As it Applies in the World of Athletic Training

The three articles that I chose to analyze for this assignment all connect directly with what I think is important in the education of future Athletic Trainers.

First, the need for the first hand experience is important. This is why our students do a considerable amount of clinical observation. It is one thing to read about and injury in a text book, but it is quite another to see the injury occur, try to handle the situation in a high-pressure setting (game) and then try to effectively communicate with the athlete--which can be a task in itself.

While we can't prepare our students for every single situation, we can give them the right tools, and try to apply them in a context that is as close to real-life as possible. I don't know if this can always be done using technology. A computer cannot convey the emotion of the athlete, or the sound of the crowd, or the heat from the sun. (Monke, 2004/Zull, 2006)

I think that also the students go through Perry's (1981) stages of intellectual development as it pertains to working people in general. I feel that it is extremely important to be able to empathize with athletes as people, not as athletes. In reality sport is not that important. It may be someone's livelyhood, and it usually is a huge blow to an athlete who receives a major injury--but most of the time they will heal and eventually return to sport, and most importantly live a normal life. If you do not have the ability to emphathize with the athlete as a person--understand where they came from or who they are as a person, you encounter some major obstacles along the road to recovery.

The Importance of Development

Monke (2004) also argues that before we expose our children to the world of technology, we must ensure that they understand the great power that access to the world of technology yields. Access to information can be a great thing, but also a very scary thing if you do not have the "moral and ethical strength needed to resist abusing the enormous power".

The Stages of Intellectual Development (Perry, 1981)

Perry (1981) provides us with a developmental model that marks the changes a student goes through (college aged) in terms of "seeing, knowing, and caring".

• Dualism: Dualistic thinker, sees the world in black and white, missing the shades of grey.
• Relativism: Views the world from multiple perspectives, but still looks to authority for guidance.
• Commitment: Views the world from multiple perspectives, but has a coherent belief system.
• Empathy: Genuinely sees the world as others see it, and is constantly aware of the impact of one's own belief system on the society or culture.
  

How do these stages relate to Monke (2004)? As I stated earlier, Monke (2004) stresses the importance of developing a strong moral and ethical base in students as one of the primary aims of education. He equates it to trying to grow a "tree without roots" by throwing our children into a world of external tools that can fix internal problems. Perry's (1981) stages of development relates to Monke (2004) in that it outlines the ongoing changes as student goes through in how he/she views the world, yet holds onto their own set of beliefs/values. It is without the development of these beliefs/values and the ability to also acknowledge others' beliefs and values that we "grow a tree without roots" by introducing technology into education too soon. (Monke, 2004)

Analysis: The Brain, Experiences and Learning

The Human Touch (Monke, 2004)

In this article, Monke (2004) argues that technology cannot serve as a substitute for the first hand experience...at least not for younger children. The argument is based on the fact that children should be allowed to go through normal developmental processes, including experiencing things first hand utilizing all senses, rather than being thrown into the abstract, two-dimensional world of computers.

Massive amounts of money has been poured into incorporating technology in education in two goals in mind: 1) to provide children with the computer skills necessary to flourish in a high-tech world and 2) to give them access to tools and information that will enhance their learning in subjects like mathematics and history. (Monke, 2004)

With the incorporation of technology into education, Monke (2004) states, "we need to ask what kind of learning tends to take place with the computer, and what gets left out?" First hand experience. Learning via simulation with a computer takes place in an abstract, two-dimensional world in which the primary senses utilized are vision and maybe auditory, excluding touch, taste and smell...and while these senses might not be present in all educational experiences, they are also important stimuli that help to create associations, memories, and learning.

Key Aspects on How the Brain Learns (Zull, 2006)

Zull (2006) provides the framework for how the brain interprets stimuli and builds associations and memories, which are manipulated down the road depending on the context. This is the platform for learning. Zull (2006) outlines the 'four pillars' of learning:

• Gathering Data: which means "sensory input"...not information input. The data comes from vision, touch, taste and smell.
• Reflection: the brain categorizes the sensory input forming associations, memories and emotions.
• Creating: the new associations are manipulated for a purpose based on context...yielding intent, feelings, decisions, and judgments.
  
• Testing: the active part of learning...writing down ideas, talking about and/or putting ideas into action.

These pillars coincide with the idea of the importance of the first hand experience, and the impact that it makes on learning.