An Empirical Study On Nurturing Interpersonal Intelligence And Intrapersonal Intelligence In Political Teaching In High School

At the beginning of the 1980s, Howard Gardner, a famous developmental psychologist, introduced the theory of Multiple Intelligences (MIT). The theory proposes the understanding of intelligence from multiple dimensions and maintains the existence of eight basic types of intelligences (i.e. linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalist). These eight intelligences are distinct in their development paths and composition mechanisms, and largely independent form each other. Consequently, each individual manifests varying levels of different intelligences and displays unique performance. In order to be fair and effective, education, especially evaluation, must obey the principle of multiple dimensions, considering and respecting each individual in terms of the biological basis of intelligence and the course of development.The fundamentals of MIT share a lot in common with the new curriculum reform in many aspects, yet it is seldom applied in high school. Its application in political teaching is even scarcer. Thus, this study tries to take a step toward filling this gap by taking advantage of the initiation of the new curriculum reform. Based on the characteristics of political science, this study carried out empirical researches on the practice of MIT in political teaching in high school with a focus on"intrapersonal intelligence"and"interpersonal intelligence"development.Aiming at nurturing students'intrapersonal intelligence and interpersonal intelligence, this study introduces a group of teaching methods, and then designs corresponding teaching cases. These methods and cases are applied in a chosen class, the experimental class. Students from a comparable class are drawn as a control. Then, three types of comparisons are made between the two classes of students: i) their pre- and post-experiment performances on the multiple intelligence evaluation, ii) their pre- and post-experiment responses to the survey on attitude toward political study, and iii) their pre- and post-experiment grades on political study. Results from these comparisons lead the study to conclude as follows:i) the group of teaching methods and cases aiming at interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal intelligence development can effectively promote the students'two intelligences,ii) the teaching methods and cases concerning interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal intelligence development can simultaneously motivate the students and nurture the students'interests in political study, andiii) the teaching methods and cases concerning interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal intelligence development, and applying MIT can simultaneously improve the students'efficiency and performance in political study.