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Fundamentals of Effective Education

Education Industry Association, San Francisco July 2011 James Clawson Darden School of Business University of Virginia

Levels of Human Activity


HABITUAL?
1.

VISIBLE BEHAVIOR

2. 3.

Conscious Thought

VABEs

(Values, Assumptions, Beliefs, and Expectations about the way the world is or should be)

James G. Clawson

Aristotle

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.

GENIUS is the art of non-habitual thought.


William James
JGSC/L3L llc

The Human Brain


Is growing at birth at the rate of 250,000 cells/min. Has an adult complement of some 100 billion cells. Has neurons that can make about 10,000 connections. or One Quadrillion synapses. Contains the pathways we use develop and mature. The pathways we dont use atrophy and wither away. speech, handedness etc. Houses, over time, the physiological circuits/preferences in the way we think, speak, behave, and even emote.

Developed by James G. Clawson

The Formative Years


?
GENEs
GENES ADD ADHD BPD OCD Key Questions Etc.
Generation to Generation

TRANSCENDER? K, L, A

?
MEMEs VABEs

Two key legacies

1. When Im cold

Newborn
Choice Theory (Glasser) 1. IKWRFY 2. IHARTTYWRFY 3. IHARTPYIYDDWRFY
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2. When Im hungry
3. When Im wet 4. When Im alone and afraid

Learning Theory (Pedagogy and Andragogy)

Kolbs Learning Cycle


CONCRETE EXPERIENCE

ACTIVE EXPERIMENTATION

REFLECTIVE OBSERVATION

ABSTRACT CONCEPTUALIZATION

Kolbs Learning Styles


CE
ACCOMMODATORS DIVERGERS

AE
CONVERGERS ASSIMILATORS

RO

AC
Scores computed by AE-RO and AC-CE

Kolbs Learning Styles


CE
ACCOMMODATORS DIVERGERS

AE
CONVERGERS ASSIMILATORS

RO

AC
Scores computed by AE-RO and AC-CE

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Kolbs Learning Styles


CE
ACCOMMODATORS DIVERGERS

AE
CONVERGERS ASSIMILATORS

RO

AC

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Kolbs Learning Styles


CE
ACCOMMODATORS DIVERGERS

AE
CONVERGERS ASSIMILATORS

RO

AC

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Kinds of Learning Ken Bain


Superficial: cocktail party facts and trivia Strategic: to get the result (grade/bonus) Deep: consider and refine world view
What the Best College Professors Do, Ken Bain
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People learn best and most deeply when


1. They try to answer questions or solve problems they find interesting, intriguing, important, or beautiful; They can try, fail, receive feedback, and try again before anyone makes a judgment of their work; They can work collaboratively with other learners struggling with the same problems; They face repeated challenges to their existing fundamental paradigms; They care that their existing paradigms do not work; They can get support (emotional, physical, and intellectual) when they need it; They feel in control of their own learning, not manipulated; 8. They believe that their work will be considered fairly and honestly; 9. They believe that their work will matter; 10. They believe that intelligence and abilities are expandable, that if they work hard, they will get better at it; 11. They believe other people have faith in their ability to learn; 12. They believe that they can learn.

2.

3.

4. 5. 6.

7.

Source: The Research Academy for University Learning at Montclair State University Montclair, New Jersey

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Kinds of Thinking
Knowing
Follow the rules

Understanding Follow the values behind the rules

Thinking
Learning

Solve problems using contingent programmed solutions Constant gathering of data and constructive dissent to stay current
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Unlearning the Organization, Michael McGill, John Slocum, Organizational Dynamics, Autumn 1993

Kinds of Learning
Knowing
Learning the rules learning to conform
conform

Understanding Learning the values learning why we Thinking


Learning the links between problems and solutions learning how to solve problems

Learning

Learning how to observe phenomena and challenge tradition learning to see and to adapt and to transcend
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Unlearning the Organization, Michael McGill, John Slocum, Organizational Dynamics, Autumn 1993

Fortune Cookie

If you know what youre doing, youre not learning anything.


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Does experience lead to wisdom?


Most people do not accumulate a body of experience. Most people go through life under-going a series of happenings which pass through their systems undigested. Happenings become experiences when they are digested, when they are reflected on, related to general patterns, and synthesized.
Saul Alinsky, Rules for Radicals, quoted by Henry Mintzberg in The Five Minds of a Manager HBR 11/03

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Level of Educational Focus

1. Visible Behavior? 2. Conscious Thought? 3. VABEs?


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The Number One Question in Life


Will you ever be anything more than a vessel transmitting the GENEs and VABEs of previous generations on to the next? When youre no longer a defenseless child, will you become a transcender? 20
James G. Clawson

One Big Problem is


SEE SEE

OTHERS

SEE

PUBLIC BLIND SPOTS


JGSC/L3L llc

PRIVATE

SELF
SEE

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In search of high performance


Subpar Polar Bears
1s 2s

Ordinary
Good Enough 3s 4s

Extraordinary
5s

How do you shift this distribution?

James G. Clawson

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Did poorly in school?

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What happens when one crosses the divide between choice and obligation?
Energy? Productivity? Creativity? Innovation Engagement? Commitment? Buy-In? OBLIGATION
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CHOICE
2 4
James G. Clawson

The obligatory commute to school

James G. Clawson

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Levels of BUY-IN
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Passion (What you ask is the #1 thing in my life.) Engagement (I want to do what you ask.) Agreement (I will do what you ask. Period.) Compliance (Okay but where are the loopholes?) Apathy (I just dont care.) Passive Resistance (Oops!) Active Resistance (No way in hell.)
James G. Clawson

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Going to Learn

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Mood and Energy Contagion


Mood is infectious. Energy is infectious. Helpful ideas (memes/VABEs) are infectious. Fun is infectious. Success is infectious.

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Are teachers willing to


Consider that they might be part of the problem of under-motivated students? Consider how their style is infecting students? Re-examine their VABEs about learning and learning facilitation? Try new skills that fit the students?

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Strategy Map Overlay


Business Education Financial Results Learning (what kind?) Customer Value Proposition Student Engagement Core Capabilities/ Value Assets! Core Capabilities Chain HC + SC + OC Tangible HC + SC + OC

become Assets Intangible How

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Does how you feel affect your performance?


How many times have you been asked by supervision at work how you want to feel? Do you KNOW how do you WANT to feel? The pervasive management assumption:

PWD WTHTD ROHTF


This is a formula for mediocrity.
James G. Clawson

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Focusing on Feel to Perform Dave Scott


49, Six-time Ironman Hawaii Champion

During a race, I never wear a wristwatch, and my bike doesnt have a speedometer. Theyre distractions. All I work on is finding a rhythm that feels strong and sticking to it. Outside, 9/03, p. 122
James G. Clawson

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Whats the difference between ajob and work?


I stopped loving golf at exactly the time I decided to turn pro.
- Tom Weiskopf , Golf, July 2004, p. 133

People pay me a lot of money to go away from my family, stay in cheap motels, ride on the bus all night, and eat rubber chicken. But when the curtain goes up and the light on the camera goes on, THAT I do for free.
- John Molo, Grammy winning musician
James G. Clawson

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Implications for Educators


Consider all three levels of learning. Respect the energy level of learners. Repetition is critical to building circuitry. Make learning fun, even the repetition. Make learning choiceful. Re-examine your own style (habits) and energy. Use multiple channels to engage learning differences. Make learning opportunities relevant. Clarify your student-value-proposition. SVP
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Education is about managing energy, first in yourself, and then in those around you.
James Clawson

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