Activating whole brain® innovation : a means of nourishing multiple intelligence in higher education

摘要

The interconnectedness of the constructs ‘whole brain® thinking’ and ‘multipleintelligence’ forms the epicentre of this article. We depart from the premise that whenwhole brain® thinking is activated multiple intelligence can be nourished. When thisbecomes evident in a higher education practice it can be claimed that such a practice isinnovative. Whole brain® thinking that informs intelligence and vice versa is inevitablewhen it comes to facilitating learning with a view to promoting quality learning in thecontext of higher education. If higher education is concerned about the expectations ofindustry and the world of work there is no other option as to prepare students in such away that they develo as holistic – whole brained and intelligent – employers, employeesand entrepreneurs who take responsibility for maximising their full potential. Becominga self-regulated professional and being reflexive are some of the attributes of the 21stcentury which should be cultivated in all students. Research on whole brain® thinkingand multiple intelligence shows that these human attributes form an integral part of one’sinteraction with life – one’s environment and especially people as integral part of theenvironment. This focus on people highlights the need for developing soft skills withinevery curriculum. The epistemological underpinning of our reporting of experience inpractice and research of the application of the principals of the constructs is metareflectivein nature. Instead of a typical traditional stance to research we do not report onthe numerous sets of data obtained over a period of more than 15 years. Our approach isthat of a meta-reflective narrative as most of the studies we were involved in and still are, are reflective as it is most often than not action research-driven. And action research is areflective process. We report on evidence-based practice that includes fields ofspecialisation such as health sciences, engineering, academic staff development, financialsciences, teacher education and higher education. Important aspects of any highereducation practice, such as curriculum development, facilitating of learning andassessment are addressed. Practice-based evidence of each, where applicable, is offered asclaims of innovation.