“I’m not making this up. It should work. It has been proven by science.”
Have you heard such a comment recently, from a colleague, a friend, or a family member? I have, and quite frequently so.What happens when educators disagree about issues associated with education? Someone may pull up some literature to either support or refute a claim, citing “evidence” that came from a scientific experiment. Somehow, “science” is supposed to dispel all doubts, all fear, all arguments. Somehow, “science” is believed to trump all other approaches, be it experience, anecdotes, even common sense.
No, I am not an opponent to science.
My whole career, family, and personal life is surrounded and inspired by science. I have been a high school teacher for advanced biology elective courses for 10 years. I have even taught the life sciences at the college level. Prior to teaching full time, I made a living as a research scientist for almost 20 years. I have authored many peer-reviewed journal articles on diverse topics, including pharmacology, molecular genetics, and neuropsychology. My idols are scientists.
So, no. I am not an opponent to science. In fact, it is because of my background in science that I am even more convinced that teaching should not be viewed as a science.
A Science Experiment in the Laboratory
Let’s say that a scientist wants to test whether a certain drug, Drug X, will kill cancer cells. Using the scientific method, the scientist ventures to study the effect of Drug X. In a real-life science laboratory, a hypothesis, a statement that summarizes the probable outcome of an experiment, is usually informal and ever-changing. Most scientists don’t even write it down until after their research is concluded. For the sake of completion though, let’s set it up here. “Drug X kills cancerous cells.”Then, a scientist must conduct a properly designed experiment to prove or refute the hypothesis. The details of the experiment must be described in detail. What cell line will one use? What types of growth media, temperature, and humidity conditions will it be? What range of concentrations of Drug X will be tested? All these factors, which we call variables, can affect the outcome of the data. Also, when a scientist designs the experiment, a control must be set up. In this case, a suitable control could be a sample of cells growing under conditions identical to the experimental setup except that Drug X was not used. Without this control, one cannot really say with certainty whether it was Drug X that killed the cells or it was something else, such as the higher humidity.
So, as you can see, even an experiment on cells can be very complicated. The good thing is that under laboratory conditions, everything can be measured and fixed with precision. Scientists are so finicky about the materials they use in their experiments, because they do not want to end up with dubious data that they have a hard time reproducing. The more complex the subject is, the more variables there are that could potentially sway the outcome of the experiment. So, if cells can be unpredictable, what about teenagers?
A Science Experiment in the Classroom
Teenagers are made up of a myriad of complex components, which are influenced by internal and external environmental cues. Each student has a different socioeconomic situation, history, genetics, biochemistry, personality, and so on. Unlike cells, you can’t tweak some dial and make teenagers fit certain parameters. Each school is made up of numerous components as well. On the human side, there is the administration, the teachers, staff, and the schoolmates. On the inanimate side, there is the schedule, the building, the amenities.Let’s say there is a hypothetical research study that reports 11th-graders having improved math scores after a plush toy is placed into their school bags. Would you simply take their word for it and practice that on your own students? I would start by asking the following questions:
- How many students were studied?
- What kind of school do they come from?
- What is the initial math ability of these students?
- Who is their teacher(s)?
- How are math scores evaluated?
- What is the control setup in this case?
How to Use Research
There have been many new initiatives in education that are spreading furiously throughout our nation. Some of the ones frequently talked about include collaborative learning, inquiry-based learning, and technology-driven education. There have also been many discussions about homework and examinations, and multitudes of research associated with these topics. I offer the following guidelines to help teachers navigate the murky waters when approaching research studies in education.Step 1: Read, Understand, Question
Do not simply jump onto a headline or a tweet and follow it as if it were gospel. If you are truly interested in considering a practice, go to the original research article and read about the actual subjects, protocol, and data. Are the subjects and conditions under study comparable to your own? If there are differences, how may those differences influence the outcome of your results? Unless things are clear and indisputable, which they rarely are in education, you want to proceed cautiously.Step 2: Think and Feel
If you have a strong hunch that there is a lot of truth behind the research, go for it. But you must now become the shrewd experimenter. You can’t just be an imitator and follow protocol blindly. Think whether each part of the process would benefit your students. If not, modify it. Do not be afraid to feel your way through it. Even real scientists frequently feel their way through their experiments. The scientific method is overrated.Step 3: Listen, Observe, Adapt
Lastly, teaching is a dynamic process. You can’t just go on autopilot. Whether you change things in your classroom, you should always keep a keen eye on how your students are progressing. Listen to your students. Ask questions often. Discuss concerns with your colleagues. It is only through constant monitoring and adapting that our students will get the best learning experience possible.During my 10 years of teaching at Randolph School, I was respected for my expertise and given extensive freedom to teach in the way that works for my subject area. Unfortunately, some of my peers in other organizations are not as fortunate. As independent schools, we have a duty to lead the way as confident educators. While research studies in education have an important role to play in exploring new possibilities, teaching should never be viewed as a science. Instead, we must remain steadfast in our courage to practice our profession as intellectual, intuitive, and interactive facilitators of student success.
