The Concept / Context Manipulation (CM)

Introduction:

Context Manipulation is a behavioral self-control simulator, as a flight simulator is to a pilot. It’s all about preventing the loss of self-control and maintaining focus on relevant stimuli. We mold and script any context to target specific behaviors, so we can introduce, reduce, reinforce or reverse a behavioral competency. We prepare the youngster to deal with situations that might or might not have occurred yet (Generalization). It can be applied as a common denominator for all sports contexts.

The bridge between the educators, the educational material and the student is missing in most concepts. Though everyone believes that they have the answer or the correct strategy, this strategy opted to address the problem that all current concepts struggle with. Society has become an expert in project and concept development but not problem solving. We have not yet closed the gap in education between probability and fact. We are more caught up in demonstrating how good our concepts are that we forget our main priority. Parting information between educator and student, and student focus is where this concept is second to none.

The Model:

  1. Task observation ( analysis ). Visit streets/schools/project/organization/correctional institutions, learn about settings and contexts in which the kids are involved, and the present behavior.
  2. The clinical and pedagogical decision making (the summation table). Designing intervention, application strategy, Learning of the basic behavioral skills and increasing the level of difficulty while sustaining the success level of the individual. (Programming the simulator)
  3. The effect of the model on the kids self -esteem and learning behaviors and how this relates back to society (functional analysis) and then the discussion on recommendation.
  4. Generalization. This is the reintegration process outside of the presence of the teachers/instructors.

One of the major ingredients in solving any crime is motive. The motives for learning are personal interest or personal benefit. Hence this is our unique approach of context manipulation when designing our lesson plan to motivate the youngsters. The competency becomes internalized because we address all three levels of learning, cognitive emotional and behavioral. (Gillert, Rinks, Gardner)

The first step at the targeted behavior is to set the baseline, make or establish a prediction, prepare a very specific molded lesson plan, then verification. We do not immediately do replication because behavior is dynamic. Thus, we might not be able to apply experiences from prior case studies on what might seem to be an identical situation. (We the educators never fall into routine behavior in other words habit). The traditional PE/sports curriculum is excellent as far as it goes. But it fails to explicitly incorporate two of its most valuable elements. Namely; Increasing level of difficulty, and Practical Emotional Training Experience. What made my research important was that it focused on making those explicit goals of a PE curriculum not just “hoped for“side benefits, but fact.

The model makes a city, state, or national conference possible, because of the common link the model creates among all individual programs. In turn this would make government funding of projects more cost effective. Regional and national progress can be easier monitored. Model stresses a collective effort in dealing with behavioral problems.

Educators, coaches, schools, parents, and others must be on the same page. Competencies being worked on should be passed on to all those involved in the youngsters’ life. The faculty must be reinforced by the youngsters’ environment.

The concept was designed to reinforce the educators’ ability to better communicate and stimulate his/her creativity when working with the youth. Judging by the response and successes we have had on three different continents, the design works and has proven what we have set out to prove. Here are some of the most common remarks I get:

  1. “This is what was missing”.
  2. “It helped make things clearer.”
  3. “We knew that but we never worded it as well”.

Contents of my presentation, supported by research video:

  • Intelligence (Gardner)
  • Levels of learning (Gillert)
  • Motives for learning (Gillert)
  • Teachers/educators/coaches student communication
  • Behavior (Skinner)
  • Understanding
  • Model objectives through Games/Sports/Physical Education. (Eldar)
  • Defining the use of Sports/PE as an intervention/development tool.
  • The behavioral summation table.
  • Practical emotional experience.
  • The importance of Games/Sports/PE.
  • Increasing level of difficulty (LD
  • The added demand of pressure that causes loss of self control.
  1. -Complexity
  2. -Duration
  3. -Intensity
  4. -Distracters

Rational:

E. Eldar, H. Gardner, J. Rinks, A. Gillert, B. Skinner.

Some questions:

  • What role should the context play in addressing the behavioral competency?
  • How to design the script that will address the targeted behavior?
  • What should we focus on in order to prepare dialogue hints in our lesson plan?
  • How do we create the window of opportunity to make the biggest impression which could stimulate dialogue?
  • How to address the practical emotional issues that the script could provoke?
  • When you believe you are doing a great/good job, what are you comparing that to?
  • Look for collateral damage and the behavioral domino effect.
  • How do we best arm those working directly with the youngsters to feeling confident and well prepared for the task?
  • What philosophy should we apply when teaching, that of personal interest or the learning of the benefit of content?

Food for thought;

Experienced teachers/educators/coaches tend to rely on tradition and habit and are less open to modern theories. This is not an attack on experienced teachers/educators/coaches. It is natural for humans to go with what they are most accustomed to and comfortable with. Ask yourself, when was the last time you did something for the first time?

The problem here is that students today are developing fast due to several variables, too many to mention. I believe that teachers/educators/coaches should maneuver themselves in a more flexible position. This position then enables them to recognize and identify student characteristics without compromising discipline. There are those of us who focus more on protecting our jobs than taking care of the youngsters’.

If you work live and sleep in the same environment you will think inside that environment even when thinking outside of the box. In behavior analysis we talk about triggers/stimulus response. With my unique background and experience I can stimulate and trigger new responses in local community programs.

Closure:

For all organizations/programs, we must;

  1. Form a behavioral summation table.
  2. We must hold an annual forum to share strategies and collect data.
  3. We must send out a signal of unity, same result/goal with different strategies.

We live in one society; my design says one society one general set of rules of behavior, achieved by different organizations/activities/sports/games. Lets all agree on one set of standards. If the norms and standards are not clear for the adults, then it must be even more confusing for the youth. It must be made clear that even though the PAL, PSAL, Boys and Girls and Good shepherds etc. etc. are different organizations they stand for one and the same behavioral package. This will have a reinforcing effect rather than a polarized effect which sends a wrong signal. We all have a different definition about what good behavior is and how to achieve the best results in teaching youngsters good behavior. I say lets clearly identify the behaviors we want to work on. Everybody then goes back to their programs and execute.

Context manipulation works like no other concept, because it works for all concepts.

The model can be seen in three different contexts.

  1. Clinical context. (Institution, Correctional System etc. etc.)
  2. Preventive context. (Schools, Youth Programs/Projects.)
  3. Progressive supplement to already existing programs.

This is not an alternative program; we don’t want youngsters’ feeling like they are getting second best. I bring nineteen years experience from the European Union, the Middle East, China, Africa, and the United States to any organization/institution. I have accumulated an abundance of lecture information and overseas concepts and methods.

External links Athletic Ability as a Form of Intelligence