I attended a small seminar on Professor Downs’ Three Modes of Learning (The MUD model).   We did an interesting exercise, working in pairs to sort 30 activity cards into three groups which corresponded, if we got them right, wth the three modes  :

  • Memorising facts, 
  • Understanding concepts 
  • Developing skills.  

Prof Downs’ research showed that we learn in these three discrete modes and that we can’t do more than one at a time.  Thinking of my watercolour experience I suggested it was possible that we could read to memorise facts, integrate the facts through reflection into concepts and practice them as skills.   As I thought of this I reflected on how hard it is to paint a picture using a new technique, with one eye on instructions in a book and one eye on the process.  I thought it may be a useful conversation.   The seminar leader explained again that the modes of learning are discrete and that I should not be confused bewteen developing skills, understanding concepts and memorising facts. 

slide1

I let the point pass.  But I thought it would have been great to talk about it would have been a good discussion.  

I thought of an integrated view of three overlapping circles.  I use this model to workshop Business Concept (Jim Collins) and Comparing Strategic Offers (Urbany and Davis).  I could have been interesting to talk about what happens in the overlaps.  What actually happens when we read the manual with brush in hand?  Being coaches, the conversation may have taken us to the difference between coaching and training and how to leverage the opportunity of working in a coaching relationship to bring about change.  

slide2

I reflected on times as a facilitator when I too had pushed the conversation to the easiest and most obvious conclusions, based on my model, brushing past participants who had other views.  I have been fortunate to have people in my sessions who have said “but hang on, you have not understood my point”, which has allowed me to pause the process.  I have learnt to ask the group if they mind if we pause to investigate something a little off the beaten track.  This situation raised my awareness to these opportunities.  

As I consider this post I wonder if it would have been worth pushing the subject a little more.  Two reasons not would be:

  • A caution not to exercise the “tyranny of the minority”.
  • My ideas were not well formed which can be concept suicide without an appreciative environment.