"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"

Too often, lack of conclusive evidence about a product, practice, or principle is prematurely interpreted as proof of lack of value or validity. This pattern of fallacious reasoning can be applied equally inappropriately by opponents of long-standing practices in education (such as lectures) or by opponents of new practices which are perceived as threatening (use of cell phones).

The quotation, excerpts, and article referenced below provide a better explanation of this fallacy and how to avoid it.

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."Carl Sagan,US astronomer & popularizer of astronomy (1934 - 1996) - found on "The Quotations Page" 2007-08-15 at http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/37901.html

"dangers of misinterpretation of non-significant results"

"…we must question whether the absence of evidence is a valid enough justification for inaction."

"…we should first ask whether absence of evidence means simply that there is no information at all."

"While it is usually reasonable not to accept a new treatment unless there is positive evidence in its favour, when issues of public health are concerned we must question whether the absence of evidence is a valid enough justification for inaction. ... Can we be comfortable that the absence of clear evidence in such cases means that there is no risk or only a negligible one?"

Above 4 excerpts from:

"Statistics notes: Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence" [Link works as of 2007-08-15]
Douglas G Altman, J Martin Bland, BMJ (British Medical Journal) 1995; 311:485 (19 August). "BMJ is published by BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association"

What is Your 8th Principle?

What is the 8th Principle for Improving Undergraduate Education? Caring, Authenticity, Loving to Learn, Reflection...?

FridayLive! June 15, 2007 2PM EDT
Online Registration - free, but required in advance

Moderator: Steven W. Gilbert, President, TLT Group

Guests: Karen Casto, Kathleen Young, Western Wash. Univ.

We're not really proposing to extend the classic Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education, but we do hope to engage people in thinking about what they might add to make the original seven more applicable to themselves, to these times, to their own experience, to their own institutions.

I've already used this activity quite successfully on some campuses, and I've begun to collect some interesting nominations for 8th Principles: Caring, Authenticity, Loving to Learn, Reflection, etc.
What are your suggestions? Click here to add your nomination for an 8th Principle.

In this June 15, 2007 FridayLive! session I'll be leading a discussion - both online and involving anyone who joins me on the Earlham campus.

We'll begin with a very brief review of Chickering & Gamson's Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. We'll "play" a couple of pre-recordings (each less than 5 minutes) of comments that might inspire a variety of new "nominations" for the 8th Principle. This session is intended to provide and demonstrate a way of inviting people to think more deeply than usual about their own values, priorities and goals for education, for teaching and learning - and the role of technology.

One of the remarkable "clips" we'll play is "Attending Genocide Conference" by Kathleen Young of the Anthropology Dept., Western Wash. Univ. "http://pandora.cii.wwu.edu/showcase2005/young/showcase3.htm" - about 4.5 minutes. Young describes taking some of her undergrad students to the International Genocide Conference in Sarajevo in 2005. The video-recording is embedded in a Website and related portfolio of materials (including student essays both text and photographic). See one of the student essays by clicking on "Because I was there" at http://pandora.cii.wwu.edu/showcase2005/young/default.htm.

Another clip - perhaps an even more personal comment - "How I came to teach the holocaust" - a 2.5 minute YouTube eClip produced by Cayo Gamber, Univ. Writing Program, Geo. Wash. Univ.

I hope you'll be joining one of the activities described above!

Steve Gilbert