A brief thread on learning.

Last night, before bed, I listened to this brief presentation by Lorimer Moseley and @JoshuaWPate

It highlighted the need for clinicians to understand more about how people learn. https://twitter.com/joshuawpate/status/1354922525554139142

I have been a verbal critic of “painsplaining” the need for clinicians to “educate” patients in pain science understanding at every opportunity. My biggest criticisms are around delivery methods and content.

In a study comparing pain education to placebo education there was no difference found in the two arms on pain. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2712902

The glaring issue IMO with this study was the belief that “ telling is teaching” ie giving people a two hour pain lecture somehow equates to learning on the side of the receiver? https://twitter.com/retlouping/status/1059748369646653440

Effective education is not just about giving information to someone. It is about seeking to understand the learners current level of understanding, allowing unlearning, relearning and reflection.

Before clinicians start educating their patients, they should feel comfortable with their own understanding and ability to “simply” explain the complex subject.

I have frequently discussed using Bloom’s taxonomy as a guide ( yes it has some issues, but it is a good guide for educators)

I speak to the difficulties of learning and unlearning in this longer thread here https://twitter.com/Retlouping/status/1272230004924047360

Get comfortable with your own understanding, don’t just jump on a current trendy clinical theme.

As Lorimer appears to have realized learning is something the individual does not something an educator gives. Clinicians should act as facilitators of learning, trying to understand the needs of the learner.

It is also important to remember that education can have strong contextual effects, when delivered by a perceived authority, or a charismatic presenter. Long term learning is about the person not the educator. Educators can plant seeds, learners have to water them.o

Clinicians should consider the needs of the patient learner.

As always, thanks for reading.

“Learning is something you do to and for yourself.”