kent_myers@smtplink.sra.com wrote
> Assume for the moment that the body and mind are the same, and that they
respond in the same way to learning routines. Students who are into
painful sports training may simply not know how to learn properly, or are
wanting the wrong things from sports. Both sports and academics can be
done either the hard way or in a flow state. They choose the hard way in
sports, then look for the hard way in academics, but don't find their
perverse pleasures. Perhaps if they trained for sports in the flow state
and thus learned to learn in that manner, they would choose to drop out of
punishing varsity sports, and would also be swept up in academic flow. Not
all academic opportunities allow flow, any more than all atheletic
opportunities allow it. Dialogue is equivalent to runner's high: it is
not impatient for answers/results. (I'm wondering if Robert Hutchins'
passion for dialogue was connected in this way with his banning of varsity
sports at the University of Chicago.)
I'd like to try and answer this from two perspectives: one sporting, one
personal learning.
I do triathlons for "fun". One of the most important things that you learn
in TRAINING for triathlons is that you need to do both long, slow
distances (low heart rates), and short, fast interval work (high heart
rates). The long, slow distances build up your stamina and endurance (and
teach your body to burn fat more efficiently), the short, fast intervals
build your speed (and the ability to burn carbohydrates - lactose - more
efficiently). Indeed, people at all levels now regularly use heart rate
monitors to ensure that they are in the right "zone" for the training
session they are doing.
In terms of personal learning, I find that when I'm learning a new concept
(or novel situation) that requires a new form of thinking (maths always
comes readily to mind :->) it hurts - my brain is literally forming new
abstractions and new categories so that I can uderstand what is going on -
and it takes time to form these new abstractions and categories. Time is
essential for learning.
Once I've developed these abstractions and categories, problem solving in
this space is relatively trivial - i.e. it doesn't hurt. Problem solving
in this space can also occur in compressed time (deadlines) that may
increase the pain levels, but not the ability to solve routine problems.
I think you're quite right in pointing out the need for dialogue, time,
and flow. It is even more important to find a balance between "pain" and
"flow", and this balance is part of a continuum - it will vary from
individual to individual, and for each person will vary over time.
Individuals can "favour" either pain or flow for a period of time,
however, for their long term well-being they need to compensate at some
stage. I think this is an important part of the learning process (it's
certainly what I'm finding with my PhD studies) and I think it applies
equally to sporting and academic learning.
-- John O'Neill DSTO C3 Research Centre, Australia email: jao@itd.dsto.gov.au