In the world of technology visualized in the recent blockbuster, Avatar, it is amazing to see how much emphasis is still being placed on "talking heads" in learning and training environments. People are excited to have a visual image of a person side-by-side with a PowerPoint Presentation, then add the possibility of text chat and/or voice-over conversation and people think they are experiencing a rich presentation.
The key to learning is engaging in positive learning activities, then in reflecting on these activities. The avatar (cartoon images displayed in 3D in many 2D and 3D "virtual worlds") does not hold a candle to the avatar bodies shown in Avatar--and those were computer-generated graphics with lots of visual reference points gleaned from the real actors the graphic avatars were portraying. A true avatar the incarnation of a deity changes in the consciousness of a culture. Quetzalcoatl is an example of an avatar in the ancient legends of Mexico.
The point is this, technology needs to engage the learners, getting them involved in positive learning activities. The 3D technology that was part of Avatar (the 2009 film) was intended to draw the viewer into the movie. It does a good job of this.
We need to do the same kind of thing when designing learning events, especially for adults. They need to be drawn into the action and to apply the skills and knowledge they are developing in the learning event to real challenges, then to reflect on how they're doing and be given time to improve.
In the Avatar film, the characters make recordings into a video log (like a blog). This is a reflective component that people need to do in an actual learning event.
Showing posts with label reflection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reflection. Show all posts
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Monday, December 28, 2009
Learning from Experience and History--Finding Patterns that Work
Speaking with a friend the other day, I shared some meta-models that identify patterns at work. By being aware of these patterns of behavior, positive changes can be made to improve processes, workflow, and results of organizations. Two of these meta-models are the Team Tracking Tool (Slide 12) and the Shame Affect Decision Model (Slide 2).
These models capture processes at work that allow for the identification of what works and what may be missing or improved at work. They were developed by observing hundreds of hours of interactions and have proved reliable over time. In the course of our conversation it became clear that sometimes leaders in the workplace do not want to be made aware of these processes or be responsible for being able to make decisions to change what they are doing at work.
The idea of learning from experience and history are the essential ideas in my post from yesterday concerning animal spirits and the economy. The concept is also reflected in Dan Brown's two books, Angels and Demons and The DaVinci Code. I saw another example in a documentary today Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.
The challenge is to reflect on our experience and on history and to learn from these reflections. Models of processes can help in this process and, if leaders are not willing to engage in the reflection and learning process, they miss opportunities to improve and change. These opportunities may have a small window of opportunity as the economy and world events change around them.
These models capture processes at work that allow for the identification of what works and what may be missing or improved at work. They were developed by observing hundreds of hours of interactions and have proved reliable over time. In the course of our conversation it became clear that sometimes leaders in the workplace do not want to be made aware of these processes or be responsible for being able to make decisions to change what they are doing at work.
The idea of learning from experience and history are the essential ideas in my post from yesterday concerning animal spirits and the economy. The concept is also reflected in Dan Brown's two books, Angels and Demons and The DaVinci Code. I saw another example in a documentary today Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.
The challenge is to reflect on our experience and on history and to learn from these reflections. Models of processes can help in this process and, if leaders are not willing to engage in the reflection and learning process, they miss opportunities to improve and change. These opportunities may have a small window of opportunity as the economy and world events change around them.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Coaching Supervisors--the Supervisors' Dilemma
In conversations this weekend, I was reminded of what I call the "supervisors' dilemma." Traditionally, supervisors are usually very good in performing whatever tasks they were doing when they were selected for promotion to supervisor. Once they are supervisors, only rarely do they receive training or coaching in how to be effective in managing others. Frequently they are good problem-solvers and are eager to help the people they supervise. When they step-in to do what they "did best" before they were promoted, they frequently forget to help the people they supervise learn how to perform better.
Years ago I worked with many organizations to train supervisors to be instructors and instructor-trainers in a program designed to help supervisors learn to manage the people they are supervising. As I worked with more than 100 supervisors from many organizations, it became clear that the "supervisors' dilemma" is a common problem.
Some organizations recognize the problem and provide supervisory training similar to the training I worked with years ago. Once supervisors received the training, they were frequently left on their own to apply it.
Another feature--rarely offered--is ongoing coaching for supervisors to be more successful. Some of this coaching can be one-on-one, perhaps helping supervisors acquire the learning they need without having to take a formal training. At other times this coaching can be on an "as needed" basis, helping supervisors to have a support person in place to help them move to a new perspective in their lives.
Yesterday's post dealt with "unintentional intolerance." The connection between that post and today's post is that life-experience (slide 3) is what we bring with us to face any new challenge or decision we make in our lives. Frequently we are not aware of all of the components of this life experience and make our decisions based on a very limited "sub-set" of our life experience--frequently what we are aware of "in the moment." To be more successful as supervisors (and as coaches), we need habits of reflection (slide 2) to be able to access more areas of our life experience as we make our daily choices and decisions.
Coaches need to be "trusted advisors" so that the people they are coaching can be honest with them and bring forward their real experience and thinking for assistance in reflecting on new performance choices and comfort zones.
Years ago I worked with many organizations to train supervisors to be instructors and instructor-trainers in a program designed to help supervisors learn to manage the people they are supervising. As I worked with more than 100 supervisors from many organizations, it became clear that the "supervisors' dilemma" is a common problem.
Some organizations recognize the problem and provide supervisory training similar to the training I worked with years ago. Once supervisors received the training, they were frequently left on their own to apply it.
Another feature--rarely offered--is ongoing coaching for supervisors to be more successful. Some of this coaching can be one-on-one, perhaps helping supervisors acquire the learning they need without having to take a formal training. At other times this coaching can be on an "as needed" basis, helping supervisors to have a support person in place to help them move to a new perspective in their lives.
Yesterday's post dealt with "unintentional intolerance." The connection between that post and today's post is that life-experience (slide 3) is what we bring with us to face any new challenge or decision we make in our lives. Frequently we are not aware of all of the components of this life experience and make our decisions based on a very limited "sub-set" of our life experience--frequently what we are aware of "in the moment." To be more successful as supervisors (and as coaches), we need habits of reflection (slide 2) to be able to access more areas of our life experience as we make our daily choices and decisions.
Coaches need to be "trusted advisors" so that the people they are coaching can be honest with them and bring forward their real experience and thinking for assistance in reflecting on new performance choices and comfort zones.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Ninety-first post to this blog
When I began this blog on August 10, 2009, I was committing to a daily post of reflections and ideas. As I write the post tonight, I notice that this is the ninety-first blog. One or two days had two posts, especially if I missed the midnight deadline for a post.
I want to write and publish several books. A few are in various draft forms. One of the purposes of a daily blog was to have the discipline of writing. Indeed, another possibility for a book is to combine the daily blogs once I have enough of them written.
Reflection on daily thoughts and activities has been very worthwhile. I don't know who is reading this blog and I refer to it in various posts and websites. The process also allows me to make connections between activities and reflection that I might otherwise miss.
Sometimes I wait until almost 11:00PM to make my entries. It seems that it takes that long sometimes to focus on what I want to post. The good news is that throughout the day ideas for the blog are percolating in my mind, waiting for me to write them down.
Today has been an unusual day. Lately I have been involved in contacting business professionals around the world to find people who want to work with me in enrolling language learners in a new, affordable, online language learning program. I have been asking for people who are interested to contact me and have been responding to their e-mails with information. There were fewer e-mails today and I find myself challenged to find innovative ways to encourage business professionals to check-out the programs and the business opportunities associated with them.
I need to explore new ways to connect with people who can and who want to benefit from the language learning these programs make available. Anyone with any ideas, please comment on this post.
I want to write and publish several books. A few are in various draft forms. One of the purposes of a daily blog was to have the discipline of writing. Indeed, another possibility for a book is to combine the daily blogs once I have enough of them written.
Reflection on daily thoughts and activities has been very worthwhile. I don't know who is reading this blog and I refer to it in various posts and websites. The process also allows me to make connections between activities and reflection that I might otherwise miss.
Sometimes I wait until almost 11:00PM to make my entries. It seems that it takes that long sometimes to focus on what I want to post. The good news is that throughout the day ideas for the blog are percolating in my mind, waiting for me to write them down.
Today has been an unusual day. Lately I have been involved in contacting business professionals around the world to find people who want to work with me in enrolling language learners in a new, affordable, online language learning program. I have been asking for people who are interested to contact me and have been responding to their e-mails with information. There were fewer e-mails today and I find myself challenged to find innovative ways to encourage business professionals to check-out the programs and the business opportunities associated with them.
I need to explore new ways to connect with people who can and who want to benefit from the language learning these programs make available. Anyone with any ideas, please comment on this post.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Transformative Learning Experiences--Personal Integrity--Core Values
Transformative learning experiences literally produce transformation and change in a person. Normally this learning requires a conscious process of reflection and time to integrate the change with the core values of the individual.
Personal integrity forms a bridge between core values and transformative learning experiences. We may or may not be aware of a life purpose, though our core values may have been guiding us to make certain choices throughout our lives.
To illustrate this idea three friends were having a conversation today about Joan Baez and a new documentary on her life available from Amazon.com. A recent news article went into what the documentary is about. The conversation focused on the integrity and core values that Joan Baez has demonstrated in her life. In the beginning of the documentary, Joan Baez says that she would prefer not to be labeled. If someone needs to label her, she would prefer the first label to be human being, the second label to be pacifist, "and if you have to have a third, it can be folksinger.
I graduated from high school in 1964 and from college in 1968. Joan Baez and the other folk singers were "the voices of our times." I hope that my life with reflect the integrity and core values I see in the life of Joan Baez.
When I went back to graduate school for my doctorate degree, I decided to focus on how to help adults and organizations learn to change. When it came time to conduct research and to publish a dissertation to advance knowledge, I chose to explore how to help people learn to deepen their ability to reflect on their experience. I finished my course work in three years, then took 3.5 more years to conduct the research, analyze it, and get it ready for publication.
As I reflect today on the choices I have made in my life, I believe that the major choices have been aligned with my core values, personal integrity, and sense of purpose. All of us--at least most of us--experience life in a series of ups and downs rather than in straight lines.
Some people measure the value of life with a bankbook. For me, the value of my life has little to do with a bankbook--that, too, has had a series of ups and downs. I measure the value of my life by what I have learned and by how I have been able to make a positive difference in my own life and in the lives of others.
Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, in the movie, Groundhog Day, demonstrate a series of transformative learning experiences--with true transformation coming late in the movie. It is very helpful when an enjoyable movie can demonstrate a concept and Groundhog Day (filmed in Woodstock, IL) does it well.
Personal integrity forms a bridge between core values and transformative learning experiences. We may or may not be aware of a life purpose, though our core values may have been guiding us to make certain choices throughout our lives.
To illustrate this idea three friends were having a conversation today about Joan Baez and a new documentary on her life available from Amazon.com. A recent news article went into what the documentary is about. The conversation focused on the integrity and core values that Joan Baez has demonstrated in her life. In the beginning of the documentary, Joan Baez says that she would prefer not to be labeled. If someone needs to label her, she would prefer the first label to be human being, the second label to be pacifist, "and if you have to have a third, it can be folksinger.
I graduated from high school in 1964 and from college in 1968. Joan Baez and the other folk singers were "the voices of our times." I hope that my life with reflect the integrity and core values I see in the life of Joan Baez.
When I went back to graduate school for my doctorate degree, I decided to focus on how to help adults and organizations learn to change. When it came time to conduct research and to publish a dissertation to advance knowledge, I chose to explore how to help people learn to deepen their ability to reflect on their experience. I finished my course work in three years, then took 3.5 more years to conduct the research, analyze it, and get it ready for publication.
As I reflect today on the choices I have made in my life, I believe that the major choices have been aligned with my core values, personal integrity, and sense of purpose. All of us--at least most of us--experience life in a series of ups and downs rather than in straight lines.
Some people measure the value of life with a bankbook. For me, the value of my life has little to do with a bankbook--that, too, has had a series of ups and downs. I measure the value of my life by what I have learned and by how I have been able to make a positive difference in my own life and in the lives of others.
Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, in the movie, Groundhog Day, demonstrate a series of transformative learning experiences--with true transformation coming late in the movie. It is very helpful when an enjoyable movie can demonstrate a concept and Groundhog Day (filmed in Woodstock, IL) does it well.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Perspective--One of the Values of Experience
Perspective, in the context of wisdom, can come from having multiple and varied experiences and learning from them. One of the values to be gained from experience is the perspective one develops over time. Some people seem to have the same experience repeated for many years. Others have multiple experiences throughout the same number of years.
When someone faces a challenge, finding someone who can share some perspective on the situation can be invaluable. This is one of the benefits of working with a "wisdom model" (see an earlier post).
Peter Senge, in his work with the Fifth Discipline, refers to "systems thinking." One way to look at systems thinking is to imagine a pebble in a pond and at all the things the ripples will touch. What connects to what other thing? Many times the changes being considered in response to a perceived challenge will produce consequences. Part of systems thinking is to explore the potential consequences and to refine the decision to minimize negative consequences. This is another of the benefits perspective can bring to a situation.
How do we find someone with that perspective and wisdom. A first thing to do is to look for him or her.
When someone faces a challenge, finding someone who can share some perspective on the situation can be invaluable. This is one of the benefits of working with a "wisdom model" (see an earlier post).
Peter Senge, in his work with the Fifth Discipline, refers to "systems thinking." One way to look at systems thinking is to imagine a pebble in a pond and at all the things the ripples will touch. What connects to what other thing? Many times the changes being considered in response to a perceived challenge will produce consequences. Part of systems thinking is to explore the potential consequences and to refine the decision to minimize negative consequences. This is another of the benefits perspective can bring to a situation.
How do we find someone with that perspective and wisdom. A first thing to do is to look for him or her.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Reflections--My Life since September 11, 2001
September 11, 2001--The events of the day were a wake-up call for me that has had profound impact on my life. That morning I went to a water aerobics class at the wellness center associated with my local hospital. As I came out of the shower I saw the news broadcast of a plane flying into the Twin Towers in New York. Our first thought was that it must have been an awful accident. In just a few minutes, the second plane hit and it became clear that it was no accident. The day progressed in slow motion. I was due for an annual physical at my doctor's office later in the morning and was there when I heard about the atack on the Pentagon. While in the doctor's office, I was advised that I needed a biopsy because I had an elevated PSA level in my routine bloodwork. The biopsy revealed that I had prostate cancer in six of the twelve cores they tested.
Attacks from without and from within--this was truly a wake-up call for me. A few days later (once the flight ban had been lifted) I flew to New York City for a second opinion about my condition. I decided to have my prostate completely removed and, once I was cancer free, I also decided that it was time for me to make a difference for K-12 students. I delayed my surgery only long enough to freeze some sperm at the University of Illinois at Chicago sperm bank, then had my surgery in November. It was completely successful.
When I had recovered I went to the local Regional Office of Education in Kane County, Illinois (where I live) and offered my services. I had a doctorate in education, though it was for teaching adults rather than children. I was advised that, because I had a doctorate, I must also have a bachelors--the degree required to be a substitute teacher. I mentioned that I also spoke Spanish and was advised that, if I could pass the Target Language Proficiency exam for Spanish, I could get a provisional bilingual teaching certificate (a T-29 certificate) which would allow me to be a full-time teacher of English language learners (ELLs) for six years--with a possible extension of two more years while I worked on getting my credentials to teach children.
I substitute taught until I could take and pass the Target Language Proficiency exam in Spanish. My passing scores came back in November, 2002, and in December, 2002, I was invited to be a mid-year replacement bilingual (Spanish) teacher at Larkin High School in Elgin (school district U-46). I began my teaching there and have since then earned a post-doctoral Master of Arts in Teaching and have earned Illinois certification to teach children from Kindergarden through ninth grade (K-9) (an Elementary Teaching Certificate with endorsements to teach in middle school in the areas of language arts and social studies. Last summer I completed five three-graduate-hour courses at the University of Phoenix Online to add to some coursework completed with my doctorate degree. At the conclusion of those courses the state of Illinois gave me approval as a bilingual (Spanish) teacher and as a teacher of English as a second language. I am now fully certified to teach in Illinois through ninth grade.
Beginning at Larkin High School, I have now taught in two high schools, an elementary school, and two middle schools. I am still cancer-free and, in the six years I have been teaching, it has become a high priority to be available to spend quality time each day with my now 94-year-old mother who lives nearby.
Visit the profile page on my website to access a multimedia version of my digital portfolio for education. For a copy of the digital portfolio without narration, visit http://joelmonty.wikispaces.com/ and scroll down to the digital portfolio for education link.
On September 11, 2009, I am still cancer free. I have learned much from my years of teaching English language learners (ELLs) and have built what I have learned into the framework I offer to schools and businesses. Visit my business-related digital portfolio on the same pages listed above for the education version of the profile.
Attacks from without and from within--this was truly a wake-up call for me. A few days later (once the flight ban had been lifted) I flew to New York City for a second opinion about my condition. I decided to have my prostate completely removed and, once I was cancer free, I also decided that it was time for me to make a difference for K-12 students. I delayed my surgery only long enough to freeze some sperm at the University of Illinois at Chicago sperm bank, then had my surgery in November. It was completely successful.
When I had recovered I went to the local Regional Office of Education in Kane County, Illinois (where I live) and offered my services. I had a doctorate in education, though it was for teaching adults rather than children. I was advised that, because I had a doctorate, I must also have a bachelors--the degree required to be a substitute teacher. I mentioned that I also spoke Spanish and was advised that, if I could pass the Target Language Proficiency exam for Spanish, I could get a provisional bilingual teaching certificate (a T-29 certificate) which would allow me to be a full-time teacher of English language learners (ELLs) for six years--with a possible extension of two more years while I worked on getting my credentials to teach children.
I substitute taught until I could take and pass the Target Language Proficiency exam in Spanish. My passing scores came back in November, 2002, and in December, 2002, I was invited to be a mid-year replacement bilingual (Spanish) teacher at Larkin High School in Elgin (school district U-46). I began my teaching there and have since then earned a post-doctoral Master of Arts in Teaching and have earned Illinois certification to teach children from Kindergarden through ninth grade (K-9) (an Elementary Teaching Certificate with endorsements to teach in middle school in the areas of language arts and social studies. Last summer I completed five three-graduate-hour courses at the University of Phoenix Online to add to some coursework completed with my doctorate degree. At the conclusion of those courses the state of Illinois gave me approval as a bilingual (Spanish) teacher and as a teacher of English as a second language. I am now fully certified to teach in Illinois through ninth grade.
Beginning at Larkin High School, I have now taught in two high schools, an elementary school, and two middle schools. I am still cancer-free and, in the six years I have been teaching, it has become a high priority to be available to spend quality time each day with my now 94-year-old mother who lives nearby.
Visit the profile page on my website to access a multimedia version of my digital portfolio for education. For a copy of the digital portfolio without narration, visit http://joelmonty.wikispaces.com/ and scroll down to the digital portfolio for education link.
On September 11, 2009, I am still cancer free. I have learned much from my years of teaching English language learners (ELLs) and have built what I have learned into the framework I offer to schools and businesses. Visit my business-related digital portfolio on the same pages listed above for the education version of the profile.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Careers in the 24th Century--Support Tools and Reality Checks
In this 21st Century, research has indicated that people can expect to change careers 12 times and have many more jobs. Some of the same literature talks about the fact that jobs have not even been thought of yet while thousands are finishing bachelors and masters degrees to prepare them for jobs that are already obsolete. Shift Happens 2008 (Did You Know 2?) is an eye-opening sequel to Shift Happens (Did You Know) first released in 2007.
Not only are traditional job search and recruiting tools obsolete, so, too are many of the career preparation tools. One tool that I found useful in working with students in middle and high school is http://www.careercruising.com/. If you are interested to see what I did with it, visit the Footprints Project page of my wiki space for middle schools.
I completed the career skills questionnaire my students would be expected to complete (117 career-skill-related questions) and Career Cruising came up with a list of 40 careers (jobs) my choices matched to. I was doing this to test the validity of the software as a tool and was impressed that, of the 40 choices, in the course of my career I have worked in 14 of the jobs listed--and still I have always done the same thing (in a wide variety of ways).
What I do--I make a positive difference in the world by helping individuals and organizations learn to change to improve their quality of (business) life now and for the future.
It's amazing to me that I've done that in 14 jobs already, and sometimes more than once in any given job. What's even more amazing is that I haven't had more employers in the course of 40+ years of working.
Reality Check: The order of careers was based on my preferences and I was amazed by how my experience in these careers was reflected in the questionnaire.
Change is Upon Us
When I went back to graduate school in 1985, I wanted to get a doctorate that would let me work with adults and organizations who needed to learn how to change. My doctorate (which I completed in 1992) did prepare me to help adults and organizations learn to change and my post-doctoral Master of Arts in Teaching (completed in 2008) prepared me to extend this service to children as well.
I invested about $200,000 in my doctorate degree in terms of tuition, books, and loss of income while a full-time students. Much of what I learned was timeless. I know this because in my dissertation research I tracked the origins of reflection on learning concepts to the time of Confucius--about 300BC. (For a full-text copy of the dissertation [ATT9229831] visit this link.)
Since earning my doctorate, I have worked with thousands of people and more than 60 organizations in helping each learn how to improve their quality of life. My investment was worth every penny.
My goal now is to find ways to share what I do with more people. Can you help? If so, contact me through my Wiki Project page.
Not only are traditional job search and recruiting tools obsolete, so, too are many of the career preparation tools. One tool that I found useful in working with students in middle and high school is http://www.careercruising.com/. If you are interested to see what I did with it, visit the Footprints Project page of my wiki space for middle schools.
I completed the career skills questionnaire my students would be expected to complete (117 career-skill-related questions) and Career Cruising came up with a list of 40 careers (jobs) my choices matched to. I was doing this to test the validity of the software as a tool and was impressed that, of the 40 choices, in the course of my career I have worked in 14 of the jobs listed--and still I have always done the same thing (in a wide variety of ways).
What I do--I make a positive difference in the world by helping individuals and organizations learn to change to improve their quality of (business) life now and for the future.
It's amazing to me that I've done that in 14 jobs already, and sometimes more than once in any given job. What's even more amazing is that I haven't had more employers in the course of 40+ years of working.
Reality Check: The order of careers was based on my preferences and I was amazed by how my experience in these careers was reflected in the questionnaire.
Change is Upon Us
When I went back to graduate school in 1985, I wanted to get a doctorate that would let me work with adults and organizations who needed to learn how to change. My doctorate (which I completed in 1992) did prepare me to help adults and organizations learn to change and my post-doctoral Master of Arts in Teaching (completed in 2008) prepared me to extend this service to children as well.
I invested about $200,000 in my doctorate degree in terms of tuition, books, and loss of income while a full-time students. Much of what I learned was timeless. I know this because in my dissertation research I tracked the origins of reflection on learning concepts to the time of Confucius--about 300BC. (For a full-text copy of the dissertation [ATT9229831] visit this link.)
Since earning my doctorate, I have worked with thousands of people and more than 60 organizations in helping each learn how to improve their quality of life. My investment was worth every penny.
My goal now is to find ways to share what I do with more people. Can you help? If so, contact me through my Wiki Project page.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
"Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow"
"Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow
" Following this link on http://www.amazon.com/ will lead to a list of books related to the idea of passion and Spirit as a focus of life. When I am engaging in something I find to be worthwhile, I am aware of a sense of joy that I share with the people around me--family, clients, friends, coworkers.
This sense of joy is more important to me that the monetary reward I receive for my efforts--not that I have anything against money. I have found joy in doing work that I was highly rewarded for and joy in work that had little or no money connected to it.
I'm looking for more joy in my life--and if there's good money involved as well . . ., so much the better. :-)
" Following this link on http://www.amazon.com/ will lead to a list of books related to the idea of passion and Spirit as a focus of life. When I am engaging in something I find to be worthwhile, I am aware of a sense of joy that I share with the people around me--family, clients, friends, coworkers.This sense of joy is more important to me that the monetary reward I receive for my efforts--not that I have anything against money. I have found joy in doing work that I was highly rewarded for and joy in work that had little or no money connected to it.
I'm looking for more joy in my life--and if there's good money involved as well . . ., so much the better. :-)
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