Subject: 12/10/04 WSJ Article on How Schoolchildren Learn

Posted by Andy Smith on 12/15/2004
In Reply To:12/10/04 WSJ Article on How Schoolchildren Learn Posted by Prof. Dr. Niall Palfreyman on 12/15/2004

Message:

Teachers need to be skilled in a variety of methods and techniques that can reach different students in different ways. Which technique to use depends upon the teacher, the students, the context, and the content. Good teachers know when techniques are working and when they're not; and good teachers know when to use which technique at what time. This "art" is virtually impossible to test using traditional experimental designs and hence the paucity of research results over forty years.

For those of you who trust "research based" findings on teacher methodology, show me the study that you believe has merit, and I'll be delighted to state why it doesn't. I'll also (almost) guarantee that the results cannot be replicated.

Andy Smith