Experiential Learning Theory through a Jiu Jitsu Lens

How can we link Experiential Learning to Jiu Jitsu? And does it involve being punched in the face? Keep reading to find out!

For my second assignment in Foundations of Adult Education (3100), I was tasked with either a 1,000-word report on a learning theory, or a video. After my pandemic experience of becoming a professional outdoorsman and documenting it all for YouTube (Check out Aeetos Outdoors on YouTube), it was a very easy decision for me to make a video!

A variety of photos from my adventuring days

When I would come up with video ideas for YouTube I would think of a general premise, maybe do a little research, click record, and start talking. My videos came in anywhere from 6 minutes to nearly 30 minutes. There was no script, it was just a conversation between me and my viewers (Hi Mum!) and I could talk for as long as I could think of things to say.

Fast forward to now and I have a hard cap at 5 minutes! How could I include everything I wanted to say in that short time? Enter script writing. This was a challenge for me. I mean I had notes about the main points I wanted to hit and lots of great quotes to support my points. But 5 minutes? That is not much time. When I ran through my script for the first time I came in at just over 6 minutes. After some more practice, I shaved it down to 5 minutes and 45 seconds. And this was reading fast with the script in front of my face. For an engaging video, I knew I couldn't just read at the camera.

So I did what any good editor would do - I started cutting things. An introduction? Who needs that... Detailed history? Paraphrase and show some quotes... Bad experiences potentially inhibiting learning... Lewin's Change Management Theory... you get the idea. I was worried that I would lose the point I was trying to make. It was very difficult to maintain the integrity of the message I wanted to get across and come in on time.

If that wasn't enough to deal with I also found that reading from a script really changed how I came across to the camera. And because of the script, it was much more noticeable when I misspoke or used a filler word. And rather than pause and redo that particular part I would have to start again or else I wouldn't have an accurate picture of how much time I had left.

Yet like any dedicated professional, I powered through. Then I realized after wrapping up filming and moving to editing, I had missed a crucial part of the final section. So I spun my chair around, plugged in my mic, set up my camera(phone), and reshot the last part. And I liked how it turned out. In fact I loved it and I had saved some time.

Was there anything I was forgetting? Nah, let's get to editing...

(Hey David, you remember that really cool light box you got from Amazon that really helps even out the lighting, did you turn that on for the reshoot?)

Oh crap!

Now, as production costs were creeping up and I was worried I would go massively over budget I did what any good director would do and said, "I'll fix it in post!" It probably isn't that noticeable right?

Vs.

Would you guess the one without the light is the second one?

Challenges aside, I was very happy with the edit. I had captured some footage at Jiu Jitsu to demonstrate a point I was making in the video and I think it really helped reinforce it. Also, as cheesy as I think the intro may be, it grabs your attention, and I love it! It is also a massive pun on Garr Reynold's PUNCH acronym for great presentations. And I LOVE a good pun!

I received some great feedback from Glenn, my instructor for this course, and I have some great pointers for the next video too. He was so impressed with the video that he has decided to use it as an example for others on the course!

So, please watch the video below about Experiential Learning Theory through a Jiu Jitsu Lens and let me know what you think.

Oh, one last thing, check out www.tuffcityjiujitsu.ca if you want to learn more about Jiu Jitsu!