The River Tiger Podcast from Dynamics Coaching - Part 2. Exploring Learning Theories with David Farrokh: An ecological (systems) approach in practice.

Part 2. Exploring Learning Theories with David Farrokh: An ecological (systems) approach in practice.

09/15/24 • 68 min

The River Tiger Podcast from Dynamics Coaching

In this second part of me conversation with David Farrouk we explore the intricate relationship between ecological psychology, constraints, and the practical implications for coaching and learning. The discussion delves into the differences between behaviourism and ecological psychology and systems approaches, emphasising how the latter offers a more dynamic understanding of behaviour by considering wider time frames, nested events, broader environmental contexts and the fluidity of various interacting scales.
Key themes arise around the concept of constraints, highlighting how both broad laws of nature and local constraints influence behaviour. David points out that effective coaching requires an understanding of these interactions, enabling practitioners to manipulate constraints to promote desired outcomes.
The conversation address the nature of learning and its measurement, advocating for an integrated perspective where learning leads to measurable changes, reflecting a deeper understanding of environmental interactions.
The role of theories is examined as tools that help practitioners navigate their environments and facilitate learning. As theories evolve through practical application, they bring new insights into how constraints affect behaviour and performance.
Through a metaphor of building a dam in a stream, David illustrates how constraints shape dynamics in movement. This conversation invites listeners, particularly coaches and practitioners in sports and animal learning, to re-examine their understanding of learning and leans into a more ecological viewpoint that considers the fluidity of interaction between an organism and their environment in skill acquisition and performance.
This blog post provides an overview to support the main themes of the conversation https://dynamics-coaching.com/learning-and-pedagogy/learning-theories-behaviourism-and-ecological-psychology/
My guest on this episode: David Farrokh is a PhD candidate in the College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences at Sheffield Hallam University. His research adopts an ecological dynamics perspective to investigate multiscaled properties of flow experiences, context-sensitivity, and co-adaptation in sport.
X @bigpicsoccer
Further reading
Fultot et al What are nervous systems for

Polanyi Life's irreducible structure

Johnston & Turvey A sketch of an ecological metatheory for theories of learning

Polanyi Life's irreducible structure

Johnston & Turvey A sketch of an ecological metatheory for theories of learning

Previous Episode

Part 1. Exploring Learning Theories with David Farrokh: From Behaviourism to Ecological Psychology.

In this episode of the River Tiger Podcast, I’m delighted to welcome David Farrokh, who is currently finishing his PhD at Sheffield Hallam University. Our conversation takes a deep dive into various learning theories, including behaviourism, cognitivism, and ecological psychology, with a focus on how they shape our understanding of human (and animal) learning and behaviour.

In part 1 David shares insights from his research on the concept of flow in sports and highlights interesting points of tension he encountered during his literature review. We discuss the historical evolution of psychological thought, particularly the significant shift from behaviourism to cognitivism sparked by critiques like Noam Chomsky's evaluation of B.F. Skinner’s work.

A key point of discussion is the limitations of behaviourism, especially its simplistic stimulus-response framework. David argues that behaviourism fails to account for the complexities of language acquisition and the arbitrary nature of symbols. We also explore the 'symbol grounding problem' in cognitivism, which struggles to connect abstract symbols to real-world experiences.

David advocates for ecological psychology as a more nuanced approach, emphasising the dynamic interaction between organisms and their environments. This theory offers valuable insights into how we perceive affordances, opportunities for action based on our capabilities. We highlight how ecological psychology integrates agency and context, providing a comprehensive view of learning and behaviour over multiple scales.

As we conclude, I’m excited about the potential for ecological psychology to inform practical applications in areas like education and animal training. I hope this episode inspires you to reflect on the diverse theories of learning and their implications for understanding ourselves and others. Enjoy listening!

This is just the first of 2 parts of the conversation!
This blog post provides an overview to support the main themes of the conversation https://dynamics-coaching.com/learning-and-pedagogy/learning-theories-behaviourism-and-ecological-psychology/
My guest on this episode: David Farrokh is a PhD candidate in the College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences at Sheffield Hallam University. His research adopts an ecological dynamics perspective to investigate multiscaled properties of flow experiences, context-sensitivity, and co-adaptation in sport.
X @bigpicsoccer
Further reading
Fultot et al What are nervous systems for

Polanyi Life's irreducible structure

Johnston & Turvey A sketch of an ecological metatheory for theories of learning

Next Episode

Nonlinear pedagogy and being skill-full: levelling up your skills through experience with Dr Alex Lascu.

In this episode of the River Tiger podcast, Dr. Alex Lascu joins me to discuss nonlinear pedagogy and its practical applications. Alex explains that nonlinear systems lack proportionality, meaning small changes can have unpredictable impacts, and emphasises the importance of understanding stability and noise in movement. We explore how these concepts challenge traditional coaching methods, advocating for adaptability and responsiveness over rigid plans. Examples include cricket coaching, where focusing on head movement rather than footwork enhances agility, and the slow development of tendon strength in climbing. The conversation highlights the need for coaches to embrace uncertainty and foster adaptable, meta-stable states in their athletes.
About my guest:
“Dr Alex Lascu is a learning scientist working in coach development for grassroots cricket in Western Australia. Their recent PhD in talent development and skill acquisition was all about how to design pathways and training to better support athlete development and inspire a lifelong love of learning and sport. Now, they spend their days thinking about how we can help coaches explore their learning too, by translating research and practice into real world experiences for coaches. You can find their work at skillacqlascu.com across podcasts, social media, newsletters, and consultancy services.”