Tag: learning

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Context: Crisis

Climate change, inequality, debt, geopolitical tensions. We as a society are in or nearing crisis on many levels. Now we are in what looks like a revolution here in the US, with the MAGA movement attempting to consolidate power. Some of us are hopeful this will lead to a more efficient government and a new era of prosperity for Americans. I for one am angry with the current situation, and given the magnitude of the April 5th protests1, I know many others are angry as well. Perhaps we can agree on the need for a new system, even if we can’t agree on what that system will look like. I believe new systems are forming now. We have the opportunity to contribute toward growing this new system.

I used the word grow and not build, because I think if we focus directly on building a new ideal system, then it is likely that we will fall back on ideas from the old system to make it more quickly. I’d rather for people to have autonomy to follow their interests, because this leads to genuinely new ideas. If this autonomy is also coupled with close social connections, then the learners can be supported and the needs of the group can be met. I came across these ideas through unschooling2, but I think they apply more generally. In my experience a good way to support self-directed learning and social connection is through small learning groups. Such groups can be a small step towards positive societal change.

Why small groups?

I have personal projects that I really want to do but struggle to find the time for. I do a good amount of reading, listening, and watching about my interests but a lot less of the doing than I would like. It’s somewhat surprising too because a lot of my interests involve computers so it’s not like I need to buy expensive equipment. In my core, I feel this need to learn, be creative, and to grow, so it feels like I’m withering when I’m not taking action. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one with this affliction. If we are not acting, then society is not benefiting from our creativity. What if we formed small groups to support each other in our learning and creative endeavors?

There is a dramatic difference between learning in a group and learning alone. When you’re alone you have limited feedback, and it is easy to get stuck. In a group, others will tell you if your plan doesn’t make sense, and if you get stuck they can help you think of other ideas. A group requires communication of ideas, and the process of formulating the ideas into words helps to solidify the concepts. In interacting with members of the group, you can observe what others are doing and ask if something is unclear which can lead to learning for both members. With these benefits, members of a group can gain skills that would be very difficult to gain alone.

I’ve been lucky to experience some of these benefits in a work team. I’m part of a software development team at my job at Spheryx. We do pair programming (often remotely) while working together on the code. It’s amazing how many questions come up. For example: “when should we break up a large function into smaller functions? What was that keyboard shortcut? Wait, that doesn’t make sense, how does that work?”. We each develop expertise in certain areas, but then teach each other the skills whether it is using a new library or a new programming practice. When we are planning our work, we will sometimes intentionally give a task to a person who has less experience in that area so they get a chance to learn. This group learning has helped me to go from a physicist who could write some scripts in Python to someone who can coordinate and contribute to large software projects.

But the incentives at work can be focused on results instead of on learning and creativity. In my experience learning really depends on having autonomy, having room to explore and try things. So I think it can be helpful to have learning groups outside of work (or at least outside a workplace where the management can define the priorities).

These kind of self-directed learning groups are fun! I was part of a small group of Code for Newark members who got together to learn javascript. It was great! We became friends and went on to work on other projects together and with other members of the organization. But these groups do not even have to be explicitly about “learning”. Some of my best experiences growing up were working together on projects with a couple of my good friends and my older brother. We made all sorts of stuff in our backyard: a push cart track with banked turns, a large jump for our bikes, a teepee big enough to stand in, and a working well. There is no way I would have done half those things if I was on my own. Why can’t we have some of that free exploration as adults?

Obstacles to small groups

Part of the challenge is many of us have been schooled. For all those years, our efforts were externally evaluated and graded. The teachers decided what was important to learn. The pattern continues in the workplace where the focus is on meeting externally chosen company goals. In all of it, there is a culture that we should be productive and not “waste time”. I want to break free from this mindset in order to experience fun, powerful learning.

I try to remind myself that when we freely choose what we learn, much of it will be practically useful. That’s part of the fun. It’s cool to make something that helps people. If we are drawn to work on something then we can put in immense effort and it won’t feel like “working”.

But even if we are open to the idea of directing our own learning, how will we have time? I know for myself with work, child care, and just daily life (laundry, groceries, cleaning…), I feel overwhelmed pretty often. It’s hard to imagine adding something else on top.

I think we can approach it in a similar way to exercise. We don’t have to train like we are in the Olympics. It can help to find exercises that are enjoyable and to do a little regularly. Usually it doesn’t end up costing as much time as expected because we no longer need as much time on other activities (for example winding down in the evening). So with the learning groups, we can find others in similar life situations and find an intensity that works for us. Something regular but maintainable.

Proposal for a small learning group

I am hoping to form or join a small learning group. Here is what I think could work for me in my current life situation. The format could be something like this:

  • A group of about 3 – 8 people
  • Group chat for random asynchronous communication (ideally allows for threaded conversation)
  • Daily or weekly messages briefly describing what you’ve done, what you intend to do next, and any challenges you are facing
  • Weekly or monthly audio/video call that could include
    • Quiet calls where all are working together on their own projects
    • Talking together about the projects/challenges the members are working on
    • Governance of the group through consent3
      • For example, defining a term for the group, that can be renewed if the group desires

I think it would be useful for the group to be clear on its goals. Here are ones that I am interested in:

  • Supporting each other with making progress on personal projects and learning
  • Helping members find careers that respect them as human beings and that benefit the wider community
  • Creating new organizations or businesses that contribute to the common good
  • Adding to knowledge and culture through open source work that can be shared and modified by others

Is this for you?

I’d love for others to join me in forming a group (or multiple groups). Here is how I pitch it:

  • Making progress on creative work helps the soul. You probably will be in a better place in your other relationships, which will make life run more smoothly.
  • Think of the groups as a self-directed graduate program/workshop. You won’t get a degree but you will learn and grow.
  • The group is a door, a beginning to a new chapter in your life.

It feels great to do something about the situation we are in. We can regain a sense of agency and find a sense of purpose.

This is an experiment. We can try it to see how it works. If you are interested, please reach out to me and hopefully we can start meeting soon.

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hands_Off_protests ↩︎
  2. Unschooling is an alternative approach to education where children are allowed to pursue their own interests and adults support the children in this effort. See this article “What is Unschooling?” by Earl Stephens at https://www.naturalchild.org/articles/guest/earl_stevens.html ↩︎
  3. The principles from sociocracy could be helpful. Sociocracy is a governance system where decisions are made through consent and power is distributed through the organization. See this article https://www.sociocracyforall.org/sociocracy/ ↩︎

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I recently started using overcoming isometric exercises, and I’m thoroughly enjoying them. These are exercises where you try to move an immovable object. Last month, I made this DIY isometric trainer setup by Reddit user 16of16 and have been practicing these kinds of exercises since then. It has opened up heavy resistance training for me which has seemed out of reach for the past decade.

I haven’t consistently lifted weights since grad school. When I lifted back then, I really enjoyed it. I liked feeling stronger, and I even enjoyed the actual lifting itself. It’s great to be able to give maximum power without breaking anything or hurting myself. But I stopped.

Weight lifting stopped being fun. After grad school, I didn’t have friends to go to the gym with. I like lifting free-weights, but without a gym buddy spotting me, I couldn’t safely give maximum effort. I tried using the machines, but that wasn’t as fun for me. Also I was commuting into NYC from New Jersey. As anyone who has done it knows, it can be soul-draining. It became very hard to justify regularly going to the gym.

I had another option, calisthenics. I had started doing push-ups as a kid which started me on a life-long practice of calisthenics. I love that I can do these exercises anywhere. I’ve learned a variety of different exercises at this point that I can do until the point of failure. So although I tend to do more reps than I would with weight lifting, I still can challenge myself and get stronger.

But I missed exerting maximum effort and being under a heavy load. Especially with free weights, the whole body becomes a force chain. Every part needs to contribute in order for the weight to be lifted. It is exhilarating.

Recently, I learned about overcoming isometrics which is allowing me to exert maximum force without weights. Isometrics are exercises where you exert force while not moving, for example wall sits. Overcoming isometrics is a variation where you push or pull against something strong that won’t move. It could be pushing against a wall or trying to lift a weight that is much heavier than you can lift. It’s cool because you can exert as much or as little force, for as long as you want. Despite nothing moving it is very much real force, and in a lifting position I feel the same kind of heavy load that I would with free weights.

To try out this kind of exerciese, I built the DIY isometric trainer setup from Reddit user 16of16. The idea is simple: a plywood board that you stand on, a strong bar that you hold, and a strong cargo strap looped under the board and hooked onto either end of the bar. The cargo strap is adjustable, so you can use this for various lifting positions. The exercise involves your feet/body pressing against the board and your hands/legs/back trying to push the bar away from the board. The cargo strap prevents it from moving and provides the resistance force.

Here’s how I made it:

  • I got the following items:
  • I filed the edge of the plywood to make it more rounded so that it doesn’t rip the cargo strap.
  • I removed the carabiners from the small cargo loops, and attached the loops through the circular end of the hooks at the end of the cargo strap.
  • To use it, I lay the cargo strap flat on the floor, lay the plywood on top, insert one of the bars through the loops at then end of the cargo strap, then adjust the length of the cargo strap as desired. Then I am ready to exercise.
Man standing on plywood board and holding a 1 inch diameter metal bar against his chest. The bar has cargo straps looped over the ends, and the cargo straps loop under the plywood board. The man seems to be straining upward against the bar with slightly bent knees. In the background a wood paneled wall and a few pieces of exercise equipment.
Me demonstrating my overcoming isometrics setup

With weights the visible aspect is the motion of the weights. With overcoming isometrics there isn’t much that is visible, although I do notice the strap going taut and the plywood flexing slightly. So I need to focus on what is happening internally: the compression I’m feeling and the effort of my muscles. But when I do that it works; I can challenge myself. I have a similar physical response that I would have after lifting a heavy weight: raised heart rate and faster breathing.

One of the reasons, I looked into isometrics in the first place is that I’ve heard they are good for joints. I struggle with runner’s knee. It tends to flare up if I do things like squats or jumps, and I can usually get better with physical therapy type exercises. So I hoped that overcoming isometrics would allow me to do heavy exercise. Alas my knee pain came back, so it is not a silver bullet. But it does seem to be easier on the body in some ways. I don’t get sore after these exercises.

My current plan is to do a mix of exercises, overcoming isometrics, calisthenics, and physical therapy exercises. Hopefully that will keep the aches and pains at bay. I also plan on periodically tracking the force that I can generate on the isometric setup. I use a crane scale to measure the force. I think it will be fun to see progress. I’m optimistic about it.

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Image of restored specimen of a squat quadruped with knobby back
An ankylosaurus: by Emily Willoughby (e.deinonychus@gmail.com, http://emilywilloughby.com) – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30925563

Like many kids, I was into dinosaurs. I had fun reading about the different types of dinosaurs, and trying to figure out which was the biggest, strongest, or most powerful. Over the years, I got interested in other things so dinosaurs have not been in the front of my mind. Recently my son has helped me to reconnect with the amazing world of dinosaurs. My son (two and half years old) loves dinosaurs and has been starting to learn some of their names (like ankylosaurus) so I have naturally been learning with him. To my surprise I’ve found that dinosaur research, and paleontology as a whole, has made tremendous progress since I was a kid.

Here are some specific examples:

  • Spinosaurus is the largest carnivorous dinosaur ever and had a crazy looking spine on its back. The finding of new Spinosaurus fossils as spurred a lot of research trying to understand whether it was aquatic, what the spine was for, and what it ate. The evidence is suggesting that it may have been one of the only swimming dinosaurs!
  • Tyranosaurus Rex was huge, but how fast was it? There has been a lot of back and forth but according to this 2017 paper, they probably weren’t that fast and mostly walked. Very disappointing! I still am hopeful that they could run as fast as a Jeep, but it did get me interested in the general relationship between animal size and speed (see this interesting blog post going into the details about animal speed)
  • Dinosaurs had efficient respiration with air sacs like birds (living dinosaurs!). In addition their bones were often pneumatic meaning that the air passages went through the bone. This made the bones light and strong which may have been one of the traits that allowed dinosaurs to get so big.
  • There is a wealth of evidence and theories about how different dinosaurs and other animals evolved. I really enjoyed this Eons show exploring how pterosaurs evolved the ability to fly.

Dinosaurs remind me that the world has not always been like it is now; it has changed and most likely will continue to change. The dinosaurs showed that huge land animals are possible. Could they evolve again? Could genetic engineering help? Jurassic park made it seem like a bad idea, but I would be for it. On a darker note, the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs (except the birds!) in particular is a reminder that millions of years worth of effort can be erased in a day. But perhaps the survival of our ancestors and the ancestors of other current species is an inspiration that life could survive the next big catastrophe. I like to remember we are part of the same story that includes the dinosaurs, and it is not over yet!

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I was at the the beach this past week, and one of the days we got a chance to do some star gazing. It was a new moon, and the sky was full of stars (and some satellites). I wanted to take a picture to capture the majesty. In the past, I’ve tried to take pictures of the stars and have failed, but recently I’ve been getting better at manual mode on my Galaxy S9, so I tried again. This time it worked! Here was the result:

The night sky at the Jersey Shore.

There were a couple of settings that made the picture possible. With manual mode, I set the focus to infinity so the stars would be resolved. I fully opened the aperture to let in more light, and I set the phone down on a box so that it did not move. When it was taking the picture, the phone automatically determined the exposure time which ended up being around 10 seconds. I also raised the ISO level, but that may not have been the best idea because it can introduce noise. If you’re interested in learning more, there are many guides available, I came across this one today and found it to be informative.

Good luck with your astrophotography! Here’s a picture of the big dipper to close:

The big dipper.

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I was super excited to go skiing for the first time as an 11 year old. My older brother and I had signed up for a ski trip run by our town, and we were on a bus with a bunch of people I didn’t know. Going skiing was something I had dreamed of doing ever since watching Olympic alpine skiing as a very small child. Every winter I would sled fanatically any time it snowed, but I longed to go skiing. This was my chance!

I ended up learning how to ski quickly and loving it. My first day, my brother and I stayed on the beginner hill, but by the end we were flying down that little hill. Since then I have gone on to ski black-diamond slopes.

Why did I learn skiing quickly, while other people struggle greatly? Since then I have failed multiple times trying to “teach” friends how to ski. But then I have another friend, Keith, who learned how to ski even faster than me and was on black diamond slopes on his very first day!

How people learn is a whole field of study that fascinates me. Today, let me share a few of my thoughts about how learning works based on my own experience and from what I have picked up from reading about learning.

I think that there are many, many mini skills that are needed to accomplish any physical skill like skiing, swimming, or even walking. Having a toddler in the house makes that very clear. My son will try all sorts of variations on manipulating objects and repeat again and again. I believe that these games help him to build up a suite of mini skills that can eventually be drawn upon to learn skills like shooting a basket or doing stand up paddle boarding.

Perhaps getting stuck when attempting to learn a new skill is just a sign that one needs to learn some more of those mini skills. I had that experience with snowboarding which I tried for the first time with my friend Keith who was trying skiing. I had hoped that my experience with skiing would help me to pick up snowboarding. No luck! I kept on falling, and just felt very unstable on the board. I couldn’t turn or stop, so I had to fall. Sometimes the falls were awkward half-falls, and other times I would do a face plant into the icy snow. In the end, I gave up and switched my snowboard rental for a ski rental. Then Keith and I had a blast for the rest of the day racing down the advanced hills.

I didn’t try snowboarding again for over a decade, but when I did try snowboarding I picked it up right away and I loved it! I’m not sure how this happened, but I attribute it to learning how to do the RipStik (see the image below). A RipStick is like a skateboard but has only a single wheel at each end attached with swivel casters. To move you have to swivel you legs back and forth which somehow generates motion. It was definitely a challenge to learn but I learned it during a summer living with a group of my friends while going to Rutgers.

RipStik_Classic_BL_Product
The Razor RipStik

Somehow when I returned to snowboarding I felt like I was able to transfer some of the skills I had picked up from the RipStik. I felt much more comfortable balancing on the board. I could swing my legs and hips to enter in to turns and I could control how the edge slid through the snow.

When I tried snowboarding as a teenager, I wasn’t good at it, but when I tried it again over a decade later I was a ‘natural’. This experience and others like it, make me question the idea that some people are inherently good or bad at certain skills or sports. Yes, some people will learn skills much faster than others. But do not write off the slow learners! Once they master the necessary mini-skills they can catch up pretty quickly and perhaps they can experience the joy of flying down a mountain on a snowboard!

Do you have the experience of failing to learn something the first time and then picking it up years later? I’d be curious to hear about it. I’m also interested in learning more about what the scientific research says about how people learn.