What is Concentration?

When we talk about concentration, people generally consider it to be a religious activity. This is a serious misconception. Although psychology textbooks do not define concentration, they use attention, which does not signify any mental functions, but is characteristic of all mental activities, i.e. perception, learning, remembering and thinking. In this sense we have attentive and inattentive perception, learning, remembering and thinking. In this context attention has been described in various ways, for example, as a state of preparedness for the exercise of mental activities, as the quality of clearness or vagueness accompanying any mental function, etc. Thus there are various facts and processes which are associated with the span, distraction, fluctuation, shift and division of attention.

Concentration basically characterizes focused attention over a period of time. For our purpose concentration means sustained focused attention over a period of time during sensory observation, thinking or in performance of any activity. Hence, it is connected with the span of attention, diversion of attention, fluctuation of attention, etc. In the game of cricket, when a ball is thrown batsman focuses his attention on the ball while fielders focus their attention on the ball coming from bat of the batsman. The baller concentrates his mind on the throwing of ball as per a pre-meditated plan. At the moment of performing their activities they are totally unconcerned about what is happening in the gallery or in the skies with the audience around. At this point of time even a slight fluctuation in their attention may lead to batsman getting out due to poor and unwanted shots or a mis fielding by a fielder.

UNESCO had set up a commission to suggest the nature of education in the 21st century. The report of the commission is generally known as Delor's report(1996) after the name of its president. It also recognizes the importance of concentration when it says

" Learning to know presupposes learning to learn, calling upon the power of concentration, memory and thought. From childhood, especially in societies dominated by television, young people must learn to concentrate their attention on things people. The very rapid succession of items of information broadcast through the media and widespread habit of 'channel surfing' are harmful to the process of discovery, which takes time and involves going more deeply into the message received. Learning to concentrate can take many forms and make use of many different situations(games, periods of training in industry, travel, practical scientific work, etc.)."

Before we discuss the role of concentration in learning process, let us see a few scientific development in the last few decades which have totally altered our understanding of mind and learning process. We shall try to summarize them as follows:

1. Howard Gardener(1983) has suggested that there are multiple intelligence instead of one intelligence as was usually understood. Generally, following types of intelligence were identified.

• Verbal

• Logical

• Spatial

• Rhythmic

• Kinesthetic

• Inter-personal

• Intra-personal

At present, education system mainly caters to the needs of verbal and logical learning styles. Thus, children belonging to the other learning styles are less likely to get success. They are dubbed as failures and thus, become frustrated and dejected. If they are taught and evaluated through their own learning styles, they would have better rate of success and thus be motivated to do better in life. This necessitates development of teaching learning methodology including evaluation system taking consideration of the different learning styles.

2. Another startling revelation of the last decade lies in the fact that we have two types of mind. One is the rational mind, which is the mode of comprehension we are typically conscious of. It is more prominent in awareness, thoughtful, able to ponder and reflect. On the other hand, we have another system of knowing- impulsive and powerful, at times even illogical. It is referred to as the emotional mind. (Goleman, 1996, P9)

We often find ourselves deeply hurt over an so much so that we may even weep, but when someone asks the reason of weeping, we conceal it and say, " No, no, there is absolutely no problem." This is our rational mind, coming out through words, but our emotional mind expresses itself through tears. Rational mind thinks, while emotional mind feels. This is what we had known since ages as 'head' and 'heart'. (ibid)

Le Doux's researches have shown that sensory signals from eye or ear travel first in the brain to the thalamus and then-across a single synapse-to the amygdala- the emotional brain. The second signal from thalamus is routed to the neocortex- the thinking brain. This kind of branching allows amygdala to respond before the neocortex, which mulls information through several levels of brain circuits before the full perception is complete and final response is prepared. As a result, anatomically emotional systems can act independently of the rational thinking system. Some emotional reactions and memories can be formed without conscious, cognitive participation at all. (ibid, P20) (see fig 6)

One of the important researches in this connection has shown that in the first few milli-seconds of our perceiving something, we not only unconsciously comprehend what it is, but decide whether we like it or not. The emotional mind is, thus, far quicker than the rational mind. So, it springs into action without pausing even to think what it is doing. (ibid, p21)

While the amygdala is at work in framing an anxious and impulsive reaction, another part of the emotional brain allows for a more fitting and corrective response. The brain's damper switch for the amygdala's surges appears to lie at the other end of a major circuit to the neocortex, in the prefrontal lobes just behind the forehead. This neocortical area of the brain brings a more analytic or appropriate response to our emotional impulses, modulating the amygdala and other limbic areas.

So far, our main emphasis in the educational field has been on the development of rational mind only. But Goleman(1996) has highlighted that it is not only just the IQ that matters for success in life. Intellect cannot work at its best without emotional intelligence. A person with high IQ may fail, if he does not have proper emotional intelligence. We have innumerable number of instances, where very bright people could not succeed in life, because they couldn't maintain proper emotional control. The complementarity of limbic system and neocortex, amygdala and prefrontal lobes are full partners in mental life. When they interact well, emotional intelligence rises, as does intellectual ability. (ibid, p32)

This new research basically asks us to harmonize both what is traditionally understood as head and heart. In the educational field, this has serious implications. We have to develop our education system in such a way that it takes care of developing intellect as well as emotions. We have to develop not only thinking faculties but feeling also.

Mahatma Gandhi had emphasized the need of developing mind, body and soul. He advocated designing activities for the development of all these things together. That's why we see activities like prayers, maintenance of silence, etc. in daily routine of a school in the concept of Basic Education. The concept of emotional intelligence basically reinforces the argument of Vivekanand, Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave, so far its implication to the learning system is concerned. It is said that about majority of our decisions are guided by emotional considerations. However, our learning system still doesn't pay enough attention to develop emotional intelligence. This is one of the reasons why educationally successful people may not be successful in actual life. This has resulted in improper growth of human personality leading to discontentment, anger, frustration, jealousy, social maladjustment leading to conflicts even severely violent, etc.

Indian traditional learning system had definite ingredients for development of emotional intelligence. In the context of life skills it is important to study them in depth and try to integrate them with the modern learning system.

Education for life

A child's innate qualities or potential is determined by the genetic disposition at the time of birth and the environmental factors in the initial period of life. Both these factors are responsible for determining the spectrum of multiple intelligence of a child. This spectrum regulates his/her learning behavior. It also indicates the right learning strategy as well as the potential areas of success for the child. If the child's intelligence spectrum consists of rhythmic and verbal intelligence, then he/she may get more success if he/she gets learning input through the media involving these two channels. In actual life situation, he/she would get more success in the vocations, where the skills require these two intelligence.

Thus, education for life should be totally child centered and should take into account the intelligence spectrum of the child. Hence, education for life may be defined as developing those competencies, which help a person realize excellence as per his/her inherent potential leading to a physically healthy, socially conscious and creative, economically productive and spiritually enlightened life. This can be operationalized by developing core creative competencies involved in creative learning process leading to education for life.

Core Creative Competencies

In order to identify the core competencies in the context of learning for life, we must try to understand the processes which can be helpful in developing this innate potential of children. For this purpose, let's see how information flows in the brain. According to Information Processing Model, the information is received in the brain through different sensory organs. In the brain it is stored for short or long term interval. It is also processed in the brain either in the neo-cortex region (rational thinking) or in amygdala (emotional reaction) as per necessity. Thereafter, the reaction in the form of new information is formulated and communicated to different sensory organs or locomotor systems for appropriate action.

Looking from the learner's point of view and the nature of transmission of information to and from brain in the body system, we can identify following competencies as core competencies requiring attention for development. These competencies form the base of any creative learning process. Hence, they may be called Core Creative Competencies(C³)

• Concentration

• Power of Observation (Development of sensory organs)

• Memory

• Productive Thinking

• Rational Thinking

• Convergent

• Divergent

• Emotional Management

• Power of Expression/Communication

The importance of these competencies lie in the fact that they are the primary competencies involved in any activity performed by human beings. They are required for people in all vocations and at all places. Nature of information flow would be different in different persons. For example, a person may have efficient visual observation, but may not have good auditory observation. Some person may recceive information through spatial mode and may not be very efficient in verbal mode. Similarly, power of expressions would be different in for different persons. A teacher may have to do lot of speaking and writing, while a musician would do more of singing and playing instruments. A farmer would do farming activities, whereas painter would be expected to do painting. In fact, power of observation and expression would depend on the learning style of the learner. Thus, the primary objective of any basic education system should be to develop these basic competencies so that any set of information, which is going to be totally uncertain in the period of information explosion, could be handled with proficiency. This way we find that if C³ are developed, a person would be able to perform any activity as per his/her potential in actual life situation.

C³ and Four pillars of learning

• Learning to know

• Learning to do

• Learning to live together

• Learning to be

Learning to know, basically, refers to learning the art of self-learning. As there is no limit to acquisition of information and one is also not sure which information is actually going to be useful in life, one should only master the technique of acquisition, storage and handling of information. Clearly acquisition and nature of information becomes secondary and making the learning system of a person efficient and effective becomes primary objective of any education system. If learners are able to master the above C³competencies, they would learn how to learn themselves. Thus, they would master the first pillar of learning. This way one can also learn the art of learning throughout life.

As outlined above, developing power of expression is, basically, learning to do. Depending on various vocational requirements learners should learn the art of performing the art of doing an activity with perfection.

Learning to live together means developing the art of emotional management. This part has remained the weakest link in our learning system. As we have seen that most of our decisions are taken on the basis of emotional considerations. Marshalling and channelizing emotions in positive direction is the major challenge before the educationists today. At present, questions related to emotional management are left to be handled by family or society. This is a serious mistake. If we have to learn the art of living together, we must learn to master the art of managing our emotions. The education system should seriously attend it.

Learning to be is, basically, trying to get best out of one's ability to seek excellence. In the context of the scientific development outlined above it would be seen that learning style being different for different learners, one can realize one's potential only by learning through one's own learning style. In this context it becomes important to provide opportunity to learn through one's learning style. It also requires marshaling one's emotions towards positive direction so that one's innate abilities are fully developed.

So, we see that if we develop the above competencies, we shall be able to develop a person holistically. At the level of elementary education the primary consideration should be to develop these core creative competencies so that human beings are able to use their capabilities to the fullest extent. Mode of transaction of any subject or set of information should primarily keep this end in mind. If they are able to develop one or more of the above competencies, then only they should be pursued.

Role of Concentration

We have seen that information processing in brain takes place in three phases. We receive information through our sensory organs, store in our brain through some memory system, process those information and direct the locomotor system to perform certain activities. It is concentration which determines the nature and speed of movement of these information. If the person is in conversation with any other person on telephone, his attention is totally fixed on the auditory senses and thus he may not be aware of any other person entering the room. This is so because he is not able to receive information pertaining to the entry of the person in the room. His concentration being fixed on auditory signals, he is not able to pertaining to other senses.

• Receptive

• Processive

• Productive

When the attention is focused on the process of receiving information through sensory organs, it is called 'receptive concentration'. When we hear music or look at an object attentively, we receive information through our auditory or visual sensory system. Concentration during this process is basically 'receptive concentration'. Without such concentration information flow to the brain would be slow and irregular. Hence comprehension and understanding would be low.

• Visual

• Auditory

• Olfactory

• Tasting

• Touching

These different types of receptive concentration actually refer to focusing of total attention towards that particular sensory organ. During the period of concentration the particular sensory organ is so activated that information to the brain starts flowing in through only that particular organ. The receptivity of other organs is put to rest as far as practicable. In an ideal situation only one sensory organ seems to work while others are totally dormant for all practical purposes.

These different types of concentration during reception are independent in their functioning. A person with better visual concentration may not have better auditory or sensuous concentration. Different animals have different levels of development in these different phases of concentration. A dog has an excellent smelling concentration. A crow, on the other hand, has an excellent visual and auditory concentration.

During the phase of processing attention is totally focused on the processing of information received through senses or on the ideas generated on its own. In this sensory organs are not involved. Such concentration is seen in a person, when he is engaged in concentrating his mind on a thought or idea. It is seen in people who try to mentally solve difficult problems. In that case all senses are made totally dormant and mind concentrates on that particular thought. This kind of total concentration was seen in persons like Budha or Chyavan who had forgotten the sensory experiences during this phase of concentration. This is also achieved through the process of meditation, when a person fixes his attention on a particular idea for a long period of time.

When we perform any activity, the attention is focused on the production process. In this type of concentration organs involved in loco-motor system are involved. When a painter paints, his entire attention is focused on the movement of hand and brush. He may not be able to listen the voice of people in the neighborhood.

This way concentration, basically, helps in properly screening and guiding the flow of information to and from the brain. It also in making available relevant information for processing during thinking and emotional reaction. This way it helps in enhancing power of observation, developing better and efficient memory, better and faster thinking ability, and better presentation of ideas or effective expression. To a learner it helps in enhancing the speed of reading, better problem-solving ability, effective speaking and writing ability, better presentation in dance, drama, painting, and and other methods of communication of ideas. Concentration helps in taking total command of the flow of information and thus is an important tool in management of one's own mind.

Method for development of concentration

But, the real question is how we can do so particularly in the context of education keeping in mind different cultural situations. The answer may be found in ancient Yogic practices. Let's try to explore them. In Rajyoga concentration has been defined as holding the mind onto some particular object.

( Dhyan or Concentration is fixing the mind on an ideal or a point or object - either internal or external).

It further says

Clearly, fixing of mind on an object or idea seems to be the main method for development of concentration.

The real question may be as to how to select the activity or object for such fixing of mind. Here aptitude or nature of intelligence may be of great help.

• Identify the learning style of the learner

• Develop a learner specific plan based on his/her learning style.

• Choose an activity of one's own interest pertaining to the learning style of the learner

• Pursue the activity with total devotion and involvement

• Make an activity plan for
  • Receptive phase (for each senses separately or jointly)

  • Processive phase

  • Productive phase
    separately or together.

• Make a graded plan of target for different phases of the activity based on following principles

  
  
  

• Activity should be so designed that one is able to perform the task over a longer and longer period of time in each phase.

• Targets should be set in such a way that the learner is able to achieve it without much difficulty. Unattainable targets may dissuade him from making an attempt and without targets one may not have the requisite will to achieve more.

• It is not necessary to keep a charter of targets ready from before. Depending on achievements gradually higher targets should be set. Enough time should be given for practice to achieve the target.

The development of concentration requires total internal tranquility, which may and may not be a product of external tranquility. There are persons who have shown highest level of concentration even amidst the noise of buses or trains. Napoleon used to solve mathematical problems to develop concentration even at the battle ground. In fact, inner tranquility requires total emotional control. It has been found that some saints had such a high degree of concentration during prayer that they didn't feel the pain of surgical operations. So, to develop concentration we must learn the art of emotional management including stress management.

Thus, for development of concentration one is required to learn the proper art of living learning to cope up with anxiety and worry. Unwanted anxiety and worry are greatest enemies of concentration.

Internal quietness requires absence of total internal disturbances. Although, one may be in an externally quiet situation but he may not be internally quiet. Internal physical pain or discomfort may distract one's mind. One may be internally disturbed due to hunger or other physical discomforts. One may be internally disturbed due to the ailment of one's near and dear ones. One of the major causes for internal disturbance is anxiety and worry. It is a common experiences that when one is worried or anxious, it is extremely difficult to concentrate.

Internal quietness is a pre-requisite for concentration. It also requires total emotional stability. Even under adverse circumstances, people have maintained internal quietness by maintaining proper emotional control. As a matter of fact even adverse circumstances have been converted into great opportunity with the help of internal quietness and thus paved way for better concentration and innovation.

"Oh Arjun the practice of yoga is not for him who eats too much or who does not eat at all, nor for him who sleeps too much or who keeps awake in excess. He who is moderate in eating and recreation, moderate in his efforts in work, moderate in sleep and wakefulness, his practice of yoga destroys all miseries."

In the present age when children are getting more and more attracted towards television, they would be better advised to watch TV moderately, if they want to retain their level of concentration. Similarly, they must learn the art of relaxation and maintaining internal silence. Today, children are under terrible stress. Unless steps are initiated to properly manage their inner environment, we may have to face larger discontentment, greater violence, and large scale social disorder.

Exercises for development of concentration

Yogic principles enunciated above provide great insight into the nature of activities for development of concentration. One of the important features of these activities are that they are content free. Hence, they can be adapted to local conditions and are extremely useful in the context of education for all. One should try to integrate them with ongoing learning activities-both inside and outside the school- of the children. For example, in classes children can do reading, counting without mistake or number game, while doing language or mathematics. This way they not only learn mathematics and language, they also develop concentration and self control while during games, they can use number game, balancing games or Janak Yog for development of concentration.

The exercises are of various types

1. Exercices during classroom interactions: Reading without mistake, Counting without mistake, Number game, One minute games, etc

2. Exercises during games: Bouncing game, Target games, One minute games, Number game, Janak Yog, Thiruvelluar Yog, etc.

3. Exercises at home: Learn Aripan, Tasty Tasty, Smell like a dog, Learn embroidery, Listen music, etc.

4. Exercises involving simple yogic exercises: Yogic Asans involving various postures of animals and trees,

5. Breathing Exercises: Bhamari, Concentration on geo-designs, etc.

Details of some of these exercises are given in the book Art of Developing Concentration written by Vijoy Prakash(1999).

Adrishti means Antaric Drishti or Inner visualization. These are mental image making exercises based on yogic principles, which help in development of concentration, imagination and emotional control. In these exercises children are taken to forced or self-induced imagination. The subject of imagination is generally taken from nature .In most of these visualization exercises learners are expected to either write or speak about their experience in prose/poetry/story form. They may also draw or paint pictures on the basis of their experiences.

i) Self-motivational exercises: Future visualization (Bhavishya Adrtshti), Past visualisation (Bhut Adrishti), Pustak Yog, Self visualization (Swa Adrishti) etc.

Advantages of the exercises

The exercises help in development of better concentration, which also leads to better memory. It helps in increase of speed of reading and solving mathematical problems. It enhances power of observation and thus helps in better observational skills. One of the major advantages of these exercises is that they also try to develop both minds- rational and emotional and thus, ensures holistic development of mind. They help in self control, which is so crucial for success in life. It also helps in developing positive relationship with nature. The exercises also help in developing better decision making faculties, as they develop perceptions from different perspectives. The exercises ensure a series of successes gradually leading to the creative flow stage and thus helps in enhancing the efficiency of production. It also helps in increasing creative skills.

Conclusion

Learning for life requires development of a set of competencies, which help a person realize his innate potential by making the system of flow of information through the brain efficient. Concentration plays a major role in the efficient management of this information flow system. Ancient Indian yogic principles can be of great help development of new teaching learning methods in the context of learning for life. They can be used not only to transact usual syllabi, but can also develop concentration and emotional control and thus help in the development of a holistic personality.

References