The problems with schooling studies

I try to pay attention to what's going on in the worlds of schooling and education. There are numerous studies out there regarding best practices for schooling. Most of these studies look at the impact that certain schooling policies on schooling performance rather than anything practical.


There are two big mistakes that most of these studies repeat. One of these relates to my frequent criticism of how broadly we tend to define learning. Most of these studies are shallow and narrow. For example, we compare how students in different circumstances perform on a test after a lecture. Lectures are among the worst tools around for practical learning, but studies frequently rely solely on this approach. When study results are found, we expect them to be applied broadly. In the case of lecturing then testing, we usually think this is sufficient to establish how children develop new skills and abilities. This is an obviously false assumption.

Another big issue relates to individuality. Studies tend to look for overall trends. They do not look at differences at an individual level. Schools use these studies to develop policies that apply to all. In many cases, students who deviate from a rigid mold will be forced to learn in a less suitable manner. Since all students have unique characteristics, all students ultimately suffer when policies consistently reflect overall trends rather than individual needs.

When looking at studies, keep these issues in mind. Don't take these studies too seriously. We should never base our approach to practical learning off of studies on memorization. Similarly, we should never tell students that they can't learn in the manner best suited for them due to broad trends. For some of us, this is a moral issue. No child should be prohibited from pursuing the education that's best for them purely on the grounds that others learn differently.