Louis_Schmier wrote:
> As opposed to? Anecdote is not a dirty word, especially if we're talking
> about 4000 over an eight year period. After all, a sampling is little
> more than a series of anecdotal experiences disguised as statistics.
> Besides, statstics usually distorts the individual experience anyway.
Of course, part of the problem with anecdotal evidence is observer bias.
Individuals are more likely to note behaviors that fit their belief
systems and schemas and to discount evidence which does not.
Additionally, students are not usually randomly assigned to all of their
classes. Thus, "samples" may be biased by those who prefer classes
structures fitting their personal learning styles.
Ultimately, as discussed by Sternberg, students are not all alike and
learning styles differ. Thus, it is not unlikely that some students may
work and learn best in a community setting and other individually. This
is most likely a continuum and may even vary by type of task and type of material.
Warm regards,
Linda
--
Linda M. Woolf, Ph.D.
Associate Professor - Psychology
