Tajpuria- Gardner/Papert

Author Compare/Contrast Gadner/Papert Vaishali Tajpuria C&I 579

Tajpuria- Gardner/Papert

Howard Gardner is best known for his research and work with Multiple Intelligence. This theory has had a large impact on education. Teachers, administrators, students, and parents now have a better understanding on how people learn. There is no such thing as a dumb person, just one with a different type of intelligence. Gardners 5 Minds of the Future, delves deeper into this concept. Gardner says that we have five minds and we use them for different purposes. He begins with the Discipline Mind. Here he discusses is the mastery major schools of thought (Gardner, 37). He describes how this mind works in various situations, such as analyzing sonnets. He discusses how one can discipline a mind and the benefits of doing so. He goes through four steps: identify truly important topics, spend significant amount of time on the topics, approach the topic in a number of ways, and provide students opportunities to perform their understandings (Gardner, 38). With the Synthesizing Mind, Gardner eight key issues (Gardner, 47). He maintains that against all odds people seek synthesis. We must put together elements that were originally discrete or disparate. The most common kinds include narratives, taxonomies, complex concepts, rules and aphorisms, powerful metaphors, images, and themes, embodiments without words, theories, and metatheory. Gardner discusses three components to this theory. A goal, a starting point, and a selection of strategy, method, and approach are all a part of the process (Gardner, 51). The Creating Mind is one that many feel must be nurtured. This has not always been the case (Gardner, 77). It has only been in recent years where we have begun to realize that creativity must be nurtured. In the past creativity was neither sought nor rewarded (Gardner, 77).

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Creative thinkers have received mixed reviews, they have been recognized and rewarded, and they have been shunned. The Respectful Mind is not one that develops automatically. It is often said that respect must be earned. Humans have a need to create groups to provide distinction and provide positive and hostile boundaries (Gardner, 104). There is a reasonable goal to be respectful to others. This coincides with development, if infants and children see respect; they learn the behavior and give it to. The Ethical Mind focuses on behaviors and decisions of what is right or moral. Work stands at the center of modern life (Gardner, 127). Working ethically leads to a society that runs more smoothly. Gardner gives many examples of support for good and ethical work. He gives examples of China and Silicon Valley and their motiving to do good work. Gardner gives a number of examples on how one can cultivate these five minds. He provides useful ideas for each one (Gardner, 154-159). Each of these can have relevance and use in everyday life. His examples and explanations are clear and easy to understand. Seymour Papert, book Mindstorms, includes two main themes. Children can learn to use computers in a masterful way and that learning to use computers can change the way they learn everything else. Even outside the classroom, Papert had a vision that the computer could be used just as casually and as personally for a diversity of purposes throughout a persons entire life. Seymour Papert makes the point that in classrooms saturated with technology there is actually more socialization and that the technology often contributes to greater interaction among students and among students and instructors.

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Papert Is a visionary, computers were becoming more widely used in 1993 when the book was published. Now we have developed technology to the point where we now have tablets that weigh less than three pounds. He worked with Piaget, which influenced his theory in cognitive development (Papert, 19). Papert had children program computers, which no one thought would be possible. He extensively discusses Piaget and various aspects of his theory. Papert identifies Mathophobia, a fear of learning (Papert, 38). He says that computers as a force the divide between two cultures. It can create a common language. He metions how it is easy to see children learn words, but not as easy for math (Papert, 40). He comes two different types of learning and what is involved in both. Papert uses the example of Turtle Geometry, as an easier way to learn geometry. Turtle geometry is a computational style of geometry. He states that Turtle is like a person, a person that is present and facing a particular direction (Papert, 55). He shows examples of how this may work (Papert, 57). Papert makes a beneficial correlation between Piaget and artificial intelligence (Papert, 156). Piagets theoetween them all. ry in cognitive development, he does not mention motivation, emotion, family history, past experience, or any other factors outside that. Artificial Intelligence is similar. AI does not have motivation, emotions, past experience, or family history. It does that work it has been programed to do. Paperts theory is largely influenced by Piaget. The theory shows in most of hat Papert discusses. Computers, AI, and Piaget all seem to be connected. Thinking and analyzing information with no emotion is the common theme between them.

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There are very little commonalities between Gardner and Papert. Gardner studied different types of intelligence. He identified nine different ones. He believed that everyone has any combination of these intelligences. His focus was mainly that people learn and work differently. Papert, on the other hand, followed Piaget and focused on Artificial Intelligence. He extensively refers to Piaget in his book. He connects learning and intelligence to computers, math, and Piaget. These are two vastly different ideas, both have worthwhile information to learn.

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Reference
Gardner, H. (2008). Five methods of thinking, knowledge, and understanding. 5 Minds of the Future. Boston: Harvard Business Press.

Papert, S. (1993). Children, Learning, Piaget, and Artificial Intelligence. Mindstorms. New York City: Basic Books.