Knoop keynote 3 juli

(State-of-the art in) Positive Education

Keynote, July 3rd 2014

Hans Henrik Knoop - knoop@edu.au.dk

Associate Professor, Department of Education, Aarhus University, Denmark

President, European Network for Positive Psychology

Extraordinary Professor, North-West University, South Africa

Some pointless problems

with (also) education:

too much experience of

• passivity

• boredom

• anxiety

• social tension

• meaningless discipline

• failure

- all leading learners away from learning /

out of flourishing / teaching helplessness

Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014

Some dangerous system dynamics

affecting (also) education:

1. By evolutionary instinct, we compete for status

(vertically) and territory (horizontally)

2. Competition can be fun – and inhumane – in

economy, in politics, in sports, anywhere…

3. Standardized testing – and overdone teaching to

tests – easily creates a sense of only the best being

good enough – inducing a spirit where an ordinary

life is meaningless.

Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014

Photo: Hans Henrik Knoop, 2012

Flourishing:

self-regulated,

strengths-based

growth

Success

as increased

competence

Intrinsically

motivated

positive emotions

Success

as increased

creativity

Intrinsically

motivated

meaning

Intrinsically

motivated

engagementIntrinsically

motivated

social relations

Preconditions:

• Good social

atmosphere

• Aesthetics

• Functionality

Preconditions:

• Social support

• Positive social

challenge

Preconditions:

• Autonomy

• Meaningful goals

• Unbureaucratic rules

• Flexible challenges

• Stimulating feedback

• Concentration

Preconditions:

• Usability

• Good reasons

Potential energy in form of

curiosity and urge to act

Flourishing (in)

EducationLearning and

creative processesDesire to

learn more Desire to

create more

(Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014)

Intrinsically

motivated

physical health

Preconditions:

• Nutrition

• Movement

• Sleep

• Hygiene

Foundation: Satisfaction of basic needs for self-regulated, strengths-based growth

Self-regulated growth

is the

quintessential key to

well-being

and

well-functioning

- also in school !Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014

Photo: Hans Henrik Knoop, 2012

Flourishing:

self-regulated,

strengths-based

growth

Flourishing futures:

Direction and

unpredictability

combined Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014

Flourishing is a process that isdirected yet unpredictable in detail

growth-processes (directed yet unpredictable in detail)that for a person for instance implies

learning and creativity <=> wellbeing

- in combination with

self-regulating processes (directed yet unpredictable in detail)that for a person for instance implies

freedoms effective regulation

in case of ”too much” or “too little” <=> wellbeing

(Forrester, 1968; Csikszentmihalyi & Knoop, 2008; Knoop, 2013) Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014

Directed yet Directed yet Directed yet Directed yet

unpredictable unpredictable unpredictable unpredictable

---- making us feel making us feel making us feel making us feel

calmcalmcalmcalm andandandand movedmovedmovedmoved

simultaneouslysimultaneouslysimultaneouslysimultaneouslyHans Henrik Knoop, 2014

FeelingFeelingFeelingFeeling

calmcalmcalmcalm

andandandand

movedmovedmovedmoved

---- simultaneouslysimultaneouslysimultaneouslysimultaneouslyHans Henrik Knoop, 2014

Calm, Calm, Calm, Calm,

yet full of lifeyet full of lifeyet full of lifeyet full of life

---- and movingand movingand movingand moving

Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014

FocusedFocusedFocusedFocused

aaaand nd nd nd

movedmovedmovedmoved

simultaneouslysimultaneouslysimultaneouslysimultaneouslyHans Henrik Knoop, 2014

Fragile

state

Rigid

state

High

Low

Integration(more directing)

Differentiation

(more unpredictable)

Low High

Flourishing as self-regulated growth

(Forrester, 1968; Csikszentmihalyi, & Knoop, 2008; Knoop, 2010, 2012) Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014

Anxiety

Boredom

High

Low

Skills(more directing)

Challenges(more unpredictable)

Low High

Optimal, self-regulated growth

Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014(Knoop, 2012 - based on Csikszentmihalyi, 1990, 1993; Damon 2008; Gardner, 2010)

Individuals in Flow:

The quintessence of effective pedagogy

1. It is intrinsically motivating and motivates for further

discovery/learning

2. It is extremely learning-rich because the person’s skills are

challenged optimally, while at the same time being

completely absorbed in the learning process

3. It is creative because on continuously makes small errors that

stimulate further learning through improvised exploration

4. It is socially inclusive because the person is optimally self-

sufficient and responsible in the process

Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014

Conditions self-regulated growth / flow

1. Good opportunities for voluntary initiatives and self-

regulation – under responsibility regarding the surroundings

2. Concrete, energizing goals

3. Manageable, un-bureaucratic rules

4. Flexibility to match challenges and skills

5. On-going, clear and non-humiliating information about how

one is doing

6. The possibility of removing/avoiding distracting factors, in

order to concentrate

(Csikszentmihalyi, 1990; Knoop, 2008) Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014

Summing up

Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014

Basically we may assume that human beings have inborn tendencies

to be active, self-regulating and growing. For education, this

specifically means that pupils/students:

• Are basically motivated to learn (curiously)

• Are basically motivated to influence their physical and social

surroundings (creatively)

• Will learn and assume responsibility for influencing if the necessary

possibilities are provided – or, in other words, will be able to learn

and influence unless inhibited in doing so.

Born (free) to learn and to influence/create

Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014

1. Physical illness, mental illness

2. Low mood / languishing / depression

3. Concentration problems / lack of perseverance /

willpower

4. Self-inhibiting thoughts / low self-efficacy

5. Lacking sense of meaning, purpose, perspective,

interest in succeeding

6. Loneliness

Inner (individual) inhibitors

to learn and to influence (important examples)

Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014

• Unhealthy physical environments

• Depressing aesthetics

• Distractions

• Boring tasks

• Meaningless / senseless tasks

• No-win-game situations / teaching helplessness

• Win-lose-game situations (producing losers)

• Social conflict / narrowing thought-action repertoire

Outer (physical and social) inhibitors

to learn and to influence – important examples

Hans Henrik Knoop, 2014

2009 Hans Henrik Knoop

Thank You !

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