Old habits harder to revise than new habits to acquire

I continue my journey through the world of E Learning and in my quest to improve as an online teacher I look to the model of master teachers. I have been very, very fortunate to work with some of these special colleagues in face to face communities and I have, over the past year, had the opportunity to work with and learn from some really amazing mentors. These online facilitators exemplify kindness, tolerance, genuine curiosity and authenticity.

So, having said that, I am coming face to face with . . . change. If I indeed want to improve my performance (and I do) this will require change. The adjustments are many and involve the areas of content, instructional design, delivery, assessment, moderation . . . well the list goes on and on.

Over in one of my UofW online classes we have been exploring the use of a variety of tools to facilitate online learning. The moderators in this class are guiding the participants (teachers, trainers, or those who want to be one or the other) into a manner of online discourse.

Now I know I am learning when I am uncomfortable, a tad confused, frustrated and at time plain angry. The analogy is golf. I play to a 44 handicap. Every few years I get frustrated and take a few lessons. My already pathetic game, gets worse. This illustrates a principle we all know, that unlearning a habit is much more difficult than learning a new habit.

So, back to the online tool over in my class and learning a new way to employ the tool. I am setting aside for the moment the question of whether I think that this is a change that is recommended - for either me or my students. After all, like the golf pro, I am paying pretty good money and time to learn an alternative.

So when we acquire a habit, we become automatic in practicing that habit. That is, no thinking is involved or conscious effort for an old school teacher to lecture, Tiger Woods to drive the green, Greg Pratt to make pancakes.

But a new habit requires a self conscious effort, until the habit is internalizes.

And, to unlearn a habit and replace is with a new habit . . . oy vey.

So, the following is an comment expressing the difficulty I was experiencing:


I am struggling with the correct protocol for online discussion

The reply from the instructor reinforced the notion that the challenge to acquire a new habit and unlearn an old habit is work but worth it.