This has been presented on the forum before.
The question we ask if the evidence is so damning why wasn't Learning Strategies presented with a copy.
When you look at the what making it's rounds as the NASA reports we notice that there is no mention of NASA within the report. No names, not even the author and no date.
If you are referencing the same report you will notice some glaring problems with it with might explain why NASA never acted on the report if in fact it is a NASA report.
1 The researcher is measuring reading at 25,000 wpm. PhotoReading is not reading at 25,000 wpm.
2. The creator of the research is both the trainee and administrator of the test.
3. Once you are a PhotoReader it affects your natural approach to reading and your baseline reading speed. You cannot help it, so how can you compare the PhotoReaders before PhotoReading and after PhotoReading?
4. The PhotoReading instructor refused to participate with part of the test under any normal testing situations any results producted by an unwilling participant must be excluded from the measurements as results become untrue when the subjects are unwilling.
5. Since the researcher is not identified and there are only two people in the test, an unwilling PhotoReader and the Researcher/trainee, what was the purpose of the research? How can this be considered unbiased research?
Lets consider some test that are done repeatedly with serious numbers.
The deomgraphics of the people are the same, they are the same age, live in the same area, attend the same classes have the same teacher for the same number of lessons, room temperature is the same for all the particpants, lighting is the same.
You've managed to control everything except the attitude toward the test and it's fair to say that by far the majority are unwilling participants. What results will you get? In some classes the majority fail, with one or two barely passing. In other classes, it swings with an unusually exceptional 1st grade to dismal most barely passing and a couple of dismal failures to boot.
This test is carried out in schools around the world. It doesn't just apply to English and reading comprehension classes but every conceivable subject being taught.
What is the factor that affects these test results? The only thing that one cannot control in a participant, their attitude.
People can always choose not to let things like chopping wood with the bare hands or PhotoReading work. Or theydecide to learn it for themselves.
BTW. The "NASA" research has been repeated many many times by individuals who decided to learn PhotoReading and are glad they did. Because they get their homework done faster.
Alex
[This message has been edited by Alex K. Viefhaus (edited February 20, 2005).]