Myth Persistence and Myth Busting

Myths in learning and education are difficult to eradicate because they are part of a popular and persistent pseudoscience. They are strengthened by falsification, repetition and cultural factors. In order to implement valuable ideas from educational research into practice, the educational sciences must be driven by theories, not by simple observations. These theories must be based on strong empirical data gained from methodologically valid experiments, rather than legends, hypes and unsound research, and tested in real-life settings before proceeding with large-scale implementation. Educators should try not to be fooled by unsubstantiated myths, by checking the validity of a claim and the objectivity of its author, and avoid passing myths on to others.