Recent Progress in the Science of Education

Recent Progress in the Science of Education By Dean Milton Bennion Address given as a part of the M. I. A. Radio K S L Program Sunday, March 24, 1929 EDUCATION, like agriculture, home economics, and medicine, is primarily an applied science. These sciences are also alike in being composite; i. e., they draw upon other sciences for facts and laws or principles that can be utilized in formulating their own aims and methods. Education, in formulating its aims and de- termining the agencies that shall be responsible for realizing these aims, must draw heavily upon history, sociology, political science, economics, and ethics; in formulating its methods of instruction and conduct controls, it must draw heavily upon the principles of both individual and social psychology, of both physical and mental hygiene, of public sanitation, and of other human sciences. Each one of these sciences is in itself complex and, thus far, more or less inexact. It follows, of necessity, that education is even more complex and, in many of its aspects, inexact. Fortunately, however, educa- tion is also an art. It has been so through the many centuries of its history and will doubtless continue to be so. As an art, however, it can be much improved by scientific study of underlying principles. In recent years much has been done to improve methods of adminis- tration, as well as methods of instruction, by statistical and other scientific studies of specific educational problems. Education has benefited much by the progress made in the measurement of intelli- gence. It is also building up a body of science of its own through comparative studies of progress made by groups of pupils under con- trolled conditions, thus finding a basis of determining the relative merits of different methods of procedure. By these means it is find- ing answers to such questions as: In what subjects do pupils progress more rapidly by the method of individual rather than by the method of group instruction? Where the method of group instruction is used, what size of group is most advantageous? As a result of these studies, there is a growing tendency to pro- vide increased opportunities for individual work in the acquisition of certain skills; and to increase the size of classes in certain types of group instruction.

S14 IMPROVEMENT ERA Aug.. 1929 Recent scientific studies in psychology, sociology, and economics are paving the way for more effective educational guidance of in- dividuals and a greater degree of success in their vocational place- ment. Such guidance, however, calls for individual case studies, in- volving many factors in addition to those that can be treated by ex- act or mathematical methods. Satisfactory progress in education can come only through com- bined use of philosophic study of the problem in its larger aspects, and scientific study of specific procedures; this will include study of the personal influence of teachers and of comrades. Discovery of the great influence of associates and of group standards is one of the out- standing results of the attempt during the last few years to make scientific study of character education methods. At the recent na- tional educational meetings in Cleveland, Ohio, Dean William F. Russell, of Teachers' College, Columbia University, ventured to pre- dict that the greatest contribution that will be made to the science of education during the next few years will come from the field of social psychology. Somewhat in line with this prediction was a paper pre- sented by Professor Ross L. Finney, of the University of Minnesota, author of A Sociological Philosophy of Education, in which he suggested re-examination of the foundations of education in the light of all the social and human sciences. His contention was that the science of education, in the narrower sense, may contribute much to- ward determining how to further the learning process, but that it does not determine what to teach or what ultimate goals to aim at. In any attempt to work out a system of education these should first receive thorough -going consideration. A closely allied thought was presented by Professor C. W. Bag- ley, of Columbia University, who, after presentation of statistics showing the high percentage of crime in our country and the youth of criminals generally, pointed out the necessity of re-evaluating edu- cational aims and extending scientific study of methods to the ques- tion of moral influences as well as to the learning processes. Dr. John J. Tigert, who recently resigned as United States Commissioner of Education to become president of the University of Florida, emphasized the same point. Moral education is, of course, a very old problem in the history of education; but until recently, little has been done toward a scien- tific solution of the most effective methods of influencing character traits. During the last few years, however, large sums of money have been spent by some of the philanthropic foundations in support of scientific studies on this phase of education. The most notable of these efforts is the study by Hartshorne and May, under the general direction of Thorndike at Teachers' College, Columbia University.

Aug., 1929 RECENT PROGRESS IN SCIENCE OF EDUCATION 8 1 5 Results of this work have been published at various times in maga- zine articles. A comprehensive survey and report, however, came out last year in a rather large volume, entitled Studies in Deceit, published by the Macmillan Company. Results of this study were at first rather startling to many people, since they seemed to show that the pupil's honesty was not improved by the instruction received in Sunday School; that is, in case of the pupils studied. The study, however, revealed nothing as to the effect of this instruction upon other phases of character, nor did the investigations, nor could they well, test every phase of honesty. Honesty is not a simple quality of character. It is well known that the same person may be very honest in some ways and at the same time dishonest in some other ways. These facts are recognized and noted by the authors. In the types of honesty tested there was a predominance of situations in which the pupil cheated in order to make a better showing in knowl- edge and skill; the kind of cheating that students indulge in in exam- inations, and toward which many individuals have a different atti- tude from that manifested in other situations. Some, at least, have the notion that by cheating in examinations they can better them- selves without injuring anybody else. In this they are, of course, mistaken. It may be, however, that what they need is not less in- struction in honesty, but more thorough-going instruction and the employment of more scientific methods. This is, of course, only a suggestion for further experimentation. A study made a few years ago by Voelker, entitled The Func- tion of Ideals and Attitudes in Social Education, a study in which the Scout methods of instruction were used, seemed to show that ideals can be taught, and can be made effective in improving conduct. Scientific study of the problems of social and moral education is so new and so difficult that investigators hesitate to give more than tentative conclusions. Among the notable studies in education carried on during the past twelve months are the following; a. Preschool and Parental Education, by a committee of the National Society for the Study of Education. This is published in two volumes; Part I — Organization and Development. Part II — Research and Methods. These two volumes may be obtained from the Public School Publishing Co. of Bloomington, 111. They represent the combined work of leading psychologists, psychiatrists, and practical edu- cators, such as Patty Hill of Columbia University. b. Of equal significance is The Commonwealth Teacher

816 IMPROVEMENT ERA Aug., 1 9 29 Training Study, made by Charters and Waples and published by the University of Chicago Press. These investigators have attempted an analysis and evaluation of all the activities of teachers while on their jobs, i. e., they have used the "job analysis" method. It is designed to reveal the best practices in teaching with a view to devising the most effective teach- er-training methods. c. A third important publication is The Year-Book of the National Society of College Teachers of Education, published by the University of Chicago Press. This is given, in the main, to studies in the methods of teaching college students. It may be noted in this connection that some universities are spending very liberally in research studies in this field, with a view to improving the methods of college education. It should also be noted that systematic study of education be- gan with the study of childhood education and that in the course of generations it became generally recognized that high school teachers also need to study educational methods as well as the particular sub- jects they are to teach. They are now required by law to do so. The process of extending this practice to college teachers is now well un- der way. This does not mean that scholarship requirements in aca- demic subjects are to be lowered, but rather that these requirements are to be supplemented with professional scholarship and professional training. Surely understanding, on the part of the teacher, of hu- man nature and of how best to deal with the young persons in his charge is as essential and just as much a matter of scholarship as is mastery of the so-called academic subjects. Recognition of this fact is sure to result in requirement of professional preparation of all teachers and consequent reduction of poor teaching. Live Each Day ./ Live each day that evening shadows May ne'er bring a blush of shame, That your efforts be rewarded By no taint upon your name. Pause a moment, e're you slumber, Scan your work and build upon The successes and the failures Of the day that's passed and gone. Life is but a school of learning, Each day but a little span, Just one tiny link connecting The experiences of man. Mesa, Arizona IDA R. ALLDREDGfc