My mother once said, “Don’t tell me about the research, the research is all baloney. One day butter is bad for you, the next day they tell us that margarine is bad, go back to butter.” I recollected this after reading Why Minimal Guidance During Instruction Does Not Work: An Analysis of the Failure of Constructivist, Discovery, Problem-Based, Experiential, and Inquiry-Based Teaching by Paul A. Kirschner, John Sweller & Richard E. Clark (2010) and Teaching for Meaningful Learning by Dr. Barron & Darling-Hammond, StanfordU. Here are two articles using research, sometimes using the same research, to support opposing viewpoints. It would seem that Mum is somewhat correct; we can’t just trust when someone says, research shows…” When looking at research conclusions, we have to consider the source. I was well aware of this when considering consumer products. Who is trying to sell it to me? Wealthy industries are certainly capable of creating research that supports their products. When we go to the doctor, they recommend medicines that have been researched by their own creators. Meanwhile, because there’s no money in it, there are few studies of the effects of naturopathic remedies, so few doctors recommend them. Actually, I don’t know how true this is, not having studied it, but that’s what my doctor seems to think.
In education, naturally, a lot of things come down to money. After all, education is one of the biggest ticket items in the provincial budget. So what is cheaper? Fully guided learning or minimally guided learning. I don’t know the answer but it sure makes me wonder what the motivations of the authors of those two articles are. Again, who’s trying to sell it to me? Are they funded by the government? If they’re not motivated by money, maybe they are motivated by the need to keep teachers accountable. I can understand that. I think all teachers can benefit from taking a critical look at their own practice; I think most do. Maybe the authors are funded by companies that benefit from having technology in schools. I bet Apple and Google would like to keep the ball rolling at my school. Do teachers’ unions fund research? Many teachers are afraid of the change because they know things like Project-based learning (PBL) take a lot more time and effort. So many of us already put in so much extra time that no one but our families knows about. In my case, the custodians know; I think my family has forgotten I live with them. Other teachers are afraid of jumping into something new because they’ve seen so many trends come and go. Butter…margarine…butter? Up until now, I think I have believed that someone somewhere is being more critical of the research and making the best decisions for us. But now, I see that the decision makers have all their biases too. Is there such a thing as truly unbiased research? Or unbiased interpretation of the results of research?
Maybe it’s better for education researchers to use Autoethnography which “is one of the approaches that acknowledges and accommodates subjectivity, emotionality, and the researcher’s influence on research, rather than hiding from these matters or assuming they don’t exist.” In Autoethnography: An Overview, Ellis, Adams & Bochner cite Holman Jones (2005,p.764) as claiming that “Autoethnographers view research and writing as socially-just acts; rather than a preoccupation with accuracy, the goal is to produce analytical, accessible texts that change us and the world we live in for the better…” If I were going to put my children’s education research into the hands of someone, it’s got to be someone who is not operating with a hidden agenda and is socially-just, right?
I think, as a researcher myself, I have to acknowledge my perspective as I collect my data. How am I checking myself to make sure I don’t ignore something that will be perceived differently by the other people that I hope will benefit from my work? If I decide to declare that butter is the best choice, I need to make sure I don’t ignore those with lactose intolerance.
In terms of the research that I analyze and draw from, I will definitely want to know more about the background of the researchers and where their influences lie. Did I choose butter based on research funded by Dairy Farmers of Canada?
I like the idea of Autoethnographers immersing themselves in the culture of those they are studying. I think it’s important to be sensitive to the people who will be affected by the process and the outcome. If the Fraser-Institute came into school and witnessed the anxiety some of our kids experience sitting in front of a computer to take a test in unfamiliar fashion, would they feel so good about their numbers? I don’t really know how this thought lines up with butter, but I bet the cows would rather we went with margarine.
For the reader of my research, I hope I don’t draw any conclusions that do harm. At my school, we enjoy the company of quite a few indigenous families and I don’t want to “fail to account for (their) identity” (Shauneen Pete). Nor do I wish to fail to account for the identities of children from any other culture, socioeconomic status, or with special needs. I want readers of my research to think, “That works for me!” I want everyone to have their choice of butter or margarine because it works for them, and maybe I can help them decide how much.
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