In this chapter, we discuss the results of educational research that has been conducted evaluating the impact of the Moore Method and describe the results of educational research on similar teaching approaches, draw parallels to the Moore Method, and make suggestions for further assessment of the effectiveness of the Moore Method for interested readers.

Introduction

Whenever an innovation emerges in teaching, there are important questions to be asked. Does the innovation actually work? That is, does it truly improve students' learning, or does it just give the appearance of doing so? Is it feasible that the innovation can be implemented by other instructors in other educational settings, or does it rely upon the talent of a few gifted instructors in a particular context? Is the innovation appropriate for all learners, or just for a particular subgroup? Though the proponents of such innovations are often quite enthusiastic in their efforts to describe and promote the innovation, they are often only able to provide anecdotal evidence for its success. While important and frequently convincing, such evidence is not sufficient to answer the questions posed above. Rather, careful, systematic research should be done to establish the effectiveness of the innovation.