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college and university

Musical Intelligence and the Global

Aspects of Brain-Based Learning

Vanissa Murphy, Chair, College and University

In 1983 Howard Earl Gardner published the influential book,

Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple

Intelligences. This book and Gardner’s subsequent publi- cations have been translated into 27

languages (see http://pzweb.harvard.edu/ PIs/HG.htm) and have influenced the way educators around the globe design instruc- tion. Not only is multiple intelligence (MI) theory of particular interest to many of us teacher educators in higher education, but increasingly we are also incorporat- ing research from the field of brain-based learning (BBL) into our classes. This article will overview the global influence of MI theory in education, the implications of current uses of BBL research to teacher training and a proposal of mixing the two into a framework for powerful teacher training in music education.

MI Theory Revisited

Howard Gardner initially formulated a list of seven intelligences. If you have heard of these, perhaps this will still be a good refresher:

1) Linguistic intelligence consists of

the capacity to use language to ex- press yourself and to understand other people.

2) Logical-mathematical intelligence

consists of the capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out math- ematical operations and investigate issues scientifically.

3) Musical intelligence involves the ca- pacity to think in music; to be able to hear, recognize and even manipulate patterns. People who have strong mu- sical intelligence can remember music easily; in fact, it’s so ubiquitous that they can’t get it out of their minds.

4) Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence entails

the potential of using one’s whole body or parts of the body to solve problems (dancers and actors).

5) Spatial intelligence involves the ability to represent the spatial world internally in your mind – the way a chess player can visualize moves or sculptor can “see” a shape within a spatial area.

6) Interpersonal intelligence is con-

cerned with the capacity to understand the intentions, motivations and desires of other people.

7) Intrapersonal intelligence entails

the capacity to understand oneself, to appreciate one’s feelings, fears and motivations.

(Gardner 1999 and from http://www. pbs.org/wnet/gperf/education/ed_mi_ overview.html).

In addition to these seven, Gardner has proposed one additional, and perhaps two other intelligences:

8) Naturalist intelligence enables hu-

man beings to recognize, categorize and draw upon certain features of the environment and have a sensitivity to the natural world.

9) Spiritual or existential intelligence is

concerned with “the nature of existence in its multifarious guises” (1999, p. 59) but Gardner is not quite willing to add this definitively to the cadre.

Also under consideration is:

10) Moral intelligence, concerned with

“rules, behaviors and attitudes that gov- ern the sanctity of life - in particular, the sanctity of human life and, in many cases, the sanctity of any other living creatures and the world they inhabit” (ibid, p.70).

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