Youtube.com has been a boon to the internet world, but if you've spent any time on it, you know there's a problem: anybody can post anything.
How do you sort the good from the bad? User ratings may help, but it'd be even more helpful to have discussion pages, surrounding text, explanations, and the like.
In learning or training anything, and for the purposes of this blog, karate in particular, it's very important to train properly from the begining since it's harder to shed bad habits than to learn them.
At karateforge.com, where I do most of my web editing, we're building a website that expands on the good of youtube (widely available user-generated videos), and adds to it. Through wiki pages, forums we select the best videos, and add to them the context and discussion needed to understand the proper execution of karate techniques as well as injury prevention and discussion of application. This website is called MABOK, the martial arts book of knowledge, and we invite knowledgeable contributors.
Another weakness of videos in general is the problem of individual authorship or single point of view. This problem is that a single individual often does not have the same experience as a group of authors. A video is also difficult to contribute to without surrounding tools like forums, so collective authorship is not possible on youtube.com.
A social collaboration site, like Karateforge, addresses the single point of view problem by integrating multiple viewpoints with a higher probability of correctness in the result.
Improtant note: in any training, videos and even collective how-to, may be insufficient to guarantee safety. Quality innformation coupled with proper instruction is the best approach to learning without wasting time or risking injury.
Showing posts with label teaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teaching. Show all posts
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Teaching Vs Learning Karate 5 - Testing and Assessment
This is the fifth post in a series that compares traditional teaching to the learning that occurs in the best karate dojos.
The last post looked at the role of feedback in teaching and learning. An extension of feedback is testing and assessment. Beyond improving learning in a specific case, testing and assessment are meant to be a summary look at a learners progress against a standard for performance. The stakes are higher for the learner.
In a traditional classroom, learning is time based. Tests are given at a standardized time in the learning. At risk is the learner's grade and more importantly, the learner's self-esteem and motivation. In contrast, tests are given in a dojo only when the sensei has confidence in the learner to pass the test. Thus, the testing in a dojo is ability based, rather than time. Ability based testing sets up a learning situation that values competence over speed of learning.
While time-based, high-stakes tests have the potential to harm the learning process, there are some who argue that competency testing, especially when associated with a belt system also can harm the learning process. Both, they argue, shift motivation from the competence itself to an external reward - a passing grade in a course or a specific color of belt.
If done properly and in the right learning culture, belts and their associated testing, can also be motivational. As mentioned, if belt testing is done only after high confidence in the learner's ability to pass, which is developed based on observation of competence in each of the tested components, then the learner has formal recognition of competency for oneself and the collaborative community. If there's a supportive learning community, then the belt, rather than primarily ranking the learner within the community, is an opportunity for the community to collaboratively support the learner on the journey to high-competence.
The last post looked at the role of feedback in teaching and learning. An extension of feedback is testing and assessment. Beyond improving learning in a specific case, testing and assessment are meant to be a summary look at a learners progress against a standard for performance. The stakes are higher for the learner.
In a traditional classroom, learning is time based. Tests are given at a standardized time in the learning. At risk is the learner's grade and more importantly, the learner's self-esteem and motivation. In contrast, tests are given in a dojo only when the sensei has confidence in the learner to pass the test. Thus, the testing in a dojo is ability based, rather than time. Ability based testing sets up a learning situation that values competence over speed of learning.
While time-based, high-stakes tests have the potential to harm the learning process, there are some who argue that competency testing, especially when associated with a belt system also can harm the learning process. Both, they argue, shift motivation from the competence itself to an external reward - a passing grade in a course or a specific color of belt.
If done properly and in the right learning culture, belts and their associated testing, can also be motivational. As mentioned, if belt testing is done only after high confidence in the learner's ability to pass, which is developed based on observation of competence in each of the tested components, then the learner has formal recognition of competency for oneself and the collaborative community. If there's a supportive learning community, then the belt, rather than primarily ranking the learner within the community, is an opportunity for the community to collaboratively support the learner on the journey to high-competence.
Teaching Vs Learning Karate 2 - Learner vs Teacher Centered
This is the second post in a series that compares traditional teaching to the learning that occurs in the best karate dojos.
If you've been involved in teaching you know the phrases "sage on the stage" versus "guide on the side". The "sage on the stage" is the old model of teacher-centered learning. In this version, a wise teacher or sensei imparts knowledge through lecture and story-telling to a large audience of eager learners.
The problem with teacher centered learning and lecture in particular is that it is not authentic - it does not match the learning environment with the performance environment. If it did, then we would find ourselves in a self-defense situation able to get out of it by putting our assailant to sleep with a lecture!
Not all teacher-centered instruction is lecture, of course. Other forms of teacher-centered instruction assume that the teacher knows all and the students just need to learn from the teacher.
To be fair, not all K12 teachers teach this way (the best ones don't), and many karate Sensei
do teach this way (and again, the best ones don't).
The best instruction in karate follows the student-centered approach. Sensei's teach authentically by asking:
I would have a conversation with my students about bullying experiences. I would get them to characterize situations and add one of my own, if appropriate. I would explore the rules of the school and the consequences of those rules. I would encourage my students to have conversations with their parents about bullying if its an issue. These conversations create a student-centered learning context. I find out what's important to them, and then create learning scenarios appropriate to their wants and to their level of karate.
A possible scenario is to defend against the shove. I would explore student notions of defense. Usually these are quite aggressive resonses involving hitting and kicking. Karate principles include "win by not fighting" and "no first attack" so we'd also practice some verbal defenses as well as attack avoidance. We'd pair-up, try some shouting of "no" and "back off" and explain you want to get everyone's attention that you're not interested in fighting. If it ends there, great. If it doesn't, then everyone knows you tried to avoid it. We'd then incorporate "defense by avoidance" such as side stepping a rush or stiff-arming an attack. By doing so, we learn some useful techniques that we can scaffold into an entire learning sequence that builds on knowledge already gained, and progresses as skill and knowledge are developed to increasingly challenging scenarios.
The type of learning advocated here involves some talking and a lot of doing. The talking is to ensure alignment with learners' goals and to create a learning context. The doing is where the learning takes place. To be effective, most of the time in learning should be spent doing. By practicing with a partner, students are able to try techniques, from which they get immediate feedback on whether they understand, whether their techniques are effective, and their learning is completely authentic. Besides those benefits, this type of learning keeps them engaged and enjoying their learning.
In he next post, I'll compare this teaching example to the traditional classroom. In future posts, I'll describe methods of feedback, assessment, and expand on partnering to a full discussion of collaborative learning.
If you've been involved in teaching you know the phrases "sage on the stage" versus "guide on the side". The "sage on the stage" is the old model of teacher-centered learning. In this version, a wise teacher or sensei imparts knowledge through lecture and story-telling to a large audience of eager learners.
The problem with teacher centered learning and lecture in particular is that it is not authentic - it does not match the learning environment with the performance environment. If it did, then we would find ourselves in a self-defense situation able to get out of it by putting our assailant to sleep with a lecture!
Not all teacher-centered instruction is lecture, of course. Other forms of teacher-centered instruction assume that the teacher knows all and the students just need to learn from the teacher.
To be fair, not all K12 teachers teach this way (the best ones don't), and many karate Sensei
do teach this way (and again, the best ones don't).
The best instruction in karate follows the student-centered approach. Sensei's teach authentically by asking:
- What does the student want to learn and how can I capitalize on that motivation?
- What expertise can the I bring to the problem?
- What type of practice is needed that is authentic, but is also ability-appropriate?
- What feedback can I give to affirm progress and adjust performance?
I would have a conversation with my students about bullying experiences. I would get them to characterize situations and add one of my own, if appropriate. I would explore the rules of the school and the consequences of those rules. I would encourage my students to have conversations with their parents about bullying if its an issue. These conversations create a student-centered learning context. I find out what's important to them, and then create learning scenarios appropriate to their wants and to their level of karate.
A possible scenario is to defend against the shove. I would explore student notions of defense. Usually these are quite aggressive resonses involving hitting and kicking. Karate principles include "win by not fighting" and "no first attack" so we'd also practice some verbal defenses as well as attack avoidance. We'd pair-up, try some shouting of "no" and "back off" and explain you want to get everyone's attention that you're not interested in fighting. If it ends there, great. If it doesn't, then everyone knows you tried to avoid it. We'd then incorporate "defense by avoidance" such as side stepping a rush or stiff-arming an attack. By doing so, we learn some useful techniques that we can scaffold into an entire learning sequence that builds on knowledge already gained, and progresses as skill and knowledge are developed to increasingly challenging scenarios.
The type of learning advocated here involves some talking and a lot of doing. The talking is to ensure alignment with learners' goals and to create a learning context. The doing is where the learning takes place. To be effective, most of the time in learning should be spent doing. By practicing with a partner, students are able to try techniques, from which they get immediate feedback on whether they understand, whether their techniques are effective, and their learning is completely authentic. Besides those benefits, this type of learning keeps them engaged and enjoying their learning.
In he next post, I'll compare this teaching example to the traditional classroom. In future posts, I'll describe methods of feedback, assessment, and expand on partnering to a full discussion of collaborative learning.
Teaching Vs Learning Karate 1 - Overview
In a previous post, I spoke of "Authentic Learning" as creating a learning environment and activities to be as similar as possible to the performance environment. In this blog, I compare the learning that occurs in traditional K12 classrooms to the learning in a typical dojo, and show that even when karate dojos are not perfectly authentic to a learner's purpose, that their methods are generally superior.
In a series of blog posts, I will compare the following areas:
My goal in writing this series is to both influence traditional teaching to be more authentic and to influence dojo instruction to focus on best practices.
In a series of blog posts, I will compare the following areas:
My goal in writing this series is to both influence traditional teaching to be more authentic and to influence dojo instruction to focus on best practices.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Karate and Authentic Learning
Authentic learning is a method of constructing learning experiences (you can't quite say teaching) that places the learner in the center of situations which as much as possible simulate the performance environment. Arguably, it is one of the most effective learning methods around. It also goes by the name apprentice learning.
Different karate dojos (learning environments) may or may not be authentic.
Before diving in to the question of whether karate is authentic learning, however, we have to ask - what is the performance environment? What are we trying to accomplish? Answering this question is the key to answering the other question -- is karate authentic learning? -- and answering it at the personal level -- is my karate authentic learning?
So, ask yourself, "What do I want to be able to do?"
The reason the question of authenticity is so important can be illustrated by the goal "Defeat a mugger." I'll illustrate with a story.
I began learning karate eight years ago. After about a year, I experienced my first free sparring. Because I had been learning traditional karate-do (the art form), I was very good at jabbing by extending my fist forward, lunging, and pulling my draw hand to my opposite hip. I attacked my opponent (a third-year student) with all my enthusiasm and confidence. I missed. Bam. With my draw hand pulled back to my hip, there was a huge opening around my entire right side, which my opponent's huge fist filled. His fist cracked into my head, drove my glasses into my head, popped the lens out of the frame, and left a half-inch, freely bleeding gash in my eyebrow. I was so stunned (literally) that I spun as I fell to the floor. Less hurt than disillusioned, but that hurt deeply in its own way.
The hurt was the starting point of my answering what do I want to get out of this practice? Do I want to be invincible? Not gonna happen. So what, then? I decided I wanted the following out of my dojo:
So, my recommendation, is to determine what you want out of karate and align what you want with your learning environment. If you're in your perfect environment, your very lucky. If not, you may have to talk with your current instructor to request custom learning, a change of lessons, or even advice on changing dojos.
What you can't afford to do, on the street, is find out that your karate was not authentic. I have a small scar to remind me how lucky I was to lose that sparring match.
Acknowledgements
I was inspired to write this column by the blog http://vickygraboske.blogspot.com
Different karate dojos (learning environments) may or may not be authentic.
Before diving in to the question of whether karate is authentic learning, however, we have to ask - what is the performance environment? What are we trying to accomplish? Answering this question is the key to answering the other question -- is karate authentic learning? -- and answering it at the personal level -- is my karate authentic learning?
So, ask yourself, "What do I want to be able to do?"
- Get a black belt.
- Defeat a mugger.
- Keep my family safe.
- Compete in karate.
- Stay in shape.
- Beat up the bully.
- Be part of a venerable tradition.
- Live through a war.
- Seek perfection of character. (See Funakoshi's Dojo Kun)
- Take down criminals.
The reason the question of authenticity is so important can be illustrated by the goal "Defeat a mugger." I'll illustrate with a story.
I began learning karate eight years ago. After about a year, I experienced my first free sparring. Because I had been learning traditional karate-do (the art form), I was very good at jabbing by extending my fist forward, lunging, and pulling my draw hand to my opposite hip. I attacked my opponent (a third-year student) with all my enthusiasm and confidence. I missed. Bam. With my draw hand pulled back to my hip, there was a huge opening around my entire right side, which my opponent's huge fist filled. His fist cracked into my head, drove my glasses into my head, popped the lens out of the frame, and left a half-inch, freely bleeding gash in my eyebrow. I was so stunned (literally) that I spun as I fell to the floor. Less hurt than disillusioned, but that hurt deeply in its own way.
The hurt was the starting point of my answering what do I want to get out of this practice? Do I want to be invincible? Not gonna happen. So what, then? I decided I wanted the following out of my dojo:
- personal drive
- health
- more safe (rather than a guarantee of safety)
- companionship
- last, and least, some art
So, my recommendation, is to determine what you want out of karate and align what you want with your learning environment. If you're in your perfect environment, your very lucky. If not, you may have to talk with your current instructor to request custom learning, a change of lessons, or even advice on changing dojos.
What you can't afford to do, on the street, is find out that your karate was not authentic. I have a small scar to remind me how lucky I was to lose that sparring match.
Acknowledgements
I was inspired to write this column by the blog http://vickygraboske.blogspot.com
Karate and the Wiki Community
If you're both a karate practitioner and a netizen, you've probably tried to use wikipedia to learn more about your martial art. As far as it goes, wikipedia is pretty good. As far as it goes.
What WP lacks, is depth of subject and proper orientation. WP is about karate not in support of learning karate. What the net needs is a community supported site. A site where we work to gether to capture and even develop new knowledge about learning and practicing karate.
That need is why we, members of the Palmer Lake Shotokan Karate dojo, created a wiki site for collaboratively building up the knowledge we'd like to see about martial arts, and karate in particular. That site is KarateForge - the place where karate can be hammered to our needs.
We're just getting started, but we already have articles on techniques that wikipedia doesn't have. And we cover those subjects from the I-want-to-learn-how perspective. Sure we throw in a little encyclopedic knowledge, but it's mostly about how.
We're also humble. We don't believe we know it all. Come join with us to create the Martial Arts Book of Knowledge (MABOK). Membership is easy and you will never have your email shared with commercial interests.
We're also frugal. We don't think it takes a lot of money to learn karate. We won't charge you a thing for membership.
We're also lonely. If you run a dojo and don't have a web page, come join us. Put your page next to ours and make this the place to go on the web.
If friends are not enough to convince you, think how easy it is to run a school where you can make announcements, refer to articles that you've written, and have lively discussion of the art vs. application of karate.
What WP lacks, is depth of subject and proper orientation. WP is about karate not in support of learning karate. What the net needs is a community supported site. A site where we work to gether to capture and even develop new knowledge about learning and practicing karate.
That need is why we, members of the Palmer Lake Shotokan Karate dojo, created a wiki site for collaboratively building up the knowledge we'd like to see about martial arts, and karate in particular. That site is KarateForge - the place where karate can be hammered to our needs.
We're just getting started, but we already have articles on techniques that wikipedia doesn't have. And we cover those subjects from the I-want-to-learn-how perspective. Sure we throw in a little encyclopedic knowledge, but it's mostly about how.
We're also humble. We don't believe we know it all. Come join with us to create the Martial Arts Book of Knowledge (MABOK). Membership is easy and you will never have your email shared with commercial interests.
We're also frugal. We don't think it takes a lot of money to learn karate. We won't charge you a thing for membership.
We're also lonely. If you run a dojo and don't have a web page, come join us. Put your page next to ours and make this the place to go on the web.
If friends are not enough to convince you, think how easy it is to run a school where you can make announcements, refer to articles that you've written, and have lively discussion of the art vs. application of karate.
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