Your Active Listening Capability vs. AI

Will Artificial Intelligence replace active listening and inter-communication?

This article series, as an early pioneer in cognitive neuroscience, as a lay practioner, can give you, the reader, hopeful communicative insight. We can find much discourse on this topic on social media. 

There are many viewpoints to consider.

My earlier article on “Listening Success” (February 18, 2024), outlined three types of listening; passive, active, and critical. 

That being said, can Artificial Intelligence replace active and critical listening, crucial components of inter-personal communicative skills and interaction?

The answer is a resounding “no.”  Why, so?

Business, educational, medical, and technical positions will always depend upon personal interaction with feelings and intent.

 AI cannot copy this.

There will also be conferencing and working in teams that will require inter-active communication. Subsequently, inter-personal thought patterns will be outside of AI.

Active listening requires cognition. Without it, you are relegated to only visual memory and careers that utilize the visual process.

Example: Lawn businesses and factory line work require only minimal critical- active, listening. It is primarily visual work.

     i.e. I live on a street where every house employs a difference lawn landscaping company, as there are multitudes to choose from.  

The owner often entails the workload personally, as his lawn assistants cannot follow the necessary, mandatory, oral directions. (auditory memory).

To compound the situation, the lawn proprietor also has limited sequential, listening memory.

Out hiking, I noticed a homeowner giving a lawn proprietor detailed instruction. The latter looked overly confused, as he could not follow, or remember, the procedural instructions entailed.

Subsequently, the specifics were accidentally skipped. Later, the disgruntled home owner then hired another company with the same problem.

Unfortunately, the town is saturated with lawn companies. It is an easy business to acquire the necessary equipment, as failed lawn services soon go broke, (after two or three years in the red), and sell their equipment at a loss to another aspiring lawn company.

Perhaps, it would be better to acquire active listening memory ability; even if it requires some effort. For enhanced performance, The Bridge to Achievement program requires deep learning practice like athletic and musical performance.

                

t may be time to lessen time spent on visual video games, and consider listening development.

 

 

Solutions Rejected

 

A former December blog. “Memory Development for Me, revealed my pleasure in upskilling my own cognitive skills, and the mental overload relief I obtained with mental practice exercises.

 “Effective Wellness Reconsidered” talk followed  in my January post.

 Yet, today’s world generally does not embrace or recognize the concept of self-improvement through practice exercise, unless it is athletic teams whose objective design is performance. 

An individual may consider it “cool” to have a mental or physical weakness, to align with majority thought.

The new order code is “sensationalism”. All seek it. All want it. 

Many unsubstantial memory and learning companies have entered a crowded landscape promising the ill-informed individual an answer.

 Solutions, unfortunately,  can become a faulty choice. Rather than a weakness becoming “resolved” it is something to brag about.

If our weakness becomes uncomfortable, we swallow a pill, or smoke a joint. Ultimately, our health becomes at stake.

Yet, procedural learning remains critically important, beyond the pill or joint.

 Many individuals cannot embrace it or qualify for a demanding job position. Or, successfully engage in competitive athletics.

Because a good outcome takes practice, and more practice, then, some more.

Analytics become looped with the practiced outcome. Questions follow. What additionally is needed? 

Tried and True researched, clinical trials, or taking actions that work under pressure.

 Whatever the choice, it is for you to decide if  you are geared to grip technical job skills.

Finding Focus

Poor Mental Focus: The Universal Problem:

My last article reviewed how the average person can understand the mechanics of assessment, plainly known as “testing” or even “cognitive tests”. Many brain boost companies claim both recent and historic cognitive findings, some cloudy, not accurately clarified. And, most digital learning applications do not generate sustained focus.

The internet is awash with brain and cognitive articles and podcasts with many view slants. My articles are rooted as a parent of three, classroom and learning disabilities teacher, data analyst, researcher, and artistic program designer applying puppetry. 

To stay abreast with current popular thought/mind processes, and to offer understanding and desire for mental/physical wellness, I am visible on social media.

With that said, this article is on how deep learning with fixed focus affects our lives and identities.

Identity Empowerment through Focal Strength

There are many types of over- layers of our focal identities: on the family, religious, work, school, social, and emotional event-spending. 

Yet, the most important one to consider:  How to take on new tasks and ignore distractions.

My former articles have discussed how visual and auditory memory integration becomes elusive with too much addictive screen time adherence. 

It will destroy visual and auditory integration (necessary for deep understanding/comprehension).

Once you completely “understand” a situation, and apply rationale, your stress level lowers.

But, instead, we react impulsively. We all “obey” our screens with compulsivity. Marketing strategies depend upon our compulsive natures that we will react instantly to their clever lures. Ads pop up continuously, diverting our thoughts and concentrated attention. 

We apply cell phone “Focus” settings to turn out the distractive onslaught of visual images. But, even then, we still do not focus on new learning tasks optimally.

Engulfed by distractions, we multi-task that further diverts the concentration at hand.

Creating Purposeful Goals to Sustain Focus

We may additionally have weak visual and auditory working memory to focus effectively. Thereby, we may not integrate properly for good reasoning capability. This soon unites with mental depression, ignited by constant screen adherence.

Furthermore, instead of creating a unique personal identity to formulate the joy of our own being, we spend excessive amounts for concert entertainment.

This brief surge of excitement does not compensate for our lack of mental focus, or a sense of purpose, we sorely need for today’s survival. Yet, we become addicted to this sketchy lifestyle expenditure pattern.

We Search for this Elusive, Desired, Focusing

A recent neuroscience article stated findings re visual stimuli and fighting distractions called “Beta Bursts,”and how they appear from sustained, continued focus. [1] 

Brain frontal cortex neurons create “Beta Bursts” through visual movement and fixed attention. To personally obtain a visual Beta Burst, you must forcibly be directed towards a goal, rather than distractions.  Brain neurons can be re-directed to an important task, but it does take an enormous amount of determined energy to do so.

Okay, how do we create these goals for fixed focal attention?

Solution: Daily, Progressive Procedural Learning.

But, which one? 

There are many brain development choices: stimulation devices, (but will not improve current cognitive levels), medical drugs, pills, various digital, brain programs, (few will improve the critically needed auditory sequencing capability), diets, all designed to reduce brain fog and create learning prowess.

But, these varying choices do not necessarily make you adept in following and retaining sequential, skill-set procedures, nor last.

My digital solution is a worthy consideration: The Bridge to Achievement has 42 years in published, juried, Beta research and development. [2]

1.       Musical, rhythmical, facial focus with chunking – visualization – pattern finding operations, is a good option to obtain fixed attention for deep learning,

2.       Consecutive, determined practice is the next requirement.

3.      The lessons must then build on each other in difficulty level with purpose. 

4.      Then, the learner should recognize their progressive improvement, and keep going.            

5.      Finally, the rhythmic, timed, visual and sound adherence will re-formulate one’s brain cognition and integration. Improvement is “not a quick fix”, but you can see improvement gradually, peaking in a year or two, if you are motivated, and determined, with a goal-set.

UTube: Jankuypererland1111

 Now, you can recognize and resolve your insidious mental focus limitations, so you can take action to alleviate stress, depression, and confusion.

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[1]   Odorczyk, Kelsey. (August 11, 2023). Brain’s Traffic Directors: Neurons that Keep Us Focused on Tasks. Neuroscience News, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine.

 [2]  Erland, J. K. (© 2008). Downloadable, unpublished report. Five Generations, 27-years of iterative Brain-Based Accelerative Learning Experimentation Demonstrate Cognitive Skill Improvement Enhances Academic and Career Goals. (https://memspan/jalt).

Erland, J. K. (Fall 2000). Brain-Based Longitudinal Study Reveals Subsequent High Academic Achievement Gain for Low-Achieving, Low Cognitive Skills, Fourth Grade Students. Journal of Accelerated Learning and Teaching. 25, (3&4) pp. 5-48. ERIC ED # 453-553. & # CS 510 558. https://Books.Google.com/jankuypererland pages 41, 44

Erland J. K. (c 1989), Hierarchy of Thinking. Mem-ExSpan, Inc.Erland, J. K. (© 2008). Downloadable, unpublished report. Five Generations, 27-years of iterative Brain-Based Accelerative Learning Experimentation Demonstrate Cognitive Skill Improvement Enhances Academic and Career Goals. (https://memspan/jalt).

Erland J. K. (c 1989), Hierarchy of Thinking. Mem-ExSpan, Inc.

 

The Stuff Dreams are Made Of

 " Schemes and Dreams of the Chipper Chopping Chums"

My first marketing endeavor was to create and produce my first road show,  a theatrical puppetry company, while I was in graduate school.

It was a puppet show, named “Voco Poco Puppets” to match my extensive teaching experience in theatrical productions. As a family creative, team project, we performed a variety of seasonal shows at shopping centers.

Our ’Voco Poco Puppets’ back-to-school Fall promotionals was publicized as: “The Schemes and Dreams of the Chipper Chopping Chums”. 

The Script: Our featured ventriloquist puppets dreamed of being super stars like Wonder Woman and Superman. They thought they could reach those imaginative roles by dreaming about the fantasy world and that somehow it would become a reality.

And sometimes, dreams do come true.

Subsequently, Madeline and Wayne moved on to the Edutainment world to create better lives for many through instructional games to enhance cognition.

The family wrote and scripted the comedy and songs for each event. An electric piano was purchased for Mark, and as an advanced pianist by age 11, he welcomed a paid professional role performing current "Pop and Rock" pre-shows that attracted large crowds for the puppet dramas.

The shopping center’s marketing agents booked us regularly, as they remarked we were a “darling show.” After a 5- year performance stint, my children grew older, had formed new interests, and I had acquired my special education masters degree, ready to teach.

Progressing from public school teaching to my own company with a film studio, my lighting, and sound stage with a continuing coursework background, was included for the updated Bridge to Achievement film work. 

Interestingly, the featured Butch and Lily puppets had been early 1940s Hollywood figures that appeared as comedy nightclub stage acts in California and New York City. I purchased Lily from the retired performing artist, Lucille Elmore, who had become my vocal coach and mentor.  

She later bestowed Butch as an addition to my ongoing creative instructional film work. She explained that “I don’t want Butch ending up in a stored box”. 

And, indeed he didn't.

View Lily and Butch O'Malley below in Lucille Elmore's 1940's stage acts:

The characters'  vocal cadence have offered over 85 years of cheerful, comforting, reassuring glow to give a viewer a sense of well-being. 

The puppets had transferred themselves from 3-Dimensional stage players to a filmed 5-Dimensional rotating, instructional visual-sound system. These role models became successful tools for cognitive skills training.

Puppets as role models generate research outcomes

Data Outcomes Summary

The Long Wait for a Cognitive Skills Film Production Project: Three Podcasts Reveal Surprises

With the finalization of a six-year film production, entailing 6 arduous years of filming- re-filming-editing puppetry training segments, I find myself at the cusp of a completed project. 

The cognitive skills retraining program, created in 1980, has become a reality for consumer, upskilling, and educational corporate licensing.

The re-filming and full compilation (four generations of previous versions) had been an ongoing goal to complete a complex film set of 48 lessons. 

The project lay latent for a number of years in trying to find the right entity who could perform this highly detailed work. 

Finally, it was decided that the only way this could happen was to create a home film studio, where I did not have to transport five ventriloquist puppets and remain on location to perform the vocal work.

I would have to train someone from scratch, as I had a unique rotating sound and visual system with vocal phonological requirements.

By luck, a local sound engineer applied to my on-going advertising search. My high-risk endeavor was planned to obtain a full lesson or two. 

My background began as a classroom teacher, parent of three, special education teacher and specialist, learning scientist researcher, and finally, a data analyst. 

I partnered with five research universities to monitor my experimental research for several years. 

This partnership provided evidenced-based longitudinal findings with  subsequent research awards, which gave me a unique background for creative insights.

This arduous adventure will be related in a series of articles and podcast episodes.

With that being said, I now offer Podcast Season 1, Episodes 1 to 3, with an interview by my daughter, Christina Erland Culver, CEO of EdNexus Advisors, an Educational policy expert. 

My beginnings as a child reveal having a natural curiosity for the profound. This became the root for developing procedural instruction for helping others find hope and self-purpose.

Episode 1

Now, let's review how I began my first class that included Christina as a role model, with home schooling instruction.

Episode 2

An important discussion with Christina explains how and why the various sound repetitions integrate visual and auditory (listening) memory that is so integral in following oral and written directions, the foundation for implementing accurate procedures.

Episode 3

Let's review a Summary of the Data Outcomes

Data Outcomes Summary

My stories will continue in future blogs and podcasts . . . . . .

Following Oral and Written Directions

 

Following Oral and Written Directions[1]

 By Jan Kuyper Erland

My former articles have related on my 5-generational researched and developed puppetry film project. Artificial Intelligence (AI) could try to mimic The Bridge to Achievement’s (BTA) layered components effectively. 

But, are positive longitudinal cognitive outcomes with AI possible?

That will be determined through heavy data mining. 

Subsequently, this article will review the root of my long research project, which was my 1980 University of Kansas masters project. The design reviewed whether puppets or peer models could enhance the ability to follow oral directions.

The outcome showed that peers and puppets were equally effective as role models in delivering instructional directions. And, with further research assessment applications at thirteen test sites, the ability to follow procedural instructions maintained over time.

And, that visual and auditory integration were necessary cognitive components in the process. They should work at the same speed level for understanding to ensue. 

But, unfortunately, the advancement of multi-screen addiction has changed all of that, as we become more and more visually oriented.

We wind up with hard wired visual speed with quick images.

 Additionally, many brain games measure visual memory speed primarily, in repeated replicated – isolated patterns, but are not integrated with listening memory. 

As a result, we now experience national low school reading and math scores underscored with thr inability to follow procedures.  Screen skill speed games may be the culprit, dumbing down the brain. 

Inadvertently, a skilled workforce shortage results that can not follow or remember detailed instructions and procedures.

Inadvertently, we achieve the inverse of what we are trying to accomplish through heavy visual adherance. We pull the visual memory segment faster, and out of sync with the overly needed auditory processing.

The two memories, then, do not integrate properly for applied conceptualization.

Unfortunately, the critical auditory memory transfer process has been overlooked.

Data Outcomes Summary

Rumelhart, D. E., McClelland, J. and the PDP Research Group. (1986).  Parallel distributed processing:  Explorations in the micro structure of cognition.  Cambridge, MA: MIT Press    

Erland, Janis L. (February 4, 1986; copyright TXu 225 862). Contrapuntal Thinking and Definition of Sweeping Thoughts.

Erland, J. K. (1980). Vicarious modeling using peers and puppets with learning disabled adolescents in following oral directions. The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

Erland, J.  K.  (Fall, 1998).  Cognitive skills and accelerated learning memory training using interactive media improves academic performance in reading and math.  Journal of Accelerative Learning and Teaching,  23, (3 & 4), 3-57.

Erland, J. K. (© 2008). Downloadable, unpublished report. Five Generations, 27-years of iterative Brain-Based Accelerative Learning Experimentation Demonstrate Cognitive Skill Improvement Enhances Academic and Career Goals. (https://memspan/jalt).

5 Erland, J. K. (Fall 2000). Brain-Based Longitudinal Study Reveals Subsequent High Academic Achievement Gain for Low-Achieving, Low Cognitive Skills, Fourth Grade Students. Journal of Accelerated Learning and Teaching. 25, (3&4) pp.5-48. ERIC ED # 453-553. & # CS 510 558. https://Books.Google.com/Resourses ineducation/jankuypererland pages 277, 41. 

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Resources_in_Education/y2a2DbUyQ1QC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=google+books++jan+kuyper+erland&pg=PA277&printsec=frontcover

Erland J. K. (c 1989), Hierarchy of Thinking. Mem-ExSpan, Inc.

 

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A Content Timing Process Realized

For Cognitive Interventions

 

Completing a Cognitive Restructuring Method

This article continues a series regarding the importance of procedural learning through cognitive training, and how an incubated, research program became functionally realized.

I previously discussed how images and impressions overcome our day with multitudes of imprints that cloud our auditory processing capability, necessary for adept procedural learning.

Subsequently, in our new current world view, we remain locked into personal cell phone images, unable to remain focused on critically needed listening intentions for any length of time.

Although listening and visual processing must be in sync, unfortunately, visual images input rule. Considering these multiple embedded visual distractions, this technical system requires further scientific data study for future valued marketing determinations.

In my former article on “Impressionable Speaking Images”, I commented that I, personally, carefully evaluated written and spoken directive steps, both internally and externally, though various data analysis methods.

Personally, experiencing enhanced cognitive visual timing feedback, this process would assist the overall goal of syncing visual perception and auditory sequencing capability with the participants. If a viewer sees repeated spatial faces and voices in a timing motion, there are usually positive cognitive outcomes. [1]

It became obvious that I had to replicate myself through carefully filmed, timed, lessons, comprised of over 600 interlocking visual/auditory segments, so others could be taught with the same, identical system. Specified age groups would eventually encompass test- trial niches.

This restructuring cognitive system was never designed originally, as a prototype product. It was, somewhat, a method to improve my own family’s cognitive processing abilities, with a more procedural mind infusion intent. And, subsequently, this objective became realized some time ago.

Remarkably, it now continues realized, indirectly expanded exponentially, through all the activated participants with their own endeavors. Hundreds, even thousands, have experienced better lives found in other unique ways through different avenues.

It has been repeatedly applied through the retro-synthesis threads, the intensive training each training participants received, by following sequential procedures, coding, quickly. Consequently, their procedural management expertise continues to build, almost on a daily basis, helping thousands of individuals, through each of their own individual career objectives; many of whom, operate on very high national levels.

It is not often that an art/science accelerative method becomes incubated for decades, waiting for not only the essential technology to become available, but also attain the right studio and photographer filming requirements that was essential for creating dramatic image/sound looping action.[2]

Yet, the artistic/scientific under-pinnings became a nagging, daunting quest, as the filming should be completed with me as the primary engineer, script designer. And, how, when, and who would be involved with the required pre-production staging, film it, and then conduct the ongoing post-production sound-visual editing requirements?

As key decision maker, I eventually found and trained the essential photographer, personally recommended, and eagerly available to moonlight his day job. He was tightly bookended with a demanding work-family schedule that interfaced with my own long, search time- table. Like all learners, the photographer and I had to operate at our own pace, work with overly limited, available time slots, creating multiple, ongoing, insightful revisions, to realize any sort of valued outcome.

 Background Review: Creating a Class with the Necessary Cognition Sequencing Lessons.

With a wide variety of teaching, in different states and school districts, I found my creative abilities non-applicable with many school teaching models. Thereby, it became pertinent to create a viable research and development establishment. The entire family was the basis, and stood to benefit with this decision.

Step 1: Test the family. Assessing my own family members proved to be an interesting quest, particularly, as to how their cognitive scores correlated with their schools’ cognitive and achievement findings. One family member had been assessed by the school psychologist, and qualified for gifted services; a second member was close to qualifying for gifted services.

Their profile ranges intrigued me, including my own.  Even-scored, flat profiles can be readily apparent, as are low-deficit, average, and low average summaries; but they did not exist here. In our case, estimations inter-played with average, high-average, to gifted profiles between family members.

It was “the obvious cognitive, black, holes” that I started to wonder about. Subsequently, those cognitive calculations served as both a baseline and barometer, for my continuing assessment profiles and instructional lesson’ designing.

An unusual, alternative, learning intervention method was emerging quite by happenstance. The process demanded strong data analytic solutions, as it could not really be called a specific program, as the improvement lessons had to be created from scratch. I had used spelling words, word usage, as a school learning disability teacher, occasionally with simple hand puppets, even with junior high ages.

 Subsequently, this new, home-schooling class consisted of junior high, high school, and college-age students. Without question, multiple-vocal ventriloquist puppets now commanded the home stage. A most unusual, entrepreneurial story unfolded that could eventually transform animation and virtual-augmented reality formats in later decades.

The Instructional Model:

To begin at the starting point, an instructor must determine who is available to teach, at what instructional level and what will the material consist of, for a specific objective. Some professorial friends had instigated and pressed this endeavor, as they insisted that I help their high school-age son, as a certified learning disability teacher. I now found myself teaching in a home studio with my own kids, with the additional requested student. 

These Hollywood, vocal-action puppets that had been part of a family touring, comic, puppet show in the 1970s; were now happily instructing learners of all ages, with cognitive instruction.

Imaginatively creative, and scientifically well- versed in clinical assessment and methodology, I planned sequencing items on the spot spontaneously-continuously, monitoring it internally-mentally/externally, primed with data analysis.

Animated content can be created rapidly, whereas live multi-segmented, cubistic images demand dramatic, time evolvement.  Pieced timed, looping segments, cannot materialize onto meaningful instructional substance, unless retro-synthesis [3] analysis is applied through an ongoing serial encoding-decoding linking process, called concatenation. 

This constant serial linking instills recursive- patterned, insightful, monitored, awareness of the ongoing process.

Technically, it was soon becoming rigorous cognitive skills testing and training for many people in a wide range of abilities, utilized as research subjects at multiple test sites, in different geographical locales.

Five professors analyzed the raw scores conducted by multiple clinicians who individually administered the cognitive raw scores. [4] These five universities partnered with national testing companies that verified the posttest academic results. Landmark articles were written and published in a juried journal. [5]

 Soon twelve East coast inner city school districts, partnered with two rural Midwestern districts, and three universities, were part of a large grant project. Luckily, the proposal did not materialize, as there were embedded severe technological limitations for rapid implementation success.

 The rest of the story is history, as these technological restrictions have now been addressed.

 

 

 

 

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[1] Y. Chen, D.J. Norton, R. McBain, J. Gold, J.A. Frazier, J.T. Coyle,

Enhanced local processing of dynamic visual information in autism: Evidence from speed discrimination, Neuropsychologia, Volume 50, Issue 5, 2012, Pages 733-739, ISSN 0028-3932,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2012.01.007.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028393212000218)

Abstract: An important issue for understanding visual perception in autism concerns whether individuals with this neurodevelopmental disorder possess an advantage in processing local visual information, and if so, what is the nature of this advantage. Perception of movement speed is a visual process that relies on computation of local spatiotemporal signals but requires the comparison of information from more than a single spatial location or temporal point. This study examined speed discrimination in adolescents (ages 13–18 years old) with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Compared to healthy controls (n=17), individuals with ASD (n=19) showed similarly precise speed discrimination when two comparison motion stimuli (random dot patterns) were presented closely in time (0.5s). With a longer temporal interval (3s) between the motion stimuli, individuals with ASD outperformed healthy controls on speed discrimination. On a second task—global motion perception—in which individuals were asked to detect coherent motion, individuals with ASD exhibited slightly degraded performance levels. The observed temporally selective enhancement in speed discrimination indicates that a local processing advantage in autism develops over a longer temporal range and is not limited to the spatial domain. These results suggest a dynamic perceptual mechanism for understanding, and therapeutically addressing, atypical visual processing in this group. 

Keywords: Visual system; Motion; Local processing; Speed discrimination; Neurodevelopment

[2] @article{Hardman2011UnderstandingCI,   title={Understanding creative intuition}  author={Teresa Hardman}, 
  journal={de arte}, year={2011}, volume={46},  pages={22 - 32}

 3 Segler, M., Preuss, M. & Waller, M. (March 2018) Planning chemical syntheses with deep neural networks and symbolic AI. Nature 555, 604–610 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25978  also, Gateway technology AI applications.

 [4] Erland, J. K. (©2008). Downloadable, unpublished report. Five Generations, 27-years of iterative Brain-Based Accelerative Learning Experimentation Demonstrate Cognitive Skill Improvement Enhances Academic and Career Goals. (https://memspan/jalt).

5 Erland, J. K. (Fall 2000). Brain-Based Longitudinal Study Reveals Subsequent High Academic Achievement Gain for Low-Achieving, Low Cognitive Skills, Fourth Grade Students. Journal of Accelerated Learning and Teaching. 25, (3&4) pp.5-48. ERIC ED # 453-553. & # CS 510 558. https://Books.Google.com/jankuypererland page 41.and

Erland J. K. (c 1989), Hierarchy of Thinking. Mem-ExSpan, Inc.