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Here’s a jolt that can be conducted within a few minutes and debriefed for a long time to explore different aspects of learning and performance. You can use this jolt with individuals or with groups of any size. And the best thing is that you don’t need any supplies or equipment.
PURPOSE:
To explore the impact of previous learning on present learning.
PARTICIPANTS:
Any number
TIME:
3 minutes for the activity and at least 10 minutes for debriefing
PREPARATION
Memorize these numbers in this sequence:
- Eight
- Five
- Four
- Nine
- One
- Seven
- Six
- Ten
- Three
- Two
Use whatever memorization technique that works for you. For example, I wrote down the string of numbers and memorized them as if they were a telephone number: 854-917-61032. Make sure that you memorize the underlined 10 as “ten” and not as “one” and “zero”.
FLOW:
Give instructions to count. Ask participants to say the numbers from one to ten in numerical sequence beginning with “one”. As soon as they completed the task, ask participants to stand up (and remain standing). Pause while participants do this.
Give instructions to say the numbers in alphabetical order. Ask participants to say the numbers from one to ten in alphabetical order (when the numbers are spelled out in English), beginning with “eight”. As soon as they completed the task, ask participants to sit down. You will have to pause for a longer time for participants to complete this task.
Demonstrate your mastery. Ask participants to sit down. Ask them to listen as you rattle off the ten numbers in alphabetical order. Confess that you spent a lot of time practicing this skill.
DEBRIEFING
Debrief participants. Ask them why they think it took them a longer time to recite the numbers in alphabetical order than in numerical order. Also ask them why they made a lot more mistakes during the second activity. Ask additional questions to drive home these learning points:
What we have already learned interferes with what we are trying to learn afresh.
It is easier to learn something new if we have a blank, beginner’s mind. It is difficult to learn something new if we have previously learned a related skill (or knowledge or belief) in a different fashion.
Ask participants for examples of old learning interfering with new. If necessary, use these examples to get them started:
If you have learned to drive on the right side of the road, you will have problems learning to drive in the United Kingdom or Australia or South Africa where people drive on the left side.
During the Olympic games in Australia, many pedestrians got killed because they crossed the road after checking the traffic from the left side of the road.
The accent we acquire during early childhood interferes our attempts to change it during adult days.
The work styles, beliefs, and standard procedures that we learned during successful business periods interfere with our ability to change them to cope with current realities.
The stereotypes that we have acquired about other races, religions, and cultures interfere with our ability to accept and accommodate global realities.
If we have taught our workers to depend on us for complete directions, it is difficult for them to acquire demonstrate initiative.
If we have been taught to think in terms of linear cause-effect relationships, it is very difficult for us to acquire systems thinking.
If we expect to learn from authoritative lectures, we have difficulty learning from a jolt.
Ask participants for strategies for handling learned interference. Elicit and discuss these types of guidelines:
Keep an open mind about alternative approaches for achieving your goals.
Be aware of your current beliefs, knowledge, and beliefs.