Episode 113: Teaching Pseudoscience in the Classroom

Scott Lilienfeld

For the final episode of season seven, we invite Rodney Schmalz and Steven Lilienfeld to the show to talk about pseudoscience.  Schmalz and Lilienfeld recently published an article discussing the use of pseudoscience in the science classroom to help give students the tools needed to differentiate between scientific and pseudoscientific or paranormal claims. According to the authors, “by incorporating examples of pseudoscience into lectures, instructors can provide students with the tools needed to understand the difference between scientific and pseudoscientific or paranormal claims.” Listen to the episode to learn how you might use pseudoscience appropriately in your science instruction.

Rodney Schmalz

As our season closes for Lab Out Loud, we’d like to hear from our listeners. Do you have any ideas for guests? What topics in science and science education need to be addressed next year? Submit your comments, concerns and suggestions through our contact page.

Links:

• “Hauntings, homeopathy, and the Hopkinsville Goblins: Using Psuedoscience to Teach Scientific Thinking” (Frontiers in Psychology).
• Rodney Schmalz from The Huffington Post
• Scott Lilenfeld: The Skeptical Psychologist from Psychology Today
• “Time to Bring Pseudoscience into Science Class” (Forbes)

To listen to this episode, download the mp3 directly, find us on iTunes, or use the player below.