The Winding Path toward Research-Informed Teaching Practices

摘要

The idea of using research from cognitive science to make informed decisions about teaching choices often arises in papers and in chemistry education discussions, and in discussions of any area of teaching and learning. At the same time, the continuous growth of what is known about human cognition and how to best advance student learning may present difficult or even conflicting choices. For example, recent replication work has called into question prior research about note-taking using computers that had provided many instructors with guidance about whether or not to allow computers in their classroom. The need to adapt teaching choices to account for new results is always a possibility with research-informed teaching practices because research usually does not provide a clear and indisputably correct direction. Thus, the path taken when using research-based strategies may not always be a straight one for continuous improvement of teaching and learning, but it is arguably a more fruitful pathway than not allowing any changes in how one teaches.