TEACHING TRIARCHICALLY IMPROVES SCHOOL-ACHIEVEMENT

Two studies were conducted among 3rd-grade (primary-school) and 8th-gr ade (middle-school) students to test the efficacy of the triarchic the ory of human intelligence as applied to classroom learning and perform ance. Students at the 3rd-grade level were taught a social-studies uni t and at the 8th-grade level were taught a psychology unit in 1 of 3 w ays: traditional instruction (primarily memory-based), critical-thinki ng instruction (primarily analytically based), and triarchically based instruction (involving infusion of analytical, creative, and practica l instruction). Performance at both levels was assessed through multip le-choice items measuring primarily memory and performance-based items measuring analytical, creative, and practical aspects of achievement. Third-grade students also provided self-report measures. In general, triarchic instruction was superior to the other modes of instruction, even on multiple-choice memory-based items.