Debate on Traditional vs. Progressive Education: The Role of Teachers

The debate between traditional and progressive education focuses on the role of teachers in the classroom. With the rise of child-centred teaching methods, teachers have taken a more passive role, allowing students to work independently or in groups. However, recent research challenges the effectiveness of this approach.

Findings from Quebec’s School Reform

An evaluation of a universal school reform in Quebec, which shifted teaching methods from traditional to individualised approaches, revealed strong negative effects on student performance. The reform negatively impacted domestic and international assessments across all ability levels.

Professor Victor Lavy’s Study on Teaching Methods

Professor Victor Lavy conducted a study analyzing teaching practices in Israeli primary and middle schools. His research:

1. Controlled for external variables, ensuring a more accurate assessment of teaching methods.
2. Used longitudinal data, allowing for a quasi-experimental analysis.

Key Findings

Lavy classified teaching practices into four categories and evaluated their impact on student achievement in mathematics, science, Hebrew, and English:

1. Traditional Teaching (Knowledge & Comprehension Focus)
   • Strongest positive effect on student outcomes.
   • Increasing the share of teachers using this method from 0% to 100% led to an improvement of 79-88 PISA points.
2. Encouraging Independent Study
   • Negative or no effect on student performance.
   • A 100% increase in teachers using this method resulted in a decrease of 41 PISA points.
3. Instilling Analytical & Critical Thinking Skills
   • Positive effect on student achievement.
   • A 100% increase in this approach raised scores by 52-54 PISA points.
4. Transparency, Fairness, & Feedback
   • No significant effect on student performance.

Impact on Different Student Groups

The study highlights variations in teaching effectiveness based on gender and socio-economic background:

• Girls benefit the most from traditional teaching.
• Boys benefit more from analytical & critical thinking skills.
• Encouraging boys to study independently is particularly harmful, leading to an 89 PISA point decrease.
• Students from low socio-economic backgrounds benefit significantly from traditional teaching but are harmed by individualised methods.
• Students from high socio-economic backgrounds gain from analytical & critical thinking approaches while remaining unaffected by individualised teaching.

Policy Implications

• The findings suggest that teaching-driven methods produce higher cognitive achievement, while individualised learning methods may be detrimental.
• Policymakers should reconsider the growing emphasis on child-centred learning, as seen in Nordic countries, where declining educational performance has coincided with such reforms.
• There is potential to combine traditional teaching with critical thinking approaches to maximise student outcomes.
• Differentiated teaching methods based on student needs may be beneficial, supporting the idea of sorting students into different classrooms or schools for efficiency and equity.

Conclusion

Professor Lavy’s study adds nuance to the debate on teaching methods. While traditional teaching remains highly effective, instilling critical thinking skills also has merit. The findings suggest the need for policy adjustments to improve educational outcomes while considering student diversity.

Source:
Gabriel H. Sahlgren, Editor’s Pick, CMRE Monthly Research Digest_04_15. Review of Victor Lavy’s forthcoming paper, “What Makes an Effective Teacher? Quasi-Experimental Evidence,” CESifo Economic Studies.