On the Future of Laboratory Education

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Abstract
The primary reason for the creation of laboratory education was to help human beings to deal more effectively with complex human relationships and problems. As such, laboratory education shares the same goals with many other types of education. What distinguishes laboratory education from most other education is its basic assumptions concerning the process of education. The traditional educational methods primarily emphasize substance, rationality, the in-appropriateness of feelings, direction and control by the teacher, and so on. Laboratory education assumes that these emphases are not adequate by themselves. New ones need to be added such as the importance of maintaining the effectiveness of the learning groups, the admission of all data that are relevant, including feelings, and the enlargement of responsibility by giving the students greater direction and control over their education (Bradford, Gibb, & Benne, 1964; Schein & Bennis, 1965). Because feelings, group maintenance, and student control are so completely ignored in the traditional process, their emphasis in laboratory education may be easily mistaken by some as an overemphasis. This misperception is partially supported by the proponents of laboratory education who, in their striving to gain recognition (the hostility was so great in the early days that one might have placed his professional reputation in jeopardy by attending a laboratory), had to emphasize the differences in their approach. In the early days an informal norm developed among the participants in laboratory education of constant inquiry into new methods and the encouragement of differences. It is well known that, to date, the National Training Laboratories is the best and largest ex- ample of a behavioral science organization that is still growing, serving its professional network and the public with the largest variety of educational experiences developed by its members. This diversity has been and continues to be an important strength, for one of the greatest dangers in any new profession is a two-quick jelling on any one set of concepts or methods. As much as I admire and respect diversity, there comes a time when its forces can create disintegration and confusion. Diversity should be questioned, I believe, when the basic assumptions and values that underlie different methods seriously conflict with one another. In the physical and biological sciences, when the theories available make fundamentally contradictory assumptions about matter or the nature of the physiology of man, then research is necessary -to integrate by modification of one or both competing theories, to eliminate one of the points of view, or to find a theory that comprehends both. I believe that the field of laboratory education is entering an era where research is necessary so that intelligent choices can be made. The purpose of this paper is to try to identify some of the issues with the hope that it will generate dialogue and research.

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