Multiple
Intelligences and Killer Game Engines Collide
The intent of this roundtable
was to get a discussion going about the possibility of using existing
game engines and creating content which enables users to exercise their
many intelligences. Multiple Intelligences refers to Howard Gardner's
theory of Multiple Intelligences, described in the second day's session.
The attendees were generally from the edutainment industry.
Monday, May 6, 1998
The conversation in this session quickly focused on existing quality
edutainment software and stayed in that arena. The participants analysed
genre and features which made for quality learning experiences while
also providing good gaming. Multiple intelligences wasn't discussed
though some people were familiar with Gardner's theory.
A main focus of the discussion was on simulations: SimCity was
a favorite example. A person discussed how he'd always known about city
planning but after playing SimCity he felt he had a completely
different way of knowing it. We all tried to understand and articulate
the kind of valuable learning that can occur when a piece of software
helps develop a type of intuition about a content area. With simulations
for instance the user gets to "know" a topic in a different way.
Tuesday, May 7, 1998
At this session the users wanted to know about multiple intelligences
and then discussed the types of software products that could be made
to support them. A short discussion about the differences between multiple
intelligences and learning styles occurred.
The eight intelligences and some typical activities that use these intelligences
are listed below: Even Howard Gardner never intended them as a laundry
list. Humans always use several intelligences in doing anything. And
yet in school we find that 99% of the work strengthens only two of these.
Those are Verbal Linguistic and Logical/Mathematical. For years Mr.
Gardner spoke of 7 intelligences but has recently added an eighth relating
to Nature. He's also working on a ninth intelligence relating to spiritual
things.
The 8 Intelligences:
Musical/Rhythmic: Humming, making vocal sounds & tones, musical
creation
Body Kinesthetic: Dancing, drama, martial arts, body language,
mime, sports
Visual/Spatial: Guided imagery, Pattern and designs, mind-mapping,
sculpture
Intrapersonal: Medatation, creating thinking strategies, mindful
practices
Interpersonal: Intuiting others feelings, communicating, sensing
others motives
Naturalist: Recognizing patterns in nature and in your world
Logical/Mathematical: Deciphering codes, pattern games, outlining,
sequencing
Verbal Linguistic: Reading, writing in journal, verbal debate,
poetry
* The activities listed came from David Lazear's "Seven Ways of Knowing",
Skylight publishing 1991, p.172.
Participants agreed that Body Kinesthetic is somewhat hard for the computer
to enhance, though twitch games certainly have something to offer in
this area.
Much of the conversation focused on music and audio and ways in which
programs could enhance the users' experience through rich audio environments.
Wednesday, May 8, 1998
On this day Risa Cohen lead the session as Margo had to race off to
the Computer Using Educators conference. In this session the focus was
on marketing issues. The discussion centered around the point that even
if people make quality products with wonderful technology, that it is
very difficult to find channels to sell them; and that basically the
kids market is glutted, and the kids are moving slightly away from CD-ROMs
and more toward internet use. This makes for a complex set of circumstances
which cause previous business models to break down.
