Curriculum Lab

Welcome to the first episode of "EdTechVerse" podcast, where we talk about intelligences, both human and artificial, and celebrate innovation in education!

I’m your host Natalie. In today's episode, we invite our listeners to think about the concept of intelligence.

Who is smarter? A polymath or a genius? Isaac Newton or Albert Einstein?

Comparing the intelligence of a polymath and a genius is not a straightforward task as both terms refer to different aspects of intellectual ability and achievement.

A polymath is someone who excels in multiple disciplines or areas of knowledge. Think Leonardo De Vinci, a quintessential Renaissance man, da Vinci known for his contributions to art, science, anatomy, engineering, and more. His works, such as the "Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper," are iconic in Western art. His notebooks reveal advanced insights into anatomy, hydrodynamics, optics, and even aeronautics.

A polymath displays a broad range of expertise and has the ability to make connections and integrate knowledge across different domains. Polymaths are known for their diverse intellectual pursuits and the ability to apply insights from one field to another. Think Isaac Newton, a physicist and mathematician who played a key role in the scientific revolution, Newton is known for his laws of motion and universal gravitation. However, he also made significant contributions to optics and shares credit for developing calculus.

On the other hand, a genius typically refers to an individual who demonstrates exceptional intellectual or creative ability in a specific domain or field. Geniuses often make groundbreaking contributions within their specialized area and push the boundaries of knowledge or innovation. Think Leonardo De Vinci. By virtue of their ability to excel in multiple areas of knowledge, polymaths are by extension, geniuses.

Who are the geniuses in your life?

Are you a parent who’s in the process of grooming your children?

Are you a student who’s in the process of choosing your area of specialization?

Are you a policymaker who’s peering into the looking glass, projecting possibilities 50 years down the road?

Or are you looking to surf the massive tides of change being brought about by AI and large language models?

Intelligence itself is a complex and multifaceted concept that encompasses various cognitive abilities, such as logical reasoning, problem-solving, memory, creativity, and more. It is difficult to measure and compare intelligence across individuals, especially when considering polymaths and geniuses who may excel in different areas.

In essence, both polymaths and geniuses exhibit high levels of intellectual ability and expertise, albeit in different ways. The notion of who is "smarter" between the two is subjective and depends on the criteria used to assess intelligence, the specific domains being considered, and the context in which the comparison is made. It's more productive to appreciate and acknowledge the unique strengths and contributions of both polymaths and geniuses rather than trying to determine who is smarter.

Perhaps you would like to become a Mensa member?

Mensa is an international society for people who score in the top 2% of the population on certain intelligence tests, with the aim of fostering human intelligence for the benefit of humanity.

There are also other high IQ societies similar to Mensa, for example:

The Triple Nine Society (TNS): This is an international high IQ society for adults whose score on a standardized test demonstrates an IQ at or above the 99.9th percentile of the human population. That's even more selective than Mensa.

The Prometheus Society: This society was founded in 1982 to provide a forum for discussions among its members. It's even more exclusive than the Triple Nine Society. To become a member, one has to score at or above the 99.997th percentile on accepted IQ tests, which is a rarity of 1 in 30,000 of the population.

The International Society for Philosophical Enquiry (ISPE): Founded in 1974, ISPE accepts members with an IQ at or above the 99.9th percentile. The society encourages intellectual exchanges among its members and also promotes projects for the benefit of humanity.

Each of these societies has its own admission criteria and its own culture, providing different kinds of benefits and challenges to its members. Some people find such societies to be stimulating and rewarding communities, while others prefer to seek intellectual engagement in other ways.

How do you prepare yourself for IQ tests?

Intelligence Quotient (IQ) tests are usually administered by licensed psychologists, but there are also non-clinical IQ testing whose validity remains unverified. There are several standardized IQ tests, including:

Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales: This is a widely accepted test, used with both children and adults. It assesses fluid reasoning, knowledge, quantitative reasoning, visual-spatial processing, and working memory.

Cattell III B and Culture Fair Tests: Mensa is known to use the Cattell III B test, which measures verbal reasoning, and the Culture Fair test, designed to assess non-verbal intelligence and minimize the impact of cultural or educational background.

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS): This is one of the most commonly used tests for adults and adolescents. It measures verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed.

Have you ever wondered who the original inventor of the IQ test was?

The original concept of an intelligence test was developed by French psychologist Alfred Binet in the early 20th century. Binet was tasked by the French government to devise a method to differentiate intellectually normal children from those who were struggling in school.

Together with his colleague Théodore Simon, Binet developed the Binet-Simon Scale in 1905. This was a series of tests designed to assess mental abilities, and it introduced the concept of mental age (a measure of one's intellectual development relative to one's peers).

The intelligence quotient (IQ) itself was later conceptualized by German psychologist William Stern. He suggested dividing an individual's mental age by their chronological age and multiplying by 100 to obtain a single number, or "quotient" - hence the term "Intelligence Quotient."

Later, Lewis Terman at Stanford University revised the Binet-Simon Scale in 1916, and this revised test became known as the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, which is still widely used today.

It's important to note that while IQ tests have been useful in certain contexts, such as identifying children who may need additional academic support or assessing cognitive impairment, they have limitations and controversies. For example, they don't capture all forms of intelligence, they can be influenced by a variety of non-intellectual factors, and they've been critiqued for potential cultural bias. In addition, the proliferation of IQ test materials and centers makes it difficult to prove authencity.

Now that you’ve thought about the geniuses in your life and even considered sitting for an IQ test, we’d like to invite you to think about the proposition by a Harvard education psychologist that it is not about how smart one is, but how one is smart.

We hope today's EdTechVerse episode has sparked your curiosity about innovation in education and provided new perspectives on the concept of human intelligence. Join us in the next episode as we talk about “It’s not how smart am I, but how am I smart?”.

As always, stay curious, and keep learning!