ABSTRACT
Despite the controversy that surrounds intelligence, it is the most researched, validated, and reliably measured construct in the psychological sciences. Twin and family studies coupled with genomic studies indicate that genetics explains about half of general intelligence; the remaining half is explained by the environment, which includes education. And it turns out that the most effective method known to raise general intelligence is increasing the number of years of schooling, which results in IQ gains of roughly one to five points per year. Detailed research into the educational approaches that are most effective at increasing intelligence is ongoing, but education likely raises intelligence in two ways. Those are expanding skills, knowledge, and experience, resulting in gains in crystallized intelligence and practicing reasoning and problem-solving skills in a variety of novel contexts over long periods of time, resulting in gains in fluid intelligence.
