A Whole New Mind Part 1 Response

1.      What is L-Directed and R-Directed thinking? Does my subject require more of one than the other? How could I try and reach a balance?

a.       L-directed thinking is a way of thinking that follows the typical style of the left side of the brain; it is more sequential, literal, functional, textual, and analytic. This is the approach which has been emphasized in schools and organizations lately because of its alignment with typical societal measures of intelligence.

b.      R-directed thinking is the opposite, characteristic of the right brain which is more simultaneous, metaphorical, aesthetic, contextual, and synthetic. It has taken a backseat to left brain styles because of the lack of value placed on those characteristics.

c.       I am getting a multiple subject credential which I think places a reasonable balance on both left and right directed thinking, especially in recent times. There is still a focus on standardized testing and value placed on those subjects which are generally associated with right brained thinking, but there is an emergence of methods which involve both types of thinking. For example there is a move towards using project based learning in schools where students not only learn information, but how to use it and their knowledge and explore. This allows students to use multiple skills which come from characteristics on both sides of the brain which fit their style, while pushing them to go beyond the emphasis on the standardized test.

2.      How do Abundance, Asia, and Automation affect the dominance of L-Directed thinking in business and schools?

a.       Abundance: The prominence of the L-Directed thinking in American society, and many other countries of the world, has led to an increase of wealth and abundance. However as this abundance increases the desire for things which relate more to the characteristics of right brain thinking. When items produced in abundance means that consumers have more choice, so they must be designed to be more than the logical functional devices that are left directed and stand out with attributes associated with R-Directed thinking to attract consumer attention. Many are also being driven away from the material world which surrounds them and pushed towards a more transcendent ideal.

b.      Asia: Many of the jobs associated with L-Directed thinking are things that can easily be outsourced to people in other countries who can perform the same functions for a fraction of the salary cost. Since these jobs can be performed from afar it is logical for large companies to hire those people in other countries since it will cost them less. The thing that will help workers in North America is to learn how to use R-Directed skills that cannot be outsourced as easily and which will make them more valuable to companies searching for employees which will benefit them the most.

c.       Automation: Many jobs that are associated with L-Directed thinking are logical, calculating, and sequential and, with recent developments in technology, are being taken over by computers and other mechanical devices. They can perform many of the same functions that people can without the same cost, expenditure of energy, or fallibility. Because of this many of the L-Directed jobs will decrease and R-Directed abilities and jobs will become more valued and opportunities will increase in those fields and jobs will be kept where R-Directed skills can be incorporated that technology cannot perform.

3.      What are High Concept and High Touch? What is the impact of this on my teaching?

a.       High Concept: the ability to create artistic and emotional beauty, detect patterns and opportunities, craft a satisfying narrative and combine unrelated ideas into a new invention.

b.      High Touch: the ability to empathize, to understand the subtleties of human interaction, find joy in yourself and bring it to others, and search for purpose and meaning.

c.       Both of these are ideas that are so important for children to develop to become people who will be a better influence on the world and those around them. It is not enough to be high tech if you cannot explore those ideas, expand on them, develop them with a variety of influences and end goals with a larger purpose. These are other skills that are necessary for all people to develop over time in order to be more balanced and produce the best ideas and a better society in the long term. They incorporate more personal skills and values which are vital to a world where human interaction is a guarantee.

4      What are the flaws of an education system that only values IQ? Is there also a role for EQ in education?

a.       The problem with an education system that only values IQ is that IQ is not a valid measure of much beyond a specific type of intelligence and the ability to perform well on a standardized test in a certain format. It also has a strong L-Directed focus which limits the scope of what it measures. It does not take into account multiple intelligences, interpersonal skills, interests, or any other abilities that are more applicable to future performance or a person’s worth. According to Pink and the latest research IQ only accounts for 4-10% of career success. There are so many other factors including, but not limited to, EQ which determine a person’s ability and all of those factors should be recognized and nurtured.