Norman Edmund’s Educational Blog

Although these famous men did not use the term scientific method extensively in their writing, they did believe in its existence.
Richard P. Feynman (1918-1988). Feynman, often called the greatest physicist who ever lived, was a Nobel Prize winner. In Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman (1985), he tells of the “cargo cult of people” who, during […]

Ever since its popularization by the educational improvement programs in the early 20th century, hands-on learning has slowly gained wide acclaim and praise, especially in recent years. Educators have sought to use it in their instruction and curricula, and students have enjoyed participating in hands-on learning projects. Children love this method of learning, and most […]

In my book End the Biggest Educational and Intellectual Blunder in History, I challenge 17 organizations to study my claims about the misunderstandings about the scientific method. The American Psychological Society, the American Psychological Association, and the Cognitive Science Society should consider my challenge carefully.
Reason 1. The scientific method is a guide for mental activities. […]

Look at the similarity between science and detective work! Both use the scientific method.
Dr. Jerry D. Flack, Professor of Education at the University of Colorado, wrote an article entitled “Put Some Mystery in Your Classroom” (Teaching K-8, Nov-Dec 1991). It points out that teachers interested in teaching thinking skills should consider the many possibilities available […]

Projection: Knowledge will double every 73 days by the year 2020 (as reported by a presenter at the June 1992 Conference Teach America: Teacher Preparation for the New American School).
Estimated number of years it took for knowledge to double since 1750:
1750 - 1900: 150 years
1900 -1950: 50 years
1950 - 1960: 10 years
1960 - present: […]

Many of our top educational leaders are not including the scientific method in national education reform plans. They often claim that the scientific method doesn’t exist or give some other excuse.
Early in my research of the scientific method I examined many science textbooks and found that approximately 65% of them included a few or more […]

The Blunder continues, even though by now I have called it to the attention of hundreds of our top leaders. The trouble is that no one wants to admit that a big blunder has occurred. Here is what I wrote several years ago.
I Goof! You Goof! We All Goof!
Bosses are constantly plagued with subordinates who […]

The December 2005-January 2006 issue of Educational Leadership contains a very good article by Mary Burns entitled “Tools for the Mind.” Ms. Burns thinks that too often computer use is relegated to show-and-tell rather than to higher-order applications that deepen learning.
Because of the blunder about the scientific method, the term higher-order thinking skills has been […]

“Give a hungry man a fish and you’ve given him a meal. Teach him how to fish and you’ve given him a living.”
Teach students subject matter, and they will remember some of it. Teach them the scientific method, and you’ve given them the method of utilizing their knowledge and making a living. The scientific method […]

We all envy the experts and wish we were as knowledgeable as they are. However, if you have a problem and can’t afford or find an expert, the scientific method can often help you beat the experts. Because most of our experts are not adequately trained in the scientific method, they don’t use it the […]