Banging Your Head Against the Wall

 Sometimes it feels like we are “banging our heads against a wall” when people are not listening to us. They often ask questions just explained.

 We may experience this not only in skills training sessions or even in casual conversations.

 The confused may not “be day-dreaming”, nut unable to process incoming listening information, as the visual details at hand now take over their brain.

Unfortunately, many can only focus and follow one step holistically at a time, and cannot detect issues within the entire sequential procedure. Slow in procedural thought, “one unit at a time-piecemeal”, they become over-whelmed with step-wise instructions.

This unpredictable mind set creates a flow of errors that is both time-consuming and costly to reformulate properly.

Today’s work projects often employ three to five individuals, at high cost inefficiency, to accomplish a simple procedure. 

The following alarming story was recently related to me by a hospital book-keeper, as an incorrect coding entry had been taking a year of our involvement to resolve the accounting/mis-coded issue.

Without productive efficiency, projects fail with faulty detail. All work operations are a series of ordered details to be completed correctly, systematically, with full accountability. 

Any work chain with too many links can break down to error laden inefficiency.

Actual Medical Scenarios:

 It took a chain of five individuals in the hospitals’ book-keeping department to submit a Medicare claim adjustment in the year-long process. 

Inversely, there were several people at the Medicare side to conduct the same, expensive, time laden, data entry chain link process to finally correct the claim.

 That amounts to 8 monkeys working on one hospital charges data set.

 My Ophthalmologist routinely hires assistants to train from scratch, with few technical, if any, credentials. She falsely assumes that if they can run the ocular equipment that entering the machine data readings and input to the patients' records will be correct.

 Wrong.

 The assistant not only had entered incorrect data but mixed up the chart with another patient with a severe condition.

Then the doctor confronted with the dire results, requiring immediate surgery, lucky for me with my high listening-auditory-coding capability, I recognized the problem immediately, and confronted her with “these photos are not my newly filmed records”.

Of course, the doctor double checked my file, was embarrassed, and apologized, as I have nearly perfect eyesight.

Obviously, I could have gone through unnecessary eye surgery, not to mention, the time involvement, and the anxiety-stress incurred.

Subsequently, this circumstance could have been avoided by pre-testing the listening capability of future technician applicants.

 

 Erland, J. K. (1989, 1980). The Hierarchy of Thinking Model. Lawrence, Kansas.

Erland, J. K. (February 1986, 1989).Contrapuntal thinking and the definition of sweeping thinking).

 

 

 

What is Common Sense and Logic? Why Do We Need It?

The term “common sense” always baffled me, as I was growing up;  individuals said I had amazing “common sense,” and tackled problems wisely. This leads me to the discourse, “what is common sense, exactly?”

A Basic Conclusion for “Common Sense” would be simply:  “Don’t step in front of an oncoming car.” “Avoid lightning strikes”, or Don’t eat strange reptiles,” as the outcomes are obvious to most people.

My Personal Conclusion “Common Sense”: It may be the ability to flood the mind rapidly, with a variety of options, and then make the best choice rationally, not emotionally, in any given moment. 

If it is an emergency, we are forced to think fast. Otherwise, we can carefully weigh in our personal options – pros and cons in a logical manner.

Impulsivity and “Common Sense”:  a fast, risky, choice is made without any deep thought. An individual may realize they made it, but cannot fathom how they reached that conclusion. or understand the eventual consequences.

Often, this line of thinking is habitual, and this decision-making pattern continues throughout their lives.

How the Brain is Involved

In trying to understand the role of “Common Sense” cognitively, we can realize that the cerebellum is the master or “muscle,” doing the brain’s work load, whereas, the cerebrum is the “thought control”. 

And, additionally, each individual has their own unique electrical synapse system created through their learning experiences.

Therefore, we should desire interconnecting them in concert for optimal whole brain thinking leading to logical thinking and decision making. 

Options and Choices

We can create “Choice Architecture” [1] In making decisions that permeate our wired brains. 

We can use tools, or options, to create common sense through logical thought processes, for making decisions with desirable outcomes.

Device Screen Options

We can apply a unique assortment of options with our devices’ screens to give us the answers we seek. 

Consider not being distracted by the constant advertising on our screens, so we can maintain our thought flow and make optimum decisions, or levels of thought operations.[2]

My former article on “Focus” reiterated the Tik Tok - UTube data findings[3] that many have developed a “one-minute” brain attention span. 

This recent article for “Family and Tech” in the Wall Street Journal, reveals that “UTube one- minute “Shorts” give kids short, thrill bursts, making it harder to pull away” Brains are being short-circuited, camouflaging any possible “Common Sense” or logic.

As many innovators spot this issue, they clamor to come up with immediate, money-making solutions. This data is rapidly absorbed into marketing advertisements.

This becomes a “Hay-Day” for marketing and screens, as our brains’ logical capabilities wither.

Takeaway, thought-provoking point to ponder:

If we have a uniquely wired brain, laden with experiential, ethics, and skills learning, making our formulated choice options based on this factor, yet, data mining shows that many can focus only for one-minute or so, what can (or will) alter this anomalous paradigm? 

Are we making choices based on a short-circuited brain, lacking logic?

 

 

 

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[1] Johnson, Eric (2021). The Elements of Choice. New York: Penguin Publishing

[2] Erland, J. K. (1989). Hierarchy of Thinking Model. Lawrence Kansas, Mem-ExSpan, Inc.

[3]  Julie Jargon. (August 15, 2023). “An Antidote for ‘Tik Tok Brain’ Has Also Become a Problem” The Wall Street Journal. New York City.

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.

 

Understanding Cognitive Skills Testing: What Is It? Why Have It Admin? & Where To Find It?"

 I am reprinting an earlier version, 2010 article of mine, regarding the value of cognitive skills, standardized, longitudinal testing, still applicable today. 

Later, interestingly, in 2014, the University of Pennsylvania's Brain Behavior Lab created a simple, normed test, computerized, self-administered in one hour, called Mindprint Learning. It gives a direction for personalized learning plans in 10 skill levels.

While helpful for parent/teacher/student planning, the Mindprint Learning self-awareness test, therefore, differs greatly from the rigorous pre-post-post standardized test batteries I discuss, and administered at 13 learning sites.

 I work from the Guilford Intellgence model for backbone theory,  with a reformulated, brief, puppetry playbook model on downloadable film.

Lesson 1 preview is now available on Utube under "Jan Kuyper Erland".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yBvAnGjJeI    (paste link in your browser)

All of my lessons and content are original. The article goes well with my following July article on "Digital Transformation."

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2010

We can now all move forward to new learning and achievement heights, providing we understand how our own information processing works. Our reluctance to be the very best we can be, can now be left behind us. 

My work is based upon the premise that “intelligence” is trainable, and that skills, like reading, writing, mathematics and problem solving are dependent on cognitive information processing basic blocks called “primitives.”

Why understand what these blocks are? Because all work proficiency, including academic achievement, depends upon how our “mind works” operate. 

The renowned psychologist, J. P. Guilford, identified 150 cognitive skills cubes, called the Structure of Intellect theory (SOI), which has been used as a foundation and measurement of general intelligence for decades. (See footnote).

Why should we care? Because our future endeavors, how we cope with everyday life and our achievements/life styles will depend upon our information processing capabilities. 

It will become our lifetime path we lead, and how contented we will be with what we end up doing as a livelihood.

How do we find out what capabilities we have? It is through standardized cognitive skills testing and evaluations can show information processing strengths and weaknesses of the individual.

Why is testing and evaluation not routinely prescribed? Why do we not know about it? It is because testing can only be administered by highly trained, state certified, professionals at the masters/doctoral degreed levels. 

These people include psychologists, school psychologists, and learning disability specialists. 

Testing companies will not sell testing materials to anyone other than these highly qualified and trained professionals, who are trained to do measurement and evaluations.

Subsequently, the testing requires trained expertise, money, and takes time. One set of cognitive skills tests usually runs from $2,500. - $3,000. 

Therefore, parents often go to physicians or psychiatrists who can prescribe medication to calm the learner, which may appear to be a quick, inexpensive solution. 

Yet, this intervention is not low-cost, and can run $100. a month or more depending upon insurance coverage. And, prescribed medication can become habit-forming.

There is little, scientific knowledge, summarizing the life-long effects of any kind of stimulant medication on the brain and body that is used to increase focus and concentration needed for learning new material.

Cognitive skills training and cognitive skills assessment has been available for some time. In 1975, Guilford's student, Dr. Mary Meeker, formed the "Structure of Intellect" (SOI) Institute and trained educators how to measure cognitive skills according to task. 

She and her husband, Robert, designed tests and materials. The SOI Institute exists today (as of July 2023) with clinicians in every state that have been trained at their "Advanced Level" out of four levels of experienced practice and training. 

The program has focused on reading, math, and learning problems, early childhood weaknesses, Gifted instruction with remediating missing blocks, and career counseling.

Yet, cognitive skills measurement and standardized testing has not been mainstreamed for the average, yet ambitious person, due to training, time, professional qualifications, and cost constraints. 

Generally speaking, individuals needing remediation were tested either privately, in schools, clinics, or within learning institutions.

Subsequently, many who who were fortunate enough to obtain low-cost assessments and training, or at no cost through their school, later felt embarrassed that they might be considered as "inadequate or a slow learner." 

Yet, they could subsequently experience giant steps forward in perceiving and learning new information faster and reaching greater career heights. 

Now, this sense of "being singled out as imperfect or having a problem " is no longer the case, as we move forward with a new dimension of identifying learning skills strengths and weaknesses to create the high performing, confident individual. 

We must all excel. Tomorrow's world is demanding it of us.

How can I get started with solid, eye-opening measurement of my own or my children’s cognitive skills if it is expensive and time consuming? Is this beneficial, and worth the time and trouble?

Soon there will be available online options that will offer access to finding the right professional in your area, who will now charge less for solid evaluations. 

And, the online options will give you the information you need and want, and point you in the right direction for not only testing, measurement and evaluations, but for instructional, learning solutions.

My dream is that most of us will want optimum mental fitness in the future for our children and ourselves the same way we want physical fitness and personal well-being. 

It will be our choice to move forward to higher levels. We can be competitive in the new, global world.

Footnote: Guilford, J.P. (1967). The Nature of Human Intelligence. New York: McGraw-Hill. In Guilford's Structure of Intellect (SOI) theory, intelligence is viewed as comprising operations, contents, and products. 

There are 5 kinds of operations (cognition, memory, divergent production, convergent production, evaluation), 6 kinds of products (units, classes, relations, systems, transformations, and implications), and 5 kinds of contents (visual, auditory, symbolic, semantic, behavioral). 

Since each of these dimensions is independent, there are theoretically 150 different components of intelligence.

A Case for Digital Transformation

Exploring Evidenced-Based-Data Results

 

Many products in development claim Evidence-Based-Data findings.

What is their data authenticity? What kind of testing, and by whom?

This article is in response to my previous “Proof is in the Pudding” discussion, where I self-monitored my internal responses in parallel to the participants’.

Subsequently, my former personal anecdotal review can be validated by lengthy clinical research findings.

Most product-building data collections, unfortunately, are heavily anecdotal, or computerized self-tests, rather than having rigorous scientific analyses.  

Participants can be assessed by informal tests in specific areas, by self or instructors.  Compilations then become compiled by doctoral, or representative students in labs, or by computerized selection formats.

The BTA has applied both types of assessment extensively, through 13 test sites with many 3^rd party evaluators, testing companies, and institutions. 

The treatment outcomes included both criteria- referenced elements (continued to the present time), and highly recognized diagnostic standardized tests, monitored in depth by three independent testing companies, and five universities.

Although the confirmed results are precedingly dated, they remain substantive, as they were evaluated at so many assessment levels, with high level statisticians/evaluators, and circumstances.

Participant longitudinal data is hard to come by, as the learner often changes locations. Parochial schools are preferred, as students often move lock-step from grade- to- grade.

In the 2-Parochial school study, the goal was to determine if the results generalized to higher achievement scores. 

Out of 14 classrooms, only three adhered to implementation protocols and obtained results (two fourth grades and a 6^th grade).

These students, moved forward with new teachers, and were followed by assigned numbers for 2-4 years longitudinally, as long as they remained at the middle school level.

The implementation problem was embedded in the poor technical media applications available in 1996. 

Only three teachers could manage juggling video and audio tapes with an overhead projector, for 48 lessons on a daily basis. 

And, following heavy on-site teacher training, applying students’ handwriting on worksheets.

Surprisingly, these written worksheets, revealed important cognitive changes within the first 20 days.

Interestingly, the two schools with the 4^th and 6^th grades’ high results, elected to verify my outcomes with an independent testing company; Educational Testing Service (ETS) of Princeton, NJ.

Outcomes

The subsequent verification of my results indicated that I needed to wait for the right technology to emerge, even if it took a waiting time.

Broadband internet availability, with finding the right photographer/sound editor, who could incorporate the many embedded instructional layers into one brief, daily filming lesson, was crucial.

Then, hopefully, creating high fidelity, excellent phonological sound quality, with streamlined, engaging, and timing with puppetry.

Subsequently, I waited, and completed the problematic, on-going project’, now prepared for broader digital transformation.

Drahozal, E. (Vice President, Iowa Test of Basic Skills - ITBS testing service, personal communications, technical assistance, April 18, 1998, May 17, and May 27, 1999 and June 8, 1999). Ithaca, IL: Riverside Publishing Company.

Erland, J K. (c February 1986, 1989).  Contrapuntal Thinking and Definition of Sweeping Thoughts.  Lawrence, KS

Erland, J.  K.  (1994).  Analytical skills training through video-tape instruction develops higher-order thinking skills capability.  Journal of the Society for Accelerative Learning and Teaching, 19, (2), 155-227.

Erland, J . K. (1995).  Cognitive skills training improves listening and visual memory for academic and career success.  in ERIC Clearinghouse, Journal of Accelerative Learning and Teaching, 20, (1 & 2) 87-101.

Erland, J.  K.  (October 1997). Fitting into the high-performance workplace. The American Society For Training and Development. KC-ASTD’s VISION. p. 1

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.  (Spring, 1999).  High performance thinking counts.  Performance In Practice.  The American Society for Training and Development. and KC-ASTD’s VISION, February, 1999.

Erland, J.  K.  (Spring, 1999).  Brain-Based learning longitudinal study reveals solid academic achievement maintenance with Accelerated Learning practice.  Journal of Accelerative Learning and Teaching, 24, (1).

Erland, J. K. (Summer-Fall 2007). Five generations, 27-years of iterative experimentation demonstrates cognitive skill improvement enhances academic achievement and career goals.

Frisbie, D.  (Ed., ITBS, personal communication, technical assistance, June 10, 1998 and August 9, 1999). Iowa City, IA: Iowa Testing Service.

Hoover, H. D., Hieronymus, D. A. Frisbie, D. A., & Dunbar, S. B., (1993)  Iowa Tests of Basic Skills Content Classifications with Item Norms.  Complete/Core/Survey Batteries, Levels 5-14.  Form K.  Chicago, IL: The Riverside Publishing Company.

Riverside 2000. (1994). Iowa Tests of Basic Skills Integrated Assessment Program, Technical Summary I.   Chicago, IL: The Riverside Publishing Co.

Science Research Associates Standardized Achievement Testing (1985). Survey of Basic Skills. Chicago, IL: SRA.

 

The Proof is in the Pudding

Carefully designed Cognitive Behavior Modification (CBM) (Meichenbaum, 1995,1977) techniques and strategies that included self-verbalization, mnemonic organization, modeling, and study skills still fell short of desired academic and career improvement, because some important foundation components were missing.

Many theoreticians, although looking at all the ramifications of the problem, were not focusing on an important issue; poor information processing capability, with deficient cognitive functions (J. P. Guilford,1967; Intelligence Theory, containing a 3-D Model of 128 various mental cubes).

Subsequently, we are each born with our own unique profile of underlying, high to low, information processing areas (Meeker, M. 1999; Gilford’s student), and distributed parallel processing, feedback loops (Erland, J. 1986, 1989), (Rumelhart and McClelland, 1986), which can dictate our daily endeavors.

Yet, alternative cognitve, intelligence theories address, and interface with 8 types of  experiential, personal, talent capabilities (Gardner, H. 2006). 

Unfortunately, many of us are not familiar with earlier, established scientific findings, and how they personally affect each one of us.

Severe deficiencies within multiple cognitive functions, may be termed learning disabilities, Dyslexia, or simply, under-functioning.

Weaker cognitive areas do not disappear with maturation or the passing of time, unless with an intervention.

Cognitive deficits may include inadequate visual and auditory sequential memory capability that ultimately interferes with the integration of information.

The information processing dilemma may be misdiagnosed and blamed on a poor attitude, lack of motivation, or Long-Term, latent Covid effects.

Many now suffer from memory fog created from lasting Covid. Subsequently, the inherent strong and weak cognitive areas may also be adversely affected.

Individuals possessing several of these problems, may develop some compensatory and coping skills.

Furthermore, cognitive and memory deficits carry within them a high degree of stress that can result in underachievement, or even chronic situational depression.

We may be told to try harder, or to seek help with counselors, or mental health and medical professionals. Sketchy prognoses can be made, pills prescribed, creating an unfortunate situation.

Subsequently, as disillusioned individuals, we do not achieve our maximum potential.

We find it difficult to enter the career fields of choice, or be able to compete and advance in our chosen fields.

Braced with indecision, we become embarrassed, or too proud, to consider we could be performing at much higher output levels.  

Let alone, be trained by rotating, cubistic faces.

• 

Case in point: It was difficult for me to realize my own short-comings, as I had struggled since birth, compensating. I felt lagging, or “behind,” fast- paced classmates.

The puzzeling part was that I read like lightning, and was sent to upper grades for reading classes. I read classic literature by age 10.

In teaching my program, it was quite accidental that a personal, new revelation was realized. When studying memory and cognition theories, I understood that unfortunate hidden, gaps were within my own information processing system.

Technically, it was easy to identify my visual and auditory closure issues. What I saw and heard short-circuited, or was incomplete. 

Then, this deficit led to visual and auditory sequencing memory, not functioning optimally, as required for procedural learning.

Finally, a cascade of shortfalls creates poor memory integration needed for conceptualization.

Fortunately, and unexpectedly, I soon recognized increasing sharpness with my own verbal and written communications. I had gradually gained auditory and visual memory closure and transfer.

And, with great relief.

My original intention of applying a procedural system was to accelerate my own three children, plus strengthen my husband’s information processing capability, following a series of heart operations.

As I had worked for, the family all wound up excelling in their chosen, fields of endeavor. My spouse could now embark on a new career path.

Coincidingly, I internally followed my own internal mental progress, but self-help was not my intent.  

My daily puppetry, memory-span-drill workouts are now hinged with physical activity to create a whole-brain wellness regimen; without pills.

It is unusual that one affected with many cognitive shortcomings, would arrive with a solution. 

Nevertheless, I did through internal monitoring.

My only regret is that I did not have this surprising, sharpness benefit earlier, during my younger schooling days.

  

 

Erland, J  K. ( February c 1986, 1989).  Contrapuntal Thinking and Definition of Sweeping Thoughts.  Lawrence, KS

Erland, J .  K. (1995).  Cognitive skills training improves listening and visual memory for academic and career success.  in ERIC Clearinghouse, Journal of Accelerative Learning and Teaching, 20, (1 & 2) 87-101.

Gardner, H. (2006).  Multiple Intelligences:  New horizons, the development and education of the mind.  New York:  Basic Books.

Guilford, J. P.  (1967). The nature of human intelligence.  New York: McGraw Hill.

Guilford, J. P. (1984).  An odyssey of the SOI model: An autobiography of Dr. J. P. Guilford.  Tokyo:  Japan Head Office International Society For Intelligence Education.

Hessler, G.  (1982).  Use and interpretation of the Woodcock-Johnson psycho-educational battery.  Hingham, MA:  Teaching Resources.

Kess, J. F.  (1992).  Psycholinguistics:  Psychology, linguistics and the study of natural language.  Philadelphia:  J. Benjamin’s Publishing Co.

Meeker, M. N.  (1999) Structure of Intellect Systems. Teacher Training.  Vida, OR:  Structure of Intellect: Based on J. P. Guilford’s work.

Meichenbaum, D. (1991, 1977).  Cognitive behavior modification:  An integrative approach.  New York:  Plenum Press.

Mahoney, M., & Michenbaum, Donald. (1995). Cognitive and constructive psychotherapies : Theory, research, and practice. New York : Washington, DC: Springer ; American Psychological Association.

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.

 

Creating a Video-Sound Stage

 "The Best Conditions Became Evident at the Right Moment"

 

My previous blogs offered my personal stories to encourage the application of creativity,  as I did successfully that results in enthusiastic, engaged learners.

 I have earlier related “How to Follow Oral Directions” was my masters 1980 experimental project. Puppets were shown to be as effective as peer role models. 

Then, obtaining unusual outstanding results with my students/clients, solid longitudinal data verification was deemed necessary authentication.

 The historical role model puppets emerged as the data catalyst. 

This outcome revealed any type of action puppet can be noteworthy for instruction to motivate current non-focused, screen-addicted, students having weak listening memory.

 My objective with this immense filming project was to condense, consolidate, and complement my unpublished instructional and training manuals (each lesson, research documented). 

And then, convert earlier filmed lessons, as a live data collecting prototype, to an easy- to- use, high-quality, stand-alone-deliverable product.

 The staging creation process was not easy to formulate, as there were many decisions and time delays locating and installing the needed equipment.

 Fortunately, I have had a life-long background for understanding staging requirements.

 By age 4, I existed on a home stage in our living room.  My earliest fond memories were those of acting in front of a home movie camera in bright lights. 

Now, everyone is in front of a cell-phone lens, taking multitudes of self-absorbed “selfies” every few hours.

Yet for me, it was not a spontaneous, reactive occurrence, because it was then 1941, and 8 mm silent movie cameras were rare, new, products, available only for the invested person. 

But, we became one, using Kodacolor movie film. Family members were often the subject matter in the home stage environment.

 This action involvement progressed eventually to my early 1960 teaching with classroom stage productions. 

The family 1970s puppet show staging followed naturally with lighting instruction offered by the University of Kansas theatrical department where I was enrolled.

           With 5- generations of filmwork development completed over decades of technical, upgrade hurdles, and finding that commercial film companies were not a realistic pursuit; the home stage studio became a work-in- process, trial endeavor.

 Now, let’s fast- forward to 2017. My grand-daughter was enrolled in film studies at Cal Arts and offered lighting and staging input to complement mine. 

A freshly engaged, novice, photographer and sound editor, put the studio production into slow, steady, forward gear, as there were many sound and lighting considerations.

 Subsequently, moon-lighting his day job, he could only schedule four hours weekly, as an up- skilling training project (2-3 hours filming, and 1-2 hours editing and producing uploads into Drop Box). Although he had his own rock band, was fond of comic action, he welcomed the opportunity to practice studio photography. 

He soon realized increased dedication to this immense, ongoing, project.

It was a high-risk endeavor, and I never thought we would get beyond the first 3 or 4 lessons. Subsequently, I was agreeable with the initial slow production set-up pace.

 We ordered the necessary lighting equipment and a 5’ camera slider that had serious shipment delays. Finally, the historical stage puppets were in place ready for the necessary action. 

I had become a multi-vocal puppeteer who could readily switch vocals with the required timed pacing. This aspect eliminated the need to hire several puppeteers with additional film production staff. 

And, most importantly, it would be the same photographer, not rotating ones trying to learn the complex choreographed, panning system.

 

My small filming-sound studio was now soon complete with computers/screens. As if my magic, we gradually finalized over 3 - 6,000 lesson segments through countless takes and retakes. An early-effort, 2 minute segment, had up to 13 retakes of my vocals with constant staging challenges. 

We re-filmed the first eight lessons several times, because the practiced filming and puppetry improvement was noticeable.

In a culture of pill-popping, as an easier solution than mental, action workouts, the re-filmed lessons run from a brief 10- minutes up to 24, averaging 16.  The participant applies resilient, cognitive, whole-brain responses and interaction. 

Workouts give feelings of exhilaration and pleasure

 Artificial Intelligence (AI) can imitate this complex staging with “faces and voices”, but, creating the same warm, comforting, interactive, appeal is questionable.

Hopefully, this article will encourage others to engage with in-depth, meaningful, projects that offer insightful well-being and accomplishment.

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 . . . . . .