Search

This article seeks to identify trends in Steiner Waldorf education through the lens of Clarence Beeby's work on educational myths. Beeby calls myths a form of communication between contemporaries or between generations, ways of conceptualizing education that can be understood quickly yet are flexible enough to accommodate a range of interpretations. A myth holds for a period and then transitions into a new myth that best suits changed times and changed circumstances. I reflect on what the myths of Waldorf education might be and take up Gramsci's well-known quotation on change, "The crisis consists precisely of the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born; in this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms appear," In writing this, Gramsci extended the interregnum beyond its usual papal connotation to include the socio-cultural condition as well. I use the notion to consider if Waldorf education is currently in an interregnum period and is displaying both "morbid symptoms" and promising signs of fresh development. In addition, I contemplate if these promising signs point toward a new myth that will allow Waldorf education to step beyond its century-old, colonial heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article seeks to identify trends in Steiner Waldorf education through the lens of Clarence Beeby’s work on educational myths. Beeby calls myths a form of communication between contemporaries or between generations, ways of conceptualizing education that can be understood quickly yet are flexible enough to accommodate a range of interpretations. A myth holds for a period and then transitions into a new myth that best suits changed times and changed circumstances. I reflect on what the myths of Waldorf education might be and take up Gramsci’s well-known quotation on change, “The crisis consists precisely of the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born; in this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms appear,” In writing this, Gramsci extended the interregnum beyond its usual papal connotation to include the socio-cultural condition as well. I use the notion to consider if Waldorf education is currently in an interregnum period and is displaying both “morbid symptoms” and promising signs of fresh development. In addition, I contemplate if these promising signs point toward a new myth that will allow Waldorf education to step beyond its century-old, colonial heritage.

The learning styles myth is prevalent among (pre-service) teachers. Research shows that texts and podcasts refuting misconceptions and contrasting them with scientific concepts can effectively dissolve such misconceptions through cognitive conflicts, encouraging the reflection of one's beliefs. However, it is unclear if texts and podcasts differ in refuting pre-service teachers' misconceptions. We investigated if conceptual change texts and podcasts have different potential for inducing conceptual change among pre-service teachers regarding their beliefs in the learning styles myth, compared to an expository information presentation immediately and up to eight weeks after the intervention. 116 pre-service teachers participated in the short term, and 100 in the long term. The experimental study used a 2 x 2 x 4 mixed-design (manner of information presentation: conceptual change vs expository; medium: podcast vs text; time: immediately before and after the treatment as well as four and eight weeks later). Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions. Students' beliefs were measured at all four measurement points. The conceptual change conditions led to a stronger decrease in students' beliefs than the expository conditions in the short term (p < 0.01, η2 = 0.08) and the long term (p = 0.03, η2 = 0.04). Text and podcast were equally effective in the short term (p = 0.62, η2 = 0.00, BF 01 = 9.13) and the long term (p = 0.67, η2 = 0.00, BF 01 = 39.94). Podcasts and texts using conceptual change strategies can effectively dispel pedagogical misconceptions among pre-service teachers up to eight weeks post-intervention. • Learning styles myth is a prevalent misconception among (pre-service) teachers. • Conceptual change occurs when misconceptions are refuted and contrasted with facts. • Conceptual change podcast/text are effective up to eight weeks post-intervention. • Podcast and text are equally effective for promoting conceptual change. • Podcasts are an effective medium, alongside texts, for promoting conceptual change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]