Don’t Shoot the Education Mythbuster
Why Education Mythbusters Lead a Risky Life
In “The researchED Guide to Education Myths,” Fletcher Wood (2019) explains the social difficulties associated with challenging entrenched educational myths:
“Letting sleeping myths lie is socially easier than combating them”
(Fletcher-Wood, 2019).
Education myths are often common beliefs that seem reasonable at first glance but are not supported by scientific evidence. When individuals’ long-held beliefs and practices are contested, they typically respond with defense mechanisms, such as ignoring, misinterpreting, or outright rejecting the new information (e.g., Chinn & Brewer, 1998). After all, people don’t like finding out that they’ve been thinking or acting in a wrong way.
Education mythbusters often lead a risky life due to several challenges and complexities inherent in challenging long-standing beliefs and practices in the field of education. One risk for mythbusters includes being perceived as pedantic, arrogant, or worse — unempathetic purveyors of unwanted advice—labels that come from confronting people with uncomfortable truths.
This seems to be especially challenging in soft sciences like education due to its complexities. Here it can be challenging to tell the difference between ‘myths’ and ‘facts’ as often grey areas and nuances exist that do not allow for easy answers and simple solutions (Siegel, 2024b).
Why Keeping Mum is not a Solution for Responsible Education Researchers and Professional Mythbusters
Responsible education researchers and professional mythbusters play a vital role in fostering evidence-informed educational practices and policies (Ferguson, 2021).
- Without education mythbusters, questionable or even false assumptions may proliferate, becoming the basis for educational practices and policies. This can result in a wide range of negative consequences, such as inefficient use of resources, ineffective teaching strategies, and missed opportunities for educational improvement and innovation (Siegel, 2024a; Sinatra & Jacobson, 2019).
- In contrast to lay persons, education researchers can more easily identify educational myths by employing heuristics, effectively prebunking, and debunking, thus supporting intentional conceptual change in others (Siegel, 2024a). A proactive approach in challenging misconceptions is crucial for maintaining the integrity of educational content and practices.
- According to Noelle-Neumann’s theory of the spiral of silence (1993), people tend to remain silent when they feel their views are in the minority or opposed to the dominant perspective. Mythbusters challenge this phenomenon by voicing counternarratives and evidence-based perspectives, encouraging open dialogue and critical thinking. This is essential for fostering a culture where truths are not overshadowed by unchallenged myths.
In summary, keeping silent is not an option for responsible education researchers and mythbusters as it is a part of their profession to engage in mythbusting. Their active engagement in debunking and disseminating evidence-based information is vital for the ongoing improvement of educational practices and the prevention of misinformation in the field. Speaking up should however not be confused with telling other people what to think and do, anyplace, anywhere and anytime. In the face of those who may implicitly feel the need to shoot the messenger, it is crucial to engage in a manner that is not perceived as dictatorial, but rather as fostering constructive dialogue.
5 Communication Tips for Effective Mythbusters with a Will to Survive
To avoid the pitfalls of seeming like a “know-it-all” or infringing upon others’ intellectual autonomy, effective mythbusters can follow the following tips:
- Active Listening and Intellectual Humility: Use active listening and be kind, empathetic and show yourself “intellectual humility” (Porter et al., 2022)
- Accessible Language: Employ words that resonate with the audience’s existing understanding.
- Fight Sticky Myths with Stickier Facts: Present evidence that is memorable and sourced from independent, rigorous research (Heath & Heath, 2007).
- Constructive Conversations: Rather than solely deconstructing myths, focus on building new, evidence-informed perspectives (Fletcher-Wood, 2019).
- Encouraging Two-Way Learning: Foster an environment where practice informs research just as much as research informs practice (Ferguson, 2021).
Ultimately, education mythbusters and myths should not only be considered as adversaries. Instead, they can be catalysts that trigger deeper engagement with teaching and learning phenomena. However, mythbusters should engage with their audience, even those who may be initially resistant with respect, breaking the spiral of silence, contributing to a more informed and reflective educational environment, and ultimately to avoid getting shot.
📚 References
- Chinn, C. A., & Brewer, W. F. (1998). An empirical test of a taxonomy of responses to anomalous data in science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching: The Official Journal of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, 35(6), 623-654.
- Ferguson, L. E. (2021). Evidence-informed teaching and practice-informed research. Zeitschrift für Pädagogische Psychologie, 35(2–3), 199–208. https://doi.org/10.1024/1010-0652/a000310
- Fletcher-Wood, H. (2019). Don’t shoot the mythbuster. In Barton, C. (Ed.). The researchED Guide to Education Myths. An evidence-informed guide for teachers. John Catt Educational.
- Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2007). Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. Random House.
- Noelle-Neumann, E. (1993). The spiral of silence: Public opinion, our social skin. University of Chicago Press.
- Porter, T., Elnakouri, A., Meyers, E. A., Shibayama, T., Jayawickreme, E., & Grossmann, I. (2022). Predictors and consequences of intellectual humility. Nature Reviews Psychology, 1(9), Art. 9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-022-00081-9
- Siegel, S. T. (2024a). Educational Myths Debunked. Lehrblick – ZHW Uni Regensburg. https://doi.org/10.5283/ZHW.20240215.EN
- Siegel, S. T. (2024b). Myths, Facts, or Questionable Beliefs? Navigating Nuances in Education. Evidence-informed Sustainability Education (EvSusEd). Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://evsused.hypotheses.org/802
- Sinatra, G. M., & Jacobson, N. (2019). Zombie Concepts in Education: Why They Won’t Die and Why You Cannot Kill Them. In P. Kendeou, D. H. Robinson, & M. T. McCrudden (Eds.), Misinformation and fake news in education (S. 7–27). Information Age Publishing, Inc.
- Shephard, K. (2020). Higher education for sustainability: Seeking intellectual independence in aotearoa New Zealand. Springer Nature.
OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Dr. Stefan T. Siegel (April 19, 2024). Don’t Shoot the Education Mythbuster. Evidence-informed Sustainability Education (EvSusEd). Retrieved December 2, 2024 from https://doi.org/10.58079/12m7v
