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Some ineffective learning styles have been discredited but others live on in spite of the weight of evidence
Being research-informed is an integral part of a teacher's responsibilities in the FE and skills sector. The second of the Education and Training Foundation's (ETF) Professional Standards for Teachers and Trainers makes clear the need to "maintain and update your knowledge of educational research to develop evidence-based practice".
Thanks to some well-informed teaching practitioners, unsuccessful learning styles have been knocked off their well-established perches in the past few years. The foundations of the learning pyramid have collapsed following a misinterpretation of the information, and the doors to the brain gym have been slammed shut. There are still some ideas lacking any substantiated evidence that we just can't shake off, however.
This article will explore what myths are still at large - and why they might need busting, too.
Myth 1 Teaching generic skills over subject knowledge
FE is often the bridge between education and employment, so it is little wonder that there is an emphasis on teaching generic skills such as problem solving, creativity and critical analysis. The thing is, we can't teach them. That is not to say, of course, that they aren't of importance, but these...