It is always possible to find alternative and potentially better methods of teaching any topic. The ability to consider alternatives methods , and provide sound reasons for choosing one approach rather than another, is one of the most important professional teaching skills. As such, it requires thorough consideration when conducting pre and post-lesson conferences .

A key consideration is whether the methods and strategies used are consistent with the object of learning. Other key considerations include the age and ability of the pupils and pupils' possible motivations. These and other relevant issues (such as the resources that are, or could be, made available and the available time for the lesson), have to be kept in mind and balanced one against the other as the teacher decides what she/he believes to be the most suitable method for that particular lesson and that particular class, on that particular day.

The need to consider all the many variables suggests that there is no 'one' correct method of teaching a particular lesson or subject, though for any particular lesson some methods will be better, more appropriate, more challenging, and more likely to deliver the intended learning outcomes than others. When mentoring or conducting peer review, the aim should be to discuss the use of methods in a productive and creative way, such that it encourages a continuous awareness of the need to question the methods we are using and the reasons for our preferences.

In the context of conducting a Learning Study, considerable importance is placed on using variation as a pedagogical tool. Learning occurs when we see something in a new and/or unexpected way. This is greatly aided when some aspects of a topic or exercise are kept constant while others are varied; these are then kept constant while others are varied. Using variation as a pedagogical tool is therefore similar to the strategy used by researchers when conducting a controlled experiment in a laboratory.