The Learing Blog

I am completely convinced of the learning benefits of daily writing. One hour each morning, is plenty of time.  Twenty minutes to half hour may be sufficient. I fill one page with thoughts, reflections, nonsense, doesn’t matter.  I start from nothing, no idea, and I see what happens.  Often I am surprised by what emerges by then end of the page.  The mind is a bountiful resource that shows sides of itself in this writing practice.  The main hurdle is beginning.  Some perseverance may also be required in moments when the morning stupor is strong. Daily writing, popularized as “morning pages” by Julia Cameron, in her book The Artist’s Way, has been practiced for centuries.  My father suggested that I write daily when I was 17 years old and traveled abroad for the first time. I benefited greatly from that practice, and kept it going for several decades hence.

What does daily writing mean to you as a learning professional?

Practice daily writing yourself.  Begin with a dedicated month, and see if you benefit from it.

Suggest daily writing to your participants.Use writing as an activity as part of any learning program, no matter what the program content.  The process of writing will put your participants minds into a receptive state. For a longer program ask your participants to fill one page with writing, at the same time each day.  For a shorter such as executive education, have participants fill one page at the beginning of the program, and one at the end.

Some helpful prompts:Keep your hand moving!

Write whatever comes to mind.  It doesn’t have to do with anything in this program.  It can be nonsense if that’s what comes to mind.

No one else is going to read this!

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

“Creativity – like human life itself – begins in darkness.” Julia Cameron

“Writing is an exploration.  You start from nothing, and learn as you go.” L. Doctorow

The Learning Practice designs and delivers tailor-made high-impact learning programs for Business, Educational, Legal and Health Organizations world-wide.

Recently a participant of a program I delivered in Jakarta contacted me about how to make his upcoming learning event more engaging and powerful.  We talked about several things he could do: varying delivery techniques, making the learnings meaningful on a professional level as well as a personal level, using energizers that fit into the content of the program, etc.  We also discussed using METAPHORS.

A metaphor is, according to Merriam-Webster :

1: a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them.

A metaphor is a comparison. A metaphor conveys a complex set of ideas and feelings in a single visual image.  In learning programs using a metaphor to compare two different ideas is a good way to shed light on the learning topic for the participant. Therefore metaphors provide an efficient way of communicating complex ideas and feelings.

I have always enjoyed metaphors for their poetic quality.  Recently I heard George Lakoff, linguist and professor at UC Berkeley, describing metaphors as something physical and naturally occurring.  Two things that are experienced simultaneously (such as “good” and “warm”, which we are likely to experience with the warmth of a parent) are then linked in the brain.  These two notions of “good” and “warm” remain linked because neuronal networks have been created.

“Things that fire together, wire together.”

Norman Doidge from The Brain that Changes Itself

Metaphors are powerful learning tools because they engage the imagination in a creative process, AND they contain within them some of the concepts you would like to teach.  Metaphors are packages that communicate to the visual cortex because visual language is used.  As you use metaphors be sure to give plenty of attention to the explanation of the metaphor. The explanation can be more telling of the participant’s understanding than the metaphor itself.

How can you use metaphors in your learning program?  Metaphors can be used in myriad ways, both in program design and delivery.

• Personal development – ask participants to think of a metaphor for how they behave, or their “style” now, and what they would like to become.
• Adapting to organizational changes – Ask participants to think of a metaphor for how their organization is now, and what their vision is for the future.
• Understanding history – Ask participants to find metaphors for various times in history, in order to capture the spirit of the era.  As they explain why they chose that metaphor you can check for their understanding of the era.
• Motivating others – Because metaphors are visual they can be effective for creating a vision for the group to aim for.

Check out Lakoff’s book, Metaphors We Live By. Also check out his youtube lecture, among others.

The Learning Practice designs and delivers tailor-made high-impact learning programs for Business, Educational, Legal and Health Organizations world-wide.

Recently I was asked to teach a program on Learning Styles.  I have always been fascinated by individual differences and their impact on how people think and learn.

It was evident to me early in life that people process information differently, and that this fact goes beyond levels of intelligence, interest, or upbringing.  In 1982 I discovered Howard Gardner’s book Frames of Mind, in which he expands the definition of intelligence by offering seven “intelligences.”  His theory is well researched.  Each intelligence is discrete because it has its own location in the brain.  Gardner did an enormous amount for students and education by introducing this concept, which went counter to our previously accepted notion of intelligence being linear and one-dimensional.  His work encourages us to look not at how smart our participants ARE, but HOW they are smart.

Of course, Gardner’s is just one approach to this exploration. There are many ways to explain how we differ, some of them preceding Gardner by decades or centuries.  Each theory or framework offers a lens through which we might better understand people; and how learning professionals might utilize that information to increase their effectiveness in teaching.

The PREMISE of LEARNING STYLES

• No two people think, learn or communicate in exactly the same ways.
• Although no one fits perfectly into a discrete type, there are hundreds, maybe thousands of frameworks for understanding learning and communication styles.  These frameworks, or “lenses” are useful ways of categorizing learners into groups according to the ways they think, learn and communicate.
• As a facilitator, or learning professional, you will find that your participants will respond differently to different delivery methods depending on their individual styles or preferences.
• The way meetings are often conducted tends to favor certain learning preferences.  This may leave some people disengaged, because their preferred learning/communicating modality is not utilized.
• The purpose of understanding learning styles is to know how to reach a variety of people when facilitating, in order to have the best possible impact, as well as getting a sense of our own learning styles, since we tend to facilitate according to our own preferences.
• When a facilitator knows his or her participants learning styles, he or she can adapt the meeting to the specific “style” of the participants.
• Of course we don’t often know the learning styles of our participants, so a good general principle is that using a variety of media when facilitating will help ensure that all meeting members will be engaged.
• One caveat: It is important when using categories such as Learning Styles, to use these frameworks only as general guidelines, and not to make assumptions, stereotype or reduce our receptivity to the individuals with whom we interact. Understanding learning styles can support us, but the most important means we have of understanding people of course, is simply being very attentive.

LEARNING STYLES FRAMEWORKS examples

• MBTI. Developed by Katherine Briggs and Isabel Meyers in the mid- 20th century, after the work of Austrian psychiatrist, Carl Jung. It measures preferences on four dichotomous dimensions.
• LEFT BRAIN/RIGHT BRAIN. Focuses on the function of the right brain and left brain, and how individuals show dominance of one or the other.
• SENSORY LEARNING STYLES.  Looks at what sense learners prefer to use when taking in information and expressing themselves.
• COMMUNICATION PREFERENCES. Assesses participants on two dimensions: 1) task or relationship orientation, and 2) quick to action or more reflective.
• 4MAT. Developed in the late 20th century by Bernice McCarthy, validated with brain research, and applied successfully to numerous schools in North America.
• MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES. Originally seven, now nine “intelligences,” based on case studies and brain research done by Howard Gardner, of Harvard University. Does not have an official assessment instrument, but there are unofficial online assessments.
• SPIRAL DYNAMICS. Holistic framework involving personalities and politics, colors and the entire history of humankind as well as projections into the future.  Originated in the early 20th century, and developed in the mid 20th century.
• THE ENNEAGRAM. Holistic frameworks of 9 personality types developed in late 19th century, includes elements such as health, movement, musical tones and color.  Assessment instruments available online.
• COORDINATION PATTERNS. One of the few “body based”frameworks involves 4 leadership styles based on 4 kinds of movement patterns. Developed in late 20th century by Elizabeth Wetzig.

One sample framework is:

Communication Preferences

People who are: Relationship Oriented and Quick to Action

Are called: PROMOTERS

They tend to be: Creative, Enthusiastic, Expressive

They may lack follow-through, or appear insincere

In a meeting: They need “people dimension” addressed early, and need a set of tasks agreed upon

People who are: Relationship Oriented and More Reflective

Are called: SUPPORTERS

They tend to be: Accepting, Cooperative, Friendly

They may appear weak or indecisive

In a meeting: They need to know they are making a difference; Engage them, rather than lecture

People who are: Task Oriented and Quick to Action

Are called: CONTROLLERS

They tend to be: Driving, Efficient, Results-oriented

They may appear insensitive or overbearing

In a meeting: They need it to be short and snappy; Quick pace; Get to the task

People who are: Task Oriented and More Reflective

Are called: ANALYZERS

They tend to be: Thorough, Exacting, Persistent

They may Appear Apathetic or Stubborn

In a meeting: They need it to be focused, insightful; Need to be concentrated; Need concrete conclusions and detail

One of the most inspiring people working in the area of Learning Styles is Bernice McCarthy.  She uses a simple, but profound and practical framework called 4MAT.  She has used it to help many students become more engaged and successful in their learning experiences.  Her work focuses on children, but is applicable in a much wider population.

Check out her website:

http://www.aboutlearning.com/

Watch her in action on her video, she’s very entertaining!

Bernice’s blog:

http://www.aboutlearning.com/bernices-blog.html

HOLD ON!  YOU LOST ME! DESIGNING INSTRUCTION FOR DIVERSE

LEARNERS WITH DIVERSE LEARNING STYLES by Bernice McCarthy

THE VISUAL DISPLAY OF QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION by Edward T. Tufte

This book gives ideas about how to convey information visually.

FRAMES OF MIND by Gardner, Howard

Originator of Multiple Intelligences theory

Assessment Websites (there are too many to list, here are a few suggestions to get started)

You can get an assessment of your own learning or communication preferences at the websites below.  These instruments may or may not be condoned by the originators of the theory on which they are based.

Enneagram:

Multiple Intelligences:

Learning Styles:

Left Brain/Right Brain:

BestLearningPractices:

• Start with 4MAT, and as you design your learning intervention ask yourself if you have covered each quadrant, thereby addressing each of the four learning preferences.
• Then design activities based on the four quadrants.  Have participants self select.  Tell them what’s going to be going on in each of the breakout groups and have them decide which one they want to participate in.
• Have everyone do the MBTI.  This is very insightful, rigorous, and there are many activities associated with it that you can find on the Internet.
• ALWAYS vary your activities between Visual, Kinesthetic and Auditory.
• Know your own MBTI type, communication preferences, etc.  You will tend to address people the way you prefer to be addressed, so remember to go outside of your own comfort zone to connect with those who have learning styles different from your own.

“I believe that the brain has evolved over millions of years to be responsive to different kinds of content in the world.  Language content, musical content, spatial content, numerical content, etc.”  Howard Gardner

“Being fast and not very spatial doesn’t make you any better in spatial kinds of things; you probably just get the wrong answer more quickly.” Howard Gardner

“Learn your theories as well as you can, and put them aside when you touch the living miracle of the human soul.”  Carl Jung

The Learning Practice designs and delivers tailor-made high-impact learning programs for Business, Educational, Legal and Health Organizations world-wide.

“Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.” —William Butler Yeats

What are we hoping for in our learning programs?  What do we want our participants to experience, achieve, accomplish?  Lately I have noticed an increase in the use of the word “transformative” when referring to learning experiences.  What do learning professionals mean by transformation? Learning IS change, and transformation is a very big, or profound, or irreversible change.  Should learning programs always be transformative, can they even claim to be transformative?

Here’s what Merriam-Webster says about transformation:

1 a: to change in composition or structure b: to change the outward form or appearance of c: to change in character or condition: convert

2: to subject to mathematical transformation

3: to cause (a cell) to undergo genetic transformation

Check out the synonyms:

transfigure means to change a thing into a different thing.

transform implies a major change in form, nature, or function metamorphose suggests an abrupt or startling change induced by or as if by magic or a supernatural force.

transmute implies transforming into a higher element or thing

convert implies a change fitting something for a new or different use or function.

transmogrify suggests a strange or preposterous metamorphosis transfigure implies a change that exalts or glorifies

Is this what we want to do to our participants…convert them? Change them into a different thing??  Actually, I think a successful “transformative learning program” is an experience that helps someone be more of who they are, increases authenticity, increases self-awareness.  Those goals imply changes, but they have a different quality than “convert” or “change in composition, structure or appearance of the outward form.”

One of the most transformational learning events I have experienced was at a Tavistock conference, a participatory group dynamics experience. During the conference we observed the group’s behavior so closely that I was able to viscerally sense the difference between my habitual behavior and other choices that were available to me, giving me the feeling that every moment was full of possibility, and I had the ability to choose how to behave, rather than reacting in an habitual manner. The Tavistock program was liberating. The other transformational learning experience was studying leadership with Ronald Heifitz at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.  In that course we examined what Heifitz refers to as the “adaptive challenge,” which is the tension we feel when there is a gap between our values and the values of the organization in which we are working, or a gap between the organization’s stated values, and their lived values. Heifitz’ class was a crucible in which the entire group of about 100 students experienced, and embodied cases that were generated from the class.

In both of the above learning experiences I actually felt the learning in my body.   The programs were challenging, exhausting, rewarding, eye opening, frustrating, unsettling experiences.  In short, they made me work, and not only intellectually.  Neither of the above mentioned learning experiences let me settle comfortably into norms, or other recognizable formalities.  They took away the rule book.  They made the participants take responsibility for the experiences we had.

You can read a good abstract about Tavistock in the ERIC database at

Heifitz, Ron Leadership On The Line

As a learning professional what can you do to create transformational learning experiences?  Here are some tips:

Transformational experiences:

- Often include a destabilizing experience in order to encourage participants to be open to learning.

- Leave you with a long term insight

- Are out of the ordinary

- Incite a “change” that is irreversible

- Are not superficial

- Are holistic, addresses the whole person

- Demand risk taking

- Challenge assumptions

- Build self-awareness/self-knowledge

- Shake people out of habitual behavior

- Bring people into the present moment

- Require flexibility on the part of the facilitator to adapt to what happens in the moment

These kinds of exercises may have a transformational quality:

• Personal Narrative: Telling stories of important moments in one’s life.
• The Gestalt “Empty Chair” exercise
• Trust exercises
• Psychodrama
• Psolodrama
• Participants presenting to the group
• Peer coaching
• Improvisation

One of my favorite articles on Transformational learning is the chapter:

An Update on Transformational Learning by Lisa M. Baumgartner

In: The New Update on Adult Learning Theory: New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education by Sharan B. Merriam

The Learning Practice designs and delivers tailor-made high-impact learning programs for Business, Educational, Legal and Health Organizations world-wide.

THE LEARNING PRACTICE, founded by Melodie Hicks, serves organizations by engaging professionals in unique, rigorous and transformative programs that support individuals and groups on their learning journeys.

THE LEARNING PRACTICE offers innovative programs with three complementary goals: personal insight; new knowledge; and skill building. We use techniques grounded in empirically established learning principles.

By guiding participants through a process of discovery, giving equal focus to building personal insight and inspiration, subject knowledge, and skills and techniques, we support participants to shape their own learning.

One of the core goals of a learning program is to support the individual’s learning process, and because no two situations or participants are the same, THE LEARNING PRACTICE collaborates extensively with clients to tailor each program to their specific needs.

THE LEARNING PRACTICE is founded on the idea that life is a learning process.  Through carefully tailored programs we augment and support the personal learning journey each individual is already on.  THE LEARNING PRACTICE draws its techniques from the arts, somatics, and psychology to create unique, experiential learning programs. While there are no strict formulas uniformly applicable to the learning process, we are guided by four foundational principles:

• Learning is a life-long journey, not bounded by age, formal education or career.
• Each individual’s journey is unique.
• Various forms of learning are of value: acquisition of knowledge; development of practical skills; self-development and personal insight; increased awareness of how best one learns; and development of professional networks.
• All people present in a learning event are learning.  Our goal is ‘Genuine Dialogue’ – interactions where each individual recognizes that both they and their fellow participants are learning and developing.

Underlying these principles is THE LEARNING PRACTICE’s core goal: supporting the individual in their process of “becoming”, that which their learning journey requires.  This support requires, on the part of the faculty, a continuous cycle of careful planning, deep listening, and skillful adaptation, in addition to the treatment of each participant with nonjudgmental  empathy and respect.