally associated with the term intelligence—verbal and logic
skills—but expanded beyond them, to encompass a wide
range of potentials of the human brain. These intelligences
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almost never function in isolation. You will almost always
use several at the same time for any significant role or task. 3
As you look at Key 4.1, study the description of each intel-
ligence and then note the examples of people who have unusu-
ally high levels of ability in that area. Although few people
have the verbal-linguistic intelligence of William Shakespeare
or the interpersonal intelligence of Oprah Winfrey, everyone
has some level of ability in every intelligence. Your goal is to
Students drawn to the sciences may find that they have identify what your levels are and to work your strongest intel-
strengths in logical-mathematical or naturalistic thinking.
ligences to your advantage.

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