Prospective Teachers' Academic Success in Myanmar: Successful Intelligence and Personality Effects

Studying successful intelligence and personality traits that influence academic achievement helps to realise the underlying abilities of students with high intelligence in teacher education programmes who have low academic achievement. Factors that do not influence academic achievement are probably important factors for life success. The purpose of this study is 1) to examine whether successful intelligence predicts grade point average (GPA), and 2) to discover whether personality moderates the relationship between successful intelligence and GPA. Undergraduate teacher education students (N = 328) were assessed using an analytical reasoning test (verbal and nonverbal), Kaufman Domains of Creativity Scale, Tacit Knowledge in Academia test, and Big Five Personality Inventory. Among components of successful intelligence, only analytical intelligence predicted GPA significantly. GPA had a negative correlation with creative intelligence and practical intelligence. Personality factors do not significantly moderate the relationship between intelligence and GPA. Teacher education exams do not encourage creative and practical intelligence. Students who are interested in social affairs have low academic achievement; however, they are likely to become successful due to their social ability.

Automated summary

Successful intelligence significantly predicts GPA, while personality factors do not moderate the relationship. Teacher education exams do not encourage creative and practical intelligence, and students interested in social affairs may have lower academic achievement but a higher likelihood of future success.