Why Slightly Confused is Best for Learning

Why the "aha" moment is overrated

Creating the "aha effect" – that effect of "the penny dropping" sounds intuitively to be a really good thing in teaching and when training. But hold your horses – looking into the brain and how the brain builds connections, we can see that a slower effect starting out with confusion and leading to a self-initiated understanding may be even more powerful.

When I first started teaching there was nothing that I enjoyed more than seeing my students (adults in my case, mostly) light up as they "clicked" and got something. Similarly, when I do public speaking it is great to see the audience clearly getting it and the lights going on their heads. This can be called different things at different times but mostly the ”aha” effect, when the penny drops, that feeling of understanding.

And so it was, as a teacher I was always, initially, at least, on a constant search to enable this aha effect. Sometimes this was easier, sometimes it remained elusive. Similarly, as I progressed and moved into delivering corporate workshops and public speaking, I looked to create those aha moments. Sometimes we are aiming to create a deeper awareness something that resonates with the soul, so to speak. But more often than not it is still the search for those aha moments.

And this is something that all corporations expect and demand when I am requested to speak or give workshops, trainings, or webinars - to give some “clear takeaways”. People have to be able to get it, to understand, and have a few strategies to be able to implement the learnings.

This all sounds reasonable and logical. Unless, that is, we look at the brain – we can then see that, maybe, we are not doing the brain, the person, and the concept of learning, any favours. In fact, by giving clear takeaways, clear learning goals, we may even be inhibiting learning! You won’t be convinced at this stage - this is not the ramblings of a middle-aged man – let me explain just why we may be doing the audience, students, a disservice.

This first came to the forefront in 2012 when researchers at the University of Notre Dame in the US showed that confusion can be beneficial for learning. Why would that be the case?