by Dr. Donald L. Green, 23 May 2023
I become frustrated when I see efforts going backward or when something I have a strong belief about happens over and over again. I recently looked through some of the articles I published over the years, including one in 2017 called “The Lecture Teaching Method.” A few weeks before, I also wrote an article, “The Guided Discussion Method,” that aligned more with what I would expect RiderCoaches to use in a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) RiderCourses in 2023 – six years later.
A few weeks ago, I viewed a few pictures, within hours of each other, that stirred up my bias for the guided discussion method and have me still thinking deeply about the profession. When the MSF updated the Basic RiderCourse curriculum from the Motorcycle RiderCourse: Riding and Street Skills (MRC: RSS, 1985) in 2001, one of the significant changes was to take more into consideration Adult and Accelerated learning perspectives and decrease the lecture methodology, removing as much as possible the “Sage on the Stage” feel of the course. The process works so well that when the Basic RiderCourse updated (BRCu) was instituted in 2014, more Learner-Centered activities were added to expand the value of the content and outcomes to help with Rider Education.
So, I had to go back to my RiderCoach Guide (RCG) and consider my beliefs against what is written about such things. As I read the guidance, it is clear what the intent of the suggested methodology given to RiderCoaches is. However, my degrees and experiences as an adult education specialist can influence and bias my feelings about such learning methodologies. So, I would also need to consider some other occasions and experiences. In the picture to the left, the instructor demonstrated previous knowledge of a better way to Coach. But the culture he is operating in has yet to embrace modern changes to education. There is an atmosphere of throughput, resistance to change, and an overwhelming reliance on old entropic ways. The “Model” is one of expedience and shortcuts for the instructor and business – perhaps even a lesser emphasis on student development and educational understanding.
But wait, there is more… The following photo was taken during a recent RiderCoach Preparation Course. This model shows RiderCoach Candidates how to conduct the classroom in the same manner, probably because the culture where the course was conducted is similar. The old forms will continue when a new Coach is modeled the ancient teaching methods. More importantly, when RiderCoach Trainers continue to propagate old methodologies, we revert as a profession to the past.
This is when I must do my self-assessment of my own bias. How important is it to mention these observations to others? What are the potential issues with sharing? Who can benefit from understanding the faux pas and the ability to maintain our potential as professionals? Perhaps another article on “Human Behavior” would be helpful.
Overall, this is not a problem I should worry about, and I ought to let it go and accept the minimal standard that allows for such things. The students passed, didn’t they, and got everything they needed because – that is why we are here. There is nothing more important than getting that license except the actual outcome.
