A good scare is what a learner needs
09 December 2009 | By David in Brain-based learning, Instructional designResearch by Vermeulen et al. shows that the brain responds to facial expressions denoting fear and disgust quite differently. Expressions denoting fear heighten our sensory input and increase our attention to the material immediately following the stimuls, whilst a face denoting disgust throttles our sensory input and attention.
What does this mean for adult learning? Using imagery and soundscapes it would be relatively simple to stimulate fear in learners, fear of job loss, fear of poor health and so on, then follow it up with critical information to prevent these fears being realised. As an eLearning consultant, I’ve used this technique quite often, for example using disturbing case studies as an extrinsic motivator, but never with the intent of generating fear.
What about the ethical dimensions this approach? Do the ends justify the fear? Is a good scare what learners need?
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21 December 2009 | Michael Josefowicz Said:
If the fear is managed and quickly changed into puzzlement or consternation, I think it helps resolve the ethical problem. But that means that the response has to be in very, very close to real time. Creating fear and not responding within a very, very short time period is irresponsible and unethical.
21 December 2009 | David Said:
Thats intersting Michael, so if we use the fear motivation, then creating activities that drill down on the fear, examining why the learner felt the fear and used that as the seguay into curiosity (eg scare them with a horrific accidnet, why are they frightened – of dying or killing), why did the people die in this case (speeding, DUI), what can we do to avoid such things (monitoring speed, cruise control and so on). I like it the transition of puzzling the fear out, uses the fear, directs it and contextualises it, so you are not just trying to use fear as a motivation, but fear as a starting point for discussion Great suggestion.