[Physltest] [Phys-L] Re: "Effective" teaching methods

[Brian Whatcott <betwys1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>]

At 10:12 AM 11/16/2004, you wrote:
> A colleague of mine is a former industrial physicist.  He told me of =
> a study in which a firm was trying to influence employee's productivi=
> ty.  For example, they found that playing music  improved productivit=
> y. Turning off the music a month later also improved productivity.   =
> They tried changing the color of the walls, and I don't know what els=
> e. The final analysis: It was change itself that improved productivit=
> y, not the specific nature of the changes.  IMHO, teaching fads are s=
> ort of like that.  Teachers get bored, especially if they're cycling =
> through the same material year after year.  Students get bored, too. =
> Change perks up everybody. =20
>
> As for "miracle" cures in education, teaching syles are a personal as=
>  shoes. A good teacher adopts or adapts various methodologies accordi=
> ng to what fits him or her, and tries new things from time to time to=
>  keep his or her teaching fresh. ANY technique might work well for on=
> e instructor and not another.  This is often forgotten by the purveyo=
> rs of the "miracle" cures.
>
> Vickie Frohne


Vickie's anecdote might well have been describing the celebrated
Hawthorne effect, where a group of workers was set up with improved
illumination, with the expected results.
The process was repeated at increasing light levels in a search for an
optimal lighting level, until at length the illumination was greater than
the operating room environment now provides - and  an experimenter
noting the dazzling light level, set the lighting back to levels lower than
ever before, with the same favorable result.
  The observer effect is a powerful influence.


Brian Whatcott    Altus OK    Eureka!
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