Posers and Knowers

This last semester of graduate school gives me a break from communication theory and gives me a chance to finally put some meat on those theoretical bones. To facilitate this, I'm taking a course in Instructional Design and Educational Technology. The first class reviewed various foundational definitions and we discussed quotes from various who-bodies (people of who's who in the field) about the different ways an instructor might perceive (see?) students. The photo on the left reminds me there are multiple ways of understanding what we see. Is this dog frightened and hiding from an unseen threat or burrowing in search of prey? I think part of the answer lies in knowing the type of dog. If it's a Jack Russell Terrier, then I would say the dog is not only burrowing, but has chased some small quivering animal into a hole in the ground. My son owns a Jack Russell Terrier that he calls "Mini". Because of the dog's intense, and I mean INTENSE nature, I call her "Mini the Muscle". If there was a canine La Cosa Nostra, Mini would be the "Family" boss.

Relating this to education and students, I often find it initially difficult to know when students are really (as in the reality of) learning. They can be looking directly at me and even nodding their heads at the appropriate times, but I have discovered by their post-discussion questions they weren't engaged in the learning process. As the semester progresses, I can start to tell the "posers" from the "knowers" and distinguish the difference. Knowing these "burrowers" from the "hiders" helps direct my interactions with them. It also help me maintain patience when I realize not all learners look the same.