Welcome to our deep dive and today we're gonna be looking at the idea of situational awareness.
Ooh situational awareness.
Yeah, sounds kind of intense, right?
Into this.
Like something out of a spy movie or something.
Yeah, definitely.
But we're gonna be using a blog post to guide us today called situational awareness and instructional design.
And it's by Gary Ackerman.
I've heard that name.
Yeah, he's written a few books about educational technology.
Okay.
But we'll see how what he's talking about in this post goes way beyond the classroom.
Interesting.
And I think one of the most interesting things about this post is that he actually argues that sometimes being too confident in what you know.
Okay.
Can make you less aware of what's going on around you.
Hmm, that's interesting.
That's kind of counterintuitive, isn't it?
It is, right.
Yeah.
You would think the more you know, the better you'd be able to handle any situation.
Why exactly?
But I think what he's getting at is that if we're so sure we already know everything.
Uh huh.
We might miss crucial details.
We might not consider different perspectives.
You're not really open to new information.
Right.
And so you're actually limiting your understanding of the whole situation.
Yeah, it makes sense.
So to start off, how does Gary Ackerman actually define situational awareness?
So he defines it as the ability to step back.
Okay.
And see the big picture, understanding all the different perspectives that are involved and how they impact what you're trying to achieve.
So it's not just about what you see.
Right.
It's about understanding how everyone else is seeing things too.
Exactly.
And the blog post uses some really interesting examples to illustrate this point, right?
Yes.
From the world of educational technology.
Uh huh.
Like, he points out that in the early days of computers, systems were designed from a purely technical standpoint.
Okay.
Without much consideration for how people would actually use them.
Oh, that's interesting.
Yeah, and it made me think about how like some older software.
Yeah.
Used to have those like ridiculously complicated interfaces that were just impossible to navigate unless you were like a programmer.
Right.
And like nobody could use them.
It makes me think about all those like user manuals that used to come.
Oh, yeah.
Like with computers.
And they were like the size of a phone book.
Exactly.
Yeah.
It was crazy.
And you're like, I just want to turn the thing on.
Right.
But those designs, I think they flopped a lot at the time.
Yeah.
Because they didn't take into account the user's needs or their habits or their existing knowledge.
So they lacked that situational awareness.
Yeah.
Which then led to a less effective product.
Exactly.
And this isn't just about like classrooms and computers, right?
Oh, no, no.
Like imagine you're leading a project at work.
Okay.
And you need to like delegate tasks.
Yeah.
If you don't consider everyone's individual skills.
Right.
And like their workloads, their preferred ways of working.
Yeah, you're going to run into problems.
Right.
Definitely.
Like you're setting yourself up for failure.
Yeah.
So this is something that you can apply to so many different areas of life.
It is.
But the blog post doesn't just stop there.
Okay.
There's this quote from a researcher named Mellenbacker.
Okay.
That I thought was really interesting.
Mm-hmm.
He talks about not just seeing what's important in a situation.
Right.
But also being able to project future states.
Project future states.
Yeah.
So what do you think he means by that?
Hmm, I'm not sure.
Like seeing into the future.
Yeah.
Kind of like having a sixth sense or something.
I don't know about that.
I don't think it's about like literally predicting the future.
Right.
But I think it's more about developing like a really keen sense of foresight.
Okay.
So it's about understanding the present.
Uh-huh.
But also thinking about how things might change.
Okay.
Like what could go wrong.
And then building that into your plan.
So it's kind of like thinking about like what are the potential pitfalls?
Yeah.
What are the things that could trip me up?
Yeah.
And thinking about how you would respond to those things.
Okay.
So like if you're planning like a product launch, for example.
Okay.
You don't just consider the current market conditions.
Right.
You have to think about like how are competitors going to react?
Are there any potential like economic shifts that could happen?
Right.
And how all those things are going to influence the success of your launch.
Exactly.
That's projecting future states.
Yes.
So how do you actually like develop that ability?
Right.
Is that something you're born with?
I think it's definitely a skill that can be like honed and developed over time.
Okay.
So it's not about having like a crystal ball.
Right.
But it's about cultivating certain habits.
Okay.
And ways of thinking.
So what are some of those habits?
Well, I think one of the most fundamental skills is active listening.
Active listening.
Yeah.
And I know it sounds simple.
Mm-hmm.
But so often we listen just to reply.
Yeah.
Instead of listening to actually try to understand.
Oh yeah.
I'm totally guilty of that.
Right.
Sometimes I'm so busy like thinking about what I'm going to say next.
Yeah.
That I miss what the other person is actually saying.
Exactly.
Or like the nuances of what they're saying.
And the tone and all of that.
Yeah.
And I think that's when you practice active listening.
Okay.
You start to pick up on those subtle cues.
Mm-hmm.
So not just the words, but like the tone of voice.
Okay.
The body language.
Yeah.
The things that aren't being said.
Mm-hmm.
And all of that gives you a much richer understanding
of this situation.
It's kind of like being a detective.
Yes.
Like piecing together the clues to solve a mystery.
Exactly.
And another important clue I think.
Okay.
Is the environment itself.
Yes.
Like if you're in a meeting.
Okay.
Notice the mood in the room.
Right.
Like are people engaged?
Uh-huh.
Are they restless?
Yeah.
Are they like checking their phones?
Yeah.
Exactly.
Is there like underlying tension?
Exactly.
All those things can give you clues.
Right.
About what's really going on.
Yeah.
So it's about looking beyond just the surface.
Uh-huh.
And like paying attention to those nonverbal cues.
Yes.
I'm realizing now like how much I must miss.
Right.
By just being stuck in my own head.
It's easy to do.
It is, yeah.
But I think another strategy is to ask clarifying questions.
Okay.
So don't assume you understand someone's viewpoint perfectly.
Uh-huh.
Ask questions like can you elaborate on that?
Okay.
Or what are your biggest concerns here?
Mm-hmm.
And that shows that you're actually
interested in understanding.
Okay.
Not just waiting for your turn to speak.
Right.
So you're showing that genuine curiosity.
Yeah.
And you're creating that space for like open dialogue.
Exactly.
And I imagine that by asking those questions,
you might actually uncover.
Yes.
Information that completely changes your understanding.
Yes.
Absolutely.
And you might even discover.
Okay.
Like common ground or solutions that you wouldn't have considered
otherwise.
Right.
And this might sound counterintuitive.
But.
Okay.
Seek out dissenting opinions.
Okay.
So it's tempting to surround ourselves
with people who agree with us.
Oh yeah.
For sure.
But then you get stuck in that echo chamber.
Exactly.
And you miss out on other perspectives.
Right.
So make an effort to find people.
Okay.
Who have different viewpoints.
It might feel a little uncomfortable.
Yeah.
But it forces you to consider other angles.
Right.
And I think it leads to a more well-rounded understanding.
So it's about embracing like intellectual diversity.
Yes.
And challenging your own assumptions.
Exactly.
So we've covered active listening.
Uh-huh.
Paying attention to the environment.
Yes.
Asking clarifying questions.
And seeking out dissenting opinions.
Yes.
What other strategies can help us cultivate this.
Okay.
Situational awareness.
One more crucial practice is to reflect on your own biases.
Because we all have them.
Yeah.
Whether it's a tendency to be overly optimistic.
Okay.
Or to jump to conclusions.
Right.
Or to favor certain types of information.
And by being aware of those biases.
Okay.
We can counteract them.
Uh-huh.
And then see the situation more objectively.
So it's like having that little internal like check
and balance system.
Exactly.
So you don't let your own like preconceived notions
cloud your judgment.
Exactly.
And remember that building situational awareness.
It's an ongoing process.
It's not like you just arrive.
Right.
It's something you practice and refine.
Okay.
That makes me feel better.
Right.
Because it takes the pressure off.
Yeah.
Like feeling like I need to be perfect at this.
Exactly.
Right away.
Yeah.
But you know in the blog post.
Yeah.
Ackerman is specifically talking about situational
awareness.
Uh-huh.
In the context of designing educational technology.
Right.
So can we circle back to that for a minute?
Of course.
Like he gives that example of how those early computers.
Right.
Were designed without taking into account the user's needs.
Yeah.
And habits.
And it just led to all these problems.
Yeah.
Tornado.
Like it seems so obvious now.
It does.
But back then the focus was so much on the technical
capabilities.
Yeah.
They weren't thinking about the people.
Right.
They overlooked that human element.
And I think Ackerman is arguing that this same principle
applies to designing anything really.
Okay.
So whether it's a lesson plan.
Okay.
A marketing campaign.
A new product.
Yeah.
You have to take the time to really understand the situation
that it's going to be used in.
So it's about doing your research.
Yeah.
Understanding your audience.
Uh-huh.
Considering the context.
Right.
And anticipating those potential challenges.
Obviously.
And in the context of education.
Yeah.
This means thinking about things like the student's prior
knowledge.
Uh-huh.
Their learning styles.
Right.
The available resources.
Yeah.
Even the social and emotional dynamics of the classroom.
Exactly.
All of that.
That's a lot.
It is.
But when teachers actually design lessons.
Yeah.
With that level of awareness.
Uh-huh.
They're much more likely to create an engaging and effective
learning experience.
Exactly.
It's about creating a learning environment.
That's really tailored to the needs of the learner.
Wow.
This has been so insightful.
Yeah.
I'm really starting to see how this concept of situational
awareness can be applied to so many different areas.
Uh-huh.
But let's be real for a second.
Okay.
Not everybody is a teacher.
Right.
Or a designer.
Yeah.
So how can the average person apply these principles
in their everyday life?
That's a great question.
Yeah.
And honestly, the possibilities are endless.
Okay.
So think about something as simple as planning a family
dinner.
Okay.
Do you have picky eaters, allergies,
scheduling conflicts.
Right.
By being aware of those things, you can choose a menu and a time
that works for everybody.
Right.
And avoid potential meltdowns.
Exactly.
And that's just like a really simple example.
It is.
Of how even in mundane situations,
just a little bit of situational awareness
can go a long way.
Exactly.
Or imagine you're trying to navigate
like a difficult conversation with a coworker or a friend.
Right.
If you're paying attention to their body language.
Yeah.
Like really listening for those underlying messages.
Right.
And you're understanding their perspective.
Yeah.
You can approach that conversation with so much more empathy.
Yes.
And tact.
So it's not just about gathering information.
No.
It's about using that information to make better choices.
Right.
And to build stronger relationships.
Absolutely.
And I think that's where the real power of situational
awareness lies.
It helps us move through the world.
Yeah.
With more understanding.
Uh-huh.
More effectiveness.
And ultimately, I think more success.
Wow.
This deep dive on situational awareness has been amazing.
It has.
I feel like I've learned so much.
Good.
Not only about what it is, but also how to start applying it
in my own life.
Me too.
Any final words of wisdom for our listeners
before we wrap things up?
Yeah.
I think for me what's really resonated.
OK.
Is how much more intentional we can be.
Uh-huh.
In our interactions and decisions.
When we really make an effort to cultivate this awareness.
It's like being proactive.
Yes.
Instead of reactive.
Exactly.
So instead of just like responding to things as they come up.
Uh-huh.
You're kind of like anticipating.
Yeah.
Those challenges and opportunities.
And that can make a huge difference in every area of our lives.
Yeah.
From our relationships to our work.
Exactly.
It's a skill that really empowers us to make more informed
choices.
Yeah.
Build stronger connections.
Uh-huh.
And create those more positive outcomes.
Well, this has been an incredible deep dive.
It has.
On situational awareness.
Absolutely.
I feel like I've learned so much.
Good.
And I hope our listeners do too.
Me too.
I think one of the biggest takeaways for me is just.
Yeah.
How important it is to be present.
Uh-huh.
Be observant.
Yeah.
And to be open.
Yes.
To those different perspectives.
Exactly.
And sometimes like Gary Ackerman said in his post.
Uh-huh.
Being aware of what we don't know.
Right.
Is just as important as what we do know.
That's a really good point.
It is.
So as you go about your week.
Yes.
Think about this.
OK.
What's one situation in your life.
Where.
Taking a step back.
OK.
And applying this idea.
Ah.
Of situational awareness.
Right.
Could make a real difference.
I like that.
Yeah.
And let us know.
Yeah.
What you come up with.
We'd love to hear from you.
Until next time.
Keep exploring.
Keep learning.
And keep those minds open.