Urban Myths about Learning and Education – A Review

Two points need to be addressed when claiming that a particular notion is a myth. Firstly, people need to believe the notion. Secondly, it must be false, otherwise it is not a myth. Daisy Christodoulou set a benchmark in demonstrating both facets of educational myths in her 2014 book.

Pedro de Bruyckere, Paul Kirschner and Casper Hulshoff take a similar approach in “Urban Myths about Learning and Education,” although their scope is much broader. Daisy identified seven myths which she described at length. De Bruyckere and colleagues have identified a total of thirty-five. The result takes on the character of an encyclopaedia and I found myself reading it in this way, dipping in and out of the different myths. In this regard, it is extraordinarily useful. Each myth is given a brief vignette that begins with a demonstration of its existence, discusses evidence for and against before coming to a judgement…