Study On Howard Gardner's Educational Thoughts

Howard Gardner put forward the Theory of Multiple Intelligences in 1983,which have subverted the traditional intelligence theory and the methods of IQ tests.Howard Gardner and his theory are world well-known,both of which are welcomed by psychology and pedagogy researchers around the world.All kinds of educational experiments and practices get started quickly under the guide of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences.As well,Gardner's educational evaluation perspectives,teaching views,views of curriculum,views of students get attentions from schools and universities at various levels.However,the Theory of Multiple Intelligences is just one small part in Gardner's system of educational thoughts which also include art theory,art education ideas,creativity theory,leadership theory,good work theory,moral theory and other diverse and interconnected ideas.All these ideas constitute the complete system of Howard Gardner educational thoughts.This paper will extract Gardner's general characteristics of education ideas and enhance the understanding of these ideas,based on reading and analysizing Gardner's own books,papers,reports,and other scholars' works,interview,documentary research data and related literature.Meanwhile,it aims to put forward a more comprehensive Gardner's educational thoughts that will enlighten education reform in our country.This dissertation is divided into four parts: the first part(Chapter 1)analyses the research motivation,purpose and significance to propose Howard Gardner's path of educational thoughts by using literature review method and history method that are suitable for studying educators' thoughts.There are three innovative significances: Gardner's academic literature sorting,the system excavation of Gardner's educational thoughts and its enlightenment to education practices in China.This part mainly studies the related literature of Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences.The second part(Chapter 2)mainly introduces Gardner and his academic life,and analysizes the formation of his educational thoughts from three aspects: factors of his personal affairs,his criticism to the traditional intelligence theory and criticism of American education.The third part(Chapters 3,4,5,6)is the main part of this dissertation and it constitutes the important components of Gardner's educational thoughts system.It mainly introduces the origin of Gardner ‘s educational thoughts — art theory and art educational thoughts,psychological basis —the Theory of Multiple Intelligences,and creativity theory,leadership theory,optimal working theory and moral education theory,and the relationship among them.Moreover,there are introductions about Gardner's educational thoughts in the practice of kindergartens,primary and secondary schools,and some problems in practices.The fourth part(Chapter 7,8)mainly discusses Gardner's goal of educational thoughts,teacher-transformation perspective,art education perspective,school development perspective,education evaluation perspective,students perspective,teaching perspective,curriculum perspective,and technology perspective.The paper finds that there are three aspects of transformation in Gardner's research: research objectives,methods,and contents which construct three-dimension mode of Gardner's education thought,includig temporal dimension,logic dimension,and knowledge dimension.It shows the characteristics of constructive postmodernism in Gardner's educational thoughts.It also puts forward the enlightenment to China's education reform from five aspects: school education,teachers professional development,student development,family education and art education.Howard Gardner's educational thoughts are rich and profound,and both psychology and education scholars have paid attention to it in their researches and practices in the world.His educational thoughts are based on the solid psychological theory,considering citizen education and school education.The whole system of his thoughts focuses on person's intelligence development and creativity cultivation,which have positive significances in the education theory and practice for both China and the world.Due to the richness and complexity of Gardner's thoughts,there is the limitation for the researcher to gather all relevant information,for example,moral theory,theory of leadership,and optimal working theory and its enlightenment to education.Particularly,there is a great need to further extend the value of Gardner's thoughts in education reform in China.