Use of New Terms LO26051

From: Geof Fountain (gffountain@prodigy.net)
Date: 02/03/01


A group of four are developing a one day, in-house intro on systems
thinking and statistical analysis concepts.

We have been discussing the potential positive/negative consequences of
introducing new terms - new terms at least for most of the people at this
manufacturing site - in the workshop. Some of the new terms include
profound knowledge, enduring ignorance, diagnostic (in terms of
understanding your current system), and prognostic (in terms of designing
a systemic intervention).

We understand there are challenges to using new terms and are trying to
determine how beneficial the use of new terms would really be.

What if we used no new terms at all, and kept the concepts behind the new
terms in everyday language already understood by the participants. What
might be potential dis-benefits to keeping new terms out of the content,
other than their use could be seen as a form of "shorthand" for language ?

What are specific pitfalls to using new terms ?

Are new terms important to reframing perpectives and retaining learning ?

We are not professional instructors, so any advice on this would be most
appreciated.

-- 

"Geof Fountain" gffountain@prodigy.net

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