I Believe in Dreams

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1048761_10150297618294956_649251649_o“Here comes that dreamer”… I believe in dreams. Dreams give us hope and aspirations. Artists know everything about dreams. It seems like as artists we are constantly living in one. It is common to come across people who say: “You are dreaming if you think you can make it as an artist.” I hear that a lot but my favorite one is: “What else do you do besides art?” Have you heard that before? Have you said that to someone?

People is always impressed when I tell them my story. I’ve been drawing since I was very little. In third grade I could already draw by looking at stuff. In fifth grade I spent the year painting history related murals in the classroom. I was always involved in something ‘artistic’ in school. However, when the time came to apply to college, I applied to study civil engineering. The day I was filling up paperwork for the application my father sat next to me and asked me what was I doing so I explained. His response was:

“Why? You love art. You are going to be miserable if you do anything else.”

He was right. After the first year I was already leaving civil engineering and moving into arts. (I’ll save the story of that transition for a different post.) Needless to say I’m here now with a long journey in front of me still. My dream is not complete yet, but I can say it is getting there.

This journey makes me think of Joseph. The first time I heard the story of Joseph I became fascinated with it. Yes, it is in the Bible (Genesis 37 and on). Joseph had dreams and the gift of interpreting dreams for others. His character also had to be tested because of that. First thing I learned from this story: Be careful who you share your dreams with and how. Joseph made enemies out of his own brothers because of his dreams. Sadly, we are going to make enemies because of our dreams, gifts, and abilities. Rest assured, “the haters” (it even sounds funny when I write it) will one day bow down. That’s not the point or what we are looking for. I am learning to pray for the success of “them” and grace, just like the one I received.

ivantirado.com

As I mentioned before, Joseph’s character had to be tested. We go through life trying to make sense of the paths we have taken and how it all fits into our dream. We might be living the roller coaster life and on each turn it seems like we are about to touch our dream and we miss it. We take another path, and another, and feels like just isolated experiences. Maybe we are collecting the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and one day we will make sense of the bigger picture. Hold on to your dream!

Renewing our minds

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During a sparing session, one of the fighters was a little timid during a fight. His skills were not showing. My martial arts instructor Renshi Herbie Bagwell told him: “It is all in your head. From the neck down you have all you need to win”. How many times do we get paralyzed by fear? How many times we lose the fight without even trying? How many times our perception makes us forget our skills? How many times our mind is keeping us away from what we are capable to achieve?

born-again-sculpture

Renewing our minds is a concept shared by various sources. Practices that involve spiritual and emotional cleansing talk about the concept of focusing the mind into thinking positive in order to achieve results. Social cognitive theory in learning psychology explains the importance of life experiences to form what we think of ourselves based on our interpretations of those experiences. Therefore, it is important to take advantage of every situation to learn and form an acceptable, affirmative perception of ourselves. Faith, for example, speaks about believing that something will be done and seeing it done before they are done. Christianity speaks of the renovation of the as well:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)     

Born Again by Dr Ivan Tirado

Born Again by Dr. Iván Tirado

We often follow a behavior and thinking pattern based on what our environment and experiences forced on us and we end up thinking that we have no other choice but to continue living that way (remember the kid hiding during art class). Let’s give ourselves a chance towards a new life. We can’t change the past, but we don’t have to follow the same pattern. From the neck down we have all we need to win. We have a choice! We can try again! We can try something new! We can still win the fight! We can be born again!

Sharing Knowledge as Equals

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When you engage in group interactions and discussions how do you behave? What are you seeking? What are you revealing of yourself? Peer tutoring is one of the oldest learning practices there is. Peer tutoring occurs when matching companions share knowledge while maintaining a status of equals [1]. Are you thinking about those online discussions where people genuinely share knowledge and honestly learn from each other? Yes, that applies as peer tutoring. Co-workers figuring out together how the new data system works? Yes, that is peer tutoring too. Those group activities in workshops where all come together to achieve a common goal? Indeed, that is peer tutoring. It happens constantly in society.

Knowledge resides in discourse and communication among individuals and their relationships. These relationships also influence how individuals see themselves, perceive their social circle, and assume how their social circle sees them. Social negotiation becomes knowledge negotiation, through which individuals engage in the meaning-making process. [2]

In peer tutoring the roles of tutor and tutee are constantly changing and balancing each other. However, it is possible to observe how individuals assume different roles in these interactions. These roles and how they are played out could determine the success in a peer tutoring interaction.  Albert Bandura defines these roles as agentic perspectives of human functioning: direct personal, collective, or proxy (surrogate). Agentic perspectives reflect self-efficacy (personal perceptions of skills to reach a goal) according to social cognitive theory [3].

agentic perspectives

Agentic Perspectives of Human Functioning

For peer tutoring to be effective, all parts must present an attitude reflecting a collective agentic perspective: all share and all learn. Yes, there is going to be a constant shift of roles as learning and teaching occurs. This also requires maturity and camaraderie. Arrogance and insecurities are the opposite of that. One can identify these characteristics in interactions online as in face-to-face situations. When individuals only seek to be ‘right’ and no other point of view counts, and when opposition comes and some resource to personal attacks and harassment, it is possible to identify issues that will put at risk the success of the learning process. Such situations are disturbing specially in environments with professional adults.

When practicing peer tutoring, focus on the goal. If the group is not in agreement towards the goal, then it would be futile to force a learning outcome. Sometimes, the learning goal is to seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge without necessarily reaching a consensus of opinion. However, the process itself and how participants conduct themselves could reveal if there is or not collective agency and if the interaction would be fruitful or else. When you engage in group interactions and discussions how do you behave? What are you seeking? What are you revealing of yourself?

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[1] Topping, K. J. (2005). Trends in peer learning. Educational Psychology, 25(6), 631-645.
[2] Tirado-Cordero, I., Hargiss, K.M.,& Howard, C. (2014).Exploring Self-Efficacy Beliefs as Entry Behaviors for Participation in an Online Peer Tutoring Learning Environment. International Journal of Strategic Information Technology and Applications (IJSITA),5 (1), p. 54-82.
[3] Bandura, A. (2008). Toward an agentic theory of the self. In H. Marsh, R. G. Craven, & D. M. McInerney (Eds.), Advances in Self Research, Vol. 3: Self-processes, learning, and enabling human potential (pp. 15-49). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.





						


					


					


				
					


					


						


							
						


						


							
Studio Time: Work on Something or Nothing
							
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I enjoy every part of what I do. Of course, I love teaching. I love teaching art classes, but I also enjoy teaching other classes like computer skills, tutors’ trainings, and all other stuff. Getting back into public speaking is a lot of fun too. Indeed, getting ready for shows, setting up, having a great party, meeting new people, and the aftermath, it is all wonderful. The business side of my ‘job’ is pretty interesting as well: writing, marketing, online interactions (the people you get to encounter), designing printed and online graphics, meetings, and all related to being in contact with others, get the word out, and serve. Above all that, and after a few crazy weeks of all of these (not that it is going to stop anytime soon) it is great to get back in the studio.


Ivan at the studioGetting back in the studio is like flying to the Fortress of Solitude to hang my cape. That’s my place to refresh, recharge, read, listen to music, pray, meditate, and enjoy silence. Although it is main street area near the highway with train tracks a few streets down, ambulances and police sirens as background noise… you get the picture. It is the only place where I can sing without hurting people’s hearing. In the studio I can let my mind wander and watch muses dance around to receive the next wind of inspiration, because when I’m working on ‘nothing’ I am really preparing for ‘something’.


Watch The Art of Ivan Tirado: Inspiration on Youtube.


There is time for everything. When it comes the time to ‘work’ on ‘something’, is not necessarily a defined destination. Technique exercises and experimentation is part of work. While my main medium of expression is sculpture, I enjoy drawing and painting. It is often those doodles that become sculptures and paining experiments that become a series. Looking at previous work is also a way to assess progress and define a path to take in the next piece. Sometimes I revisit pieces that are not public yet unless you follow on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. I post pictures of work in progress a lot! Thank you to this online tools some artwork go from the studio straight to private collections without ever been exhibited for the general public.


Photo Nov 28, 2 13 40 PMWhen I get to work on something defined it becomes a very intense and exhilarating process. I get in the flow, in the zone, or whatever it is that describes that moment. I can honestly sculpt for many hours with very short breaks. Eating, getting something to drink, answer the phone, and things like that I can do while sculpting. I remember before I decided to take my studio time seriously that my main excuse was TIME. I had no time. It is very easy to get involved in so many things and neglect my art. Then I came across Michele Theberge’s The Mindful Artist. I realized that if I don’t make the time to be at the studio, no one is going to give it to me. After all, the time you dedicate to your art, is time you invest in yourself.





						


					


					


				
					


					


						


							
						


						


							
If We Only Knew We Could Predict Behavior
							
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Learning and teaching are complicated endeavors. Every component of a purposeful learning process is important to achieve results. However, there are so many factors and variables to consider that it is almost impossible to count them all. As educator and instructional designer I aim to provide effective learning solutions. Some people might think that an effective learning solution is to provide all the possible answers to a given problem. I prefer to think that guiding people to find the answers for themselves is a better approach.




How can we accomplish this? We must draw knowledge and tools from other disciplines. Psychology for example provides information to facilitate learning, or as Howard Gardner suggested, it provides an understanding of the conditions where education takes place and of the recipients and practitioners of knowledge. If we only knew how people would behave in a specific learning environment, won’t we make sure to be ready to suit the needs accordingly? Understanding what people think of themselves and their skills to succeed in specific learning endeavors can provide instructional designers with direction to design learning goals and instructional strategies that aim not only for the acquisition of knowledge but also providing for a transformative learning experience. Knowing how learners perceived their likelihood to achieve success also provides for a better understanding of the constraints and opportunities of a proposed learning solution.


In my research, I explore self-efficacy beliefs as entry behaviors. Self-efficacy beliefs are personal perceptions of the skills to achieve a goal. If we only knew that self-efficacy beliefs could provide hints not only in how people will approach a learning situation, but to us to be prepared to teach or guide accordingly, won’t we take time to know our students better? According to the results of the study, people not only approach a task according to their self-efficacy, but they also behave as predicted. This provides a better idea of opportunities and constrains in proposed learning solutions.


Confronting new challenges brings consciously or unconsciously the need to assess and balance skills with requirements. Individuals consider what is required to achieve a goal and examine if they have the skills to achieve it. They also consider if they have the skill to learn the skills required to achieve the goal. Task engagement, performance, anxiety, stress, persistence, and coping skills are also affected by self-efficacy. Knowing this before hand prepares instructional designers to create learning solutions accordingly and to provide a transformative experience through the learning process.


In order to provide learning solutions of transformation it is necessary to know what needs to change. This is another way to measure success. Let’s call it “base line”. Assessing previous knowledge is important. However, knowing how people feel about the knowledge and skills they possess can make a great difference in how they approach a task. The act of teaching and guidance could be designed and approached based on learning strategies design to fit the specific needs. We could also be changing lives. Instructional designers could be helping to improve self-efficacy along with providing effective learning solutions.