When to Bust, and When Not to Bust, That is the Question – A Mythbusting Decision Tree

Amina’s Case – A Common Challenge for Mythbusters

Amina, a dedicated education researcher and lecturer in higher education, is convinced that educational myths, such as learning styles, waste time and money and damage the teaching profession’s reputation. She often hears these questionable beliefs from both laypersons and colleagues and is passionate about debunking them to foster evidence-informed practices.

One myth that particularly irks her is the learning styles theory, which claims that students learn best when taught in their preferred learning style (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.). Despite substantial evidence debunking this concept over the past decades (e.g., Kirschner, 2017), Amina frequently encounters colleagues who adhere to this notion and design their teaching strategies around it. Determined to promote evidence-informed practices, Amina decided to tackle this myth head-on. She prepared a detailed presentation backed by scientific research, aiming to convince her peers during a teaching exchange. However, her well-intentioned efforts did not go as planned.

During the meeting, Amina presented her findings, highlighting studies and facts that debunked the learning styles theory and emphasizing the need for evidence-informed teaching methods. To her surprise, her colleagues were not as receptive as she had hoped. Some dismissed her evidence, citing personal experiences and anecdotal success stories. Others felt attacked and became defensive, interpreting her mythbusting efforts as a critique of their teaching abilities.

Amina’s frustration grew as she realized that simply presenting evidence wasn’t enough to change deeply ingrained beliefs. The backlash left her disheartened and questioning the effectiveness of her approach. She learned that timing, audience, and context play crucial roles in the success of mythbusting efforts.

Amina’s experience underscores the importance of a strategic approach to mythbusting.

What is Mythbusting?

Whilst definitions and theories of myths are both numerous and evasive, one seldom sees cogent, succinct definitions of mythbusting

(Cobley, 2011, p. 512)

Mythbusting involves taking a closer look at questionable beliefs and debunking false information and correcting misconceptions (Lewandowsky et al., 2020; Siegel, 2024b).

While anyone can engage in mythbusting, those who possess expertise in the relevant field and that are able to use tools (such as the Educational Myths Refutation Canvas), tend to be more effective in this endeavor (Siegel, 2024b).

When to mythbust?

However, mythbusting is not without its challenges. One of the primary difficulties is encapsulated in Brandolini’s Law, also known as the bullshit asymmetry principle, which states that “the amount of energy needed to refute bullshit is an order of magnitude bigger than to produce it (Williamson, 2016). This asymmetry can make the task of debunking myths seem overwhelming and often discouraging.

Mythbusters such as Amina, have only a limited attention, energy, and time. To help you to choose your battles and to determine when mythbusting is worth the effort, I’ve developed a decision tree. This tool guides you through key questions to consider before engaging in mythbusting:

This decision tree is designed to guide you through the process of determining when and how to address educational myths strategically and effectively. Although some of the questions might not be easy to answer, it may help to decide to challenge potential myths only when it is appropriate, feasible, and impactful to do so.

Here is how to use the decision tree step by step:

• Identify the Myth: Clearly define and understand the myth you are considering busting.
• Assess Impact: Evaluate the potential harm or influence of the myth. Is it causing significant damage or misleading a large audience?
• Analyze the Audience: Determine the susceptibility and openness of the audience to change their minds.
• Resource Check: Consider the resources you have available for mythbusting. Do you have the time, energy, and expertise required?
• Evidence Gathering: Check the availability and strength of counterevidence. Is there solid, credible information to refute the myth?
• Decide to Bust or Not: Based on the above criteria, make an informed decision on whether to proceed with mythbusting.

Conclusion

Amina’s journey highlights the complexities of mythbusting (in education). While her passion and dedication are commendable, her experience demonstrates that effective mythbusting requires more than just presenting evidence. By considering the impact, audience, resources, evidence, context, and timing, educators can better navigate when to engage in debunking myths and when to conserve their energy for more impactful efforts (Siegel, 2024a; Siegel 2024b).

Mythbusting (in education) remains a vital yet challenging task. By using this decision tree, you can better navigate when to engage in mythbusting when to conserve your energy for more impactful efforts. So, the next time you encounter a dubious claim, feel free to use this decision tree to decide: to bust or not to bust?

📚 References

• Cobley, P. (2011). Mythbusting. Language Sciences, 33(4), 511–516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2011.04.006
• Kirschner, Paul A. (2017): Stop propagating the learning styles myth. Computers & Education 106 (1), S. 166–171. doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2016.12.006
• Lewandowsky, S., Cook, J., Ecker, U. K. H., Albarracín, D., Amazeen, M. A., Kendeou, P., Lombardi, D., Newman, E. J., Pennycook, G., Porter, E. Rand, D. G., Rapp, D. N., Reifler, J., Roozenbeek, J., Schmid, P., Seifert, C. M., Sinatra, G. M., Swire-Thompson, B., van der Linden, S., Vraga, E. K., Wood, T. J., Zaragoza, M. S. (2020). The Debunking Handbook 2020. https://doi.org/10.17910/b7.1182
• Siegel, S. T. (2024a). Don’t Shoot the Education Mythbuster. Evidence-informed Sustainability Education (EvSusEd). https://evsused.hypotheses.org/971
• Siegel, S. T. (2024b). Educational Myths Debunked. Lehrblick – ZHW Uni Regensburg. https://doi.org/10.5283/ZHW.20240215.EN
• Williamson, P. (2016). Take the time and effort to correct misinformation. Nature, 540(7632), Art. 7632. https://doi.org/10.1038/540171a

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