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  • 1.  Definitions beyond the dictionary

    Posted 05-03-1999 13:42
    I like Penny Miller's definitions of the three terms. I have noticed
    that those who instruct in the K-12 environment are referred to as
    "teachers," and those who instruct in post-secondary community college
    contexts are called "instructors." (Only in senior colleges and
    universities do we get into "professor" levels.) I don't know what
    significance this difference has.

    I see "teaching" as referring exclusively to "direct instruction."

    I don't believe anyone can really "teach," "educate," or "train." All
    learning (to me) occurs because a learner decided to learn, not because
    of something another person did, no matter what it's called. (This is
    beyond Ana's request, I know.)

    If I call myself an "educator" then I hope I would be doing what Penny
    said, engaging in the "process of helping others learn how to think
    versus what to think." Becoming educated means, to me, to learn how my
    brain works, how to search for information when I want it, and how to use
    my brain to process that information.

    Training seems to be used exclusively as Penny indicated.

    However, in any context, education can occur. It depends on the
    participant.

    Edryce


  • 2.  Definitions beyond the dictionary

    Posted 05-05-1999 07:40
    Hit a cord... both ideas together provide the whole picture.

    "All learning (to me) occurs because a learner decided to learn..."
    whatever you call it those around can only direct, plan, enable the
    stimulus that arouses the learner desires, the "...responsibility for
    positive outcomes" is the result of efforts of both the learner and the
    enabler. It takes two to tango.

    "If we have have people in positions of visible authority who are unwilling
    or can't undertake responsibility
    for positive outcomes with the relatively helpless..." notion that their
    control rests upon the free independent actions of others then we may never
    progress into understanding the dynamic that entice the involvement of
    others to produce a desired outcome believing that coercion alone is
    sufficient.

    Saludos Esteban





    On 3 May 99, at 10:41, Edryce Reynolds wrote:

    > I don't believe anyone can really "teach," "educate," or "train." All
    > learning (to me) occurs because a learner decided to learn, not because
    of
    > something another person did, no matter what it's called. (This is
    beyond
    > Ana's request, I know.)

    Hmmm- that is a neat disavowal of all responsibility for outcome, if
    I've ever seen one.

    I presume a corollary for management would be "I don't believe any
    mnager can really 'communicate' or 'direct.' All work direction (to
    me) is undertaken because a worker decided to work, not because
    of something another person did, no matter what it's called.

    Have you ever noticed that people who direct unskilled labor are
    called supervisors, ones that direct skilled laborers are called
    managers and people who direct professionals are called directors
    and management?

    Power and effectiveness- if we have have people in positions of
    visible authority who are unwilling or can't undertake responsibility
    for positive outcomes with the relatively helpless- elementary school
    children- well then no wonder we have issues like Columbine and
    postal workers.


    My best
    Ann Marie
    $======= Better Communications Tooling ==========$
    ________ http://www.in-the-mood.com
    ______.---, | Your most valuable corporate
    // | |~ STAFF | assets just checked in....
    || _____|-|_____ __|Or did they already check out?

    $======= People Capital Development =============$


  • 3.  Definitions beyond the dictionary

    Posted 05-05-1999 10:57
    On 3 May 99, at 10:41, Edryce Reynolds wrote:

    > I don't believe anyone can really "teach," "educate," or "train." All
    > learning (to me) occurs because a learner decided to learn, not because of
    > something another person did, no matter what it's called. (This is beyond
    > Ana's request, I know.)

    Hmmm- that is a neat disavowal of all responsibility for outcome, if
    I've ever seen one.

    I presume a corollary for management would be "I don't believe any
    mnager can really 'communicate' or 'direct.' All work direction (to
    me) is undertaken because a worker decided to work, not because
    of something another person did, no matter what it's called.

    Have you ever noticed that people who direct unskilled labor are
    called supervisors, ones that direct skilled laborers are called
    managers and people who direct professionals are called directors
    and management?

    Power and effectiveness- if we have have people in positions of
    visible authority who are unwilling or can't undertake responsibility
    for positive outcomes with the relatively helpless- elementary school
    children- well then no wonder we have issues like Columbine and
    postal workers.


    My best
    Ann Marie
    $======= Better Communications Tooling ==========$
    ________ http://www.in-the-mood.com
    ______.---, | Your most valuable corporate
    // | |~ STAFF | assets just checked in....
    || _____|-|_____ __|Or did they already check out?

    $======= People Capital Development =============$


  • 4.  Definitions beyond the dictionary

    Posted 05-05-1999 21:51
    ESTEBAN TREVI�O MUGUERZA wrote:

    > Hit a cord... both ideas together provide the whole picture.
    >
    > "All learning (to me) occurs because a learner decided to learn..."
    > whatever you call it those around can only direct, plan, enable the
    > stimulus that arouses the learner desires, the "...responsibility for
    > positive outcomes" is the result of efforts of both the learner and
    > the
    > enabler. It takes two to tango.
    >
    > "If we have have people in positions of visible authority who are
    > unwilling
    > or can't undertake responsibility
    > for positive outcomes with the relatively helpless..." notion that
    > their
    > control rests upon the free independent actions of others then we may
    > never
    > progress into understanding the dynamic that entice the involvement of
    >
    > others to produce a desired outcome believing that coercion alone is
    > sufficient.
    >
    > Saludos Esteban
    >

    Now we are getting somewhere! I feel like I am on Mr. Roger's
    Neighborhood, and he has just asked, "Can you say 'System'?"

    'Teaching' and 'learning' take place in the space 'between the toes.'
    There is no knob on the side of a head that is marked 'motivation,' or
    'learning.' You can't turn that knob - there is no knob! But there are
    factors (in social/medical science, explanatory variables) which
    influence these things. The manager/teacher must determine the nature
    of those 'things,' and how they change motivations and learning. Then
    tweak the factors, see if the results are close to prediction.

    "Would you like a raise?" Will it make you work longer hours? Maybe.
    The other day I was talking with 2 people, just laid off from a factory,
    and returning for some training at a community college. They had to
    remind me again that not everyone wants the money. For them, a raise
    tied to longer hours would not help.

    If I offer you an A, will you do an extra credit report? Not everyone
    will - some feel an A is what they get for showing up, since they are so
    good. Yet I straightened out one student by reducing his lab grade from
    20 to 16 (out of 20 for a yeoman task, out of 600 for the course). I
    told him, I thought that would let him know that substandard work got
    lesser grades, and he knew how to do better.

    We start by assuming that there are factors (inputs), which influence
    outputs (responses). For everything. Then the question is, what output
    do you want, and what are the factors (and the sign & magnitude of
    coefficients) that influence /control the output? With machines, we can
    assert these are fairly stable. With groups of people we can often aim
    for an average, and hit it. With specific individuals it's a lot
    harder.

    Given this core assumption, we are discussing a system of inputs and
    outputs, some of which reflect back on the input coefficients, so we
    know the whole thing is frightfully non-linear. Maybe not even
    explicitly solvable. But the key word is, system.

    Those who refuse responsibility, are asserting that the coefficients
    equal 0, or are frightened by the possibility that the coefficients are
    not 0, and their subsequent responsibility. Those who grandstand their
    single 'answer' usually mean they see only one significant factor. Most
    systems have many, with multiple significant ones. Those who say 'it
    all depends...' mean that the coefficients change under different
    circumstances. Yup. Those are the toughest issues, mathematically
    amenable only to simulation. But are we allowed to give up? Do you
    like to fire people, shut down plants? Do you like to flunk 20% of the
    freshman class? Would you like more Littletons? Retorical questions,
    all.

    Thank you, Esteban, for saying it all so succinctly. I apologize for my
    soapbox.

    Jay
    --
    Jay Warner
    Principal Scientist
    Warner Consulting, Inc.
    4444 North Green Bay Road
    Racine, WI 53404-1216
    USA

    Ph: (414) 634-9100
    FAX: (414) 681-1133
    email: quality@a2q.com
    web: http://www.a2q.com

    Power to the data!