MYSTIFICATION, ACCORDING TO MCNIEL Essay, Research Paper

Educational Studies

Mystification

According to McNeil, mystification is a technique used by teachers who are not fully informed on the topic in which they are instructed to teach. Teachers often use mystification when teaching a complex, or controversial topic. They mystify the topic by making it appear very important, but unknowable, thus leaving the student with a sense of wonder, or mystery. Mystification does count as a form of knowledge control because mystification makes it impossible for a student to gain a full understanding of a topic from inside the classroom. Mystification could be a way for students to get out of the classroom. This would allow them to get out on their own to learn more about topics they are learning about in school.

Gene Anyon would enjoy the idea of mystification. Mystification would encourage students to work outside of the “boring” classroom and learn more extensively about a subject on their own. Mystification could be used to spark students interest in a subject, and leave them with enough mystery for them to seek an answer, or conclusion that otherwise would not have been covered in the classroom. Mystification would be an easy way to ease the corruptness of the school on the student.

Getting out of the classroom would also teach the student not to rely on the school as there only main source of education and would also teach them to think on a higher level, thinking and questioning more independently. Would this not broaden a the education of a child? It is often known that what children do not know, or what they find mysterious, they often seek to find.