Educational Technology Innovation and Impact/Why use Technology in Education/Interpersonal Intelligence

Interpersonal Intelligence

Gardner’s Definition: Interpersonal intelligence, (people smart) is understanding other people. It’s an ability we all need, but is at a premium if you are a teacher, clinician, salesperson, or a politician. Anybody who deals with other people has to be skilled in the interpersonal sphere. http://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/curriculum/MISmart/inter.htm People have the physical ability to exist individually and alone, we are also social animals who thrive and grow when involved with others. This ability to interact with others, understand them, and interpret their behaviour known as interpersonal intelligence. A well-developed interpersonal intelligence plays a substantial role in such success. From a psychological and neurological point of view, the connection between interpersonal intelligence and the brain has been explored for generations; damage the frontal lobe, as was once done in the case of lobotomy patients, and you damage that person's personality and her ability to interact well with others. Interpersonal intelligence allows us to affect others by understanding others; without it, we lose the ability to exist socially. It is recognised that those who have highly developed interpersonal intelligence are successful leader’s bosses. They been seen be strong public speakers and may follow a career as a Military Officers for example. Someone with strong interpersonal intelligence will probably have a lot of friends, they will show a great deal of empathy for other people and exhibit a deep understanding of other points of view. They love team activities of all kinds and are a good team member – tending to pull there “own weight” in a team task. Often found to sensitive to other people’s feelings and ideas. In a discussion are likely to be skilled at drawing others out in a discussion. People with strong interpersonal are also probably skilled in conflict resolution, mediation and finding a compromise when people are in radical opposition to each other. Martin Luther King, Franklin Roosevelt and Norman Schwartzkopf are famous examples of successful people with interpersonal intelligence. Characteristics include: • People come to me for advice • Prefer group sports • Seek out people when I have a problem for advice • Likes games like monopoly rather than solitaire • Enjoy teaching others what I know • Considers oneself to be a leader • Enjoys crowds • Rather be at a noisy party than stay at home