“No word that is more misused and misunderstood in education than the word theory” – Saunders et al (2009).
The above statement is synonymous with students in tertiary institutions the world over. It is common to hear these comments on universities campuses among students.
Tertiary students complain that they are not given the practical aspect of lessons and it is only the theoretical part that lecturers provide (I used to believe in this assertion when I was in the university). It’s my hope that after reading this article, students will no longer believe in that assertion and see the real picture as it is. My search for knowledge resulted in my discovery of the answer to the question regarding theory.
According to Saunders et al (2009), “It is thought that material included in textbooks is ‘theory’ where as what is happening in the ‘real world’ is practice.” Theory defined by Gill & Johnson (2002) cited in Saunders et al (2009) is a formulation regarding the cause and effect relationships between two or more variables which may or may not have been tested. Saunders et al (2009) explain theory as having a specific meaning and they refer to theory in situations where if A is introduced B will be the consequence.
Furthermore, every purposive decision we take is based on theory; that certain consequences will flow from the decision. Therefore they add if theory is something that is rooted in our everyday lives it certainly is something that we need not be apprehensive about. Finally, they conclude, “If it is implicit in our decisions and actions then recognizing its importance means making it explicit”.
Let’s take balanced diet as an example. Research has revealed that the absence of balanced diet (A) will lead to kwashiorkor (B). That is, if a person does not eat a balanced diet, he/she will suffer from kwashiorkor. Therefore eating a balanced diet or conducting a research is making the implicit theory of balanced diet explicit. For point of emphasis, eating a balanced diet does not mean you are practising the theory but rather applying as Gill & Johnson (2002) cited in Saunders et al (2009) puts it, “theory is enmeshed in practise”.
Simply put, when students classify a course as being too theoretical, what they really mean is the course is too practical (how ironic!). So should it not be practical? In fact the subjects must remain theoretical and they must be because it is the only way to understanding. What is lacking is how to realizing this fact and applying the theory to gain understanding and this depends solely on the student but sadly, students have failed to realize this fact.
Therefore, the best way to apply a theory is to test (apply) it. In otherwords, the best way to know whether the theory on eating a balanced diet is true or not is to eat a non-balanced diet (that is apply) and observe the effects. It is only at that stage you would realize and appreciate the importance of theory because theory per its definition is either tested or untested.
In conclusion, I urge everyone who claims subjects are not practical to dispel that belief and realize the essence of the theory because in the words of Saunders et al (2009), “every purposive decision we take in life is based on theory”.
Reference: Saunders, M. Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research Methods for Business Students, 5th ed. Pearson Education Limited.
The writer is a blogger, researcher and consultant at FECOL SOLUTIONS. www.kofiwusu.blogspot.com email:kofiwusu479@gmail.com
