9. Applicability of the framework to other theories and perspectives

For the ALL overarching framework to be valid, it should be able to accommodate not only the theories from which it is derived, but also other attempts to describe life skills, types of thinking, employability skills, and similar concepts. It is not necessary that the proposed model agree in either terminology or level of detail with other models and theories, but it does need to be conceptually compatible to them. Many theories regarding skills, abilities, and intelligence sound quite different from the proposed framework. Often, however, the differences arise from the fact that these other theories go beyond identifying skills and abilities to describing how they are acquired, developed, and influenced by family and society. This is the case with most sociological and anthropological theories, for example. Yet, if there are theories with a purpose similar to that proposed that include skills the ALL model does not, or if they contain a structure proposing a different relationship among the elements identified, then the proposed framework will need to be re-examined. Similarly data from the ALL survey itself may suggest modifications to the underlying theory.

One prominent theory of intelligence that has not been examined thus far is the theory of multiple intelligences developed by Howard Gardner (Gardner, 1983). It is a psychological theory that identifies eight discrete kinds of intelligence: linguistic, logicalmathematical, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist, bodily-kinesthetic, and musical. These intelligences have been identified via a retrospective analysis that has allowed for the consideration and addition of new intelligences that can meet established criteria for discreteness. Although it is a psychological theory, it does not always fit along the same dimension as the psychometric theories and the theory of successful intelligence we have considered.

There are certain overlaps with the psychometric theories. One could argue that Gardner's description of linguistic intelligence is very closely related to crystallized abilities and that logical-mathematical intelligence sounds similar to fluid abilities. At the same time, all of the intelligences could also be seen as domains in which intelligent thinking processes—such as those described by psychometric models and the model of successful intelligence—can take place. One can easily conceive of crystallized, fluid, practical, and creative thinking taking place within each of the intelligences. In the case of linguistic intelligence, for example, one can read a short story (crystallized), analyze it (fluid), devise a way to apply the message of it to everyday life (practical), or write an alternative ending to it or write a short story of one's own (creative). Thus, in many ways, these intelligences are more similar in nature to the skills identified from the employability skills literature.

Several of the intelligences, however, go beyond the skills listed in the proposed ALL framework. Whether naturalist intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, and musical intelligence are truly intelligences is moot. ALL assumes, however, that their generalized relevance to job performance might be less than that of other skills or intelligences. For example, few jobs outside the field of music require any demonstrated level of musical intelligence. While many people who pursue musical interests find that it enriches their lives, it would be difficult to argue that musical intelligence is necessary for success in life for anything but a small proportion of the population. A similar argument can be made regarding naturalist intelligence. Overall, comparing the theory of multiple intelligence against the proposed life skills framework reveals that, while the intelligences do not fit neatly only as skills (the left-most column in the matrix) or only as domains of thinking (the top row), the type of abilities they describe are captured in various places throughout the framework. Comparisons with other theories of intelligence or frameworks of employability skills would result in a similar degree of consistency.