So let's say that you and I are both listening to the same sermon on forgiveness. And let's say that at the end of the sermon, you feel forgiven but I don't.
As someone who teaches in a variety of contexts, I'm really interested in how people learn. How do we process, engage with ideas or concepts in such a way that we not only cognitively understand them but actually come to inhabit them, make them a part of who we are?
Obviously, some of this is mystery, the work of the Holy Spirit. But there are some patterns that we can identify about how people learn, how they approach new information or ideas.
A friend of mine recently sent me a set of concepts about how people learn or approach new ideas called "Neuro-Linguistics Programming."
This has proven helpful to me as I understand how I learn as well as how I work in a team environment...and how I relate to my wonderful wife. Take a look:
1. There are three primary learning styles: Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic (some add "Reading/writing" in there as well).
So the sermon on forgiveness (which is primarily an auditory experience) will be enhanced by power point images or a visual aid of some other sort, since something like 60% of the population are visual learners.
2. Global to Specific or Specific to Global. Global to specific learners want the headline first, details after. Specific to global learners are more scientific. They want a full case to be articulated leading up to the final conclusion.
3. Move Toward or Move Away. "Move toward" people are aggressively interested in new ideas, goals, outcomes. "Move away" people are more likely to see the cost involved in a new idea and be more cautious in moving in a different direction.
I'm a "move toward" person in a big way. This can have serious negative consequences in my marriage, as I'm married to a wonderful "move away" person. Understanding this dynamic has helped me to be more patient in proposing an idea and more appreciative of the fact that not every idea I have is a good one.
This also has significant outworkings in my work. I tend to crank out ideas and goals by the boatload. This can overwhelm or intimidate or just plain annoy my co-staff and the students who work most closely with me.
I have to work hard to keep communication lines open and ask for forgiveness regularly. And sometimes, I just need to shut up. I usually realize that too late. But I'm working on it.
4. Procedural or Options. Procedural people like routines and systems. Options people like to create their own ways, or have lots of freedom and flexibility in how they work. Think shopping at Target (procedural, organize, clearly marked) v. shopping at a flea market (mass, happy chaos).
None of these is right or wrong. It's just preferences. All of them could have sinful outworkings if left un-redeemed.
But knowing this stuff can make you a kinder, gentler, better spouse, co-worker, roommate, and friend. Enjoy!
2 comments:
How do you go about crafting a talk to a room full of visual, auditory, kinesthetic, global, specific, move toward, move away, procedural, and options people? Do you try to have something for all or is there a place to cut losses and recognize that everyone can't be met in their learning style every time?
This seems like a harder question for me than, say, even OT genocide!
great question, ben!
i don't think that you can hit everyone in every talk/presentation, but i do think that you can (and should) at least be aware of what you are and aren't doing and as a result who you are and aren't hitting in their 'sweet spot' in terms of learning styles. if you're responsible for several weeks of content, it would be good to think through the learning styles and find ways to make sure to hit everyone over the course of say a month or six weeks or so.
and, of course, i think that the more variety you can work into a presentation, the more effective it will be.
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