The two videos in this week's discussion assignment were great. I loved the video, All Washed Up, that included the social experiment with the children. This reminded me of something simliar that I experienced in my first years of working as a teen that I will never forget. I used to wait tables and the training included many food handler's courses. In one specific course, they used a gel that we had to rub into our hands. We were told to wash our hands as usual. After washing our hands, the instructor turned on a black light and had each of us put our hands under it. They were covered in bright purple splotches. She explained that this was the same as germs that would be left after washing our hands that way. We were then told to go and wash our hands again in hot water, with soap, singing the birthday song or ABC song. It was amazing! Most of the color was gone after. The funniest thing was that some of the waiters and waitresses had horribly dry hands from constantly keeping them in bleach water, and no matter how many times they washed, the black light would show where it was absorbed. Others laughed and joked with them that their hands were dirty even though the instructor explained that with really dry skin it may do that. It was interesting after that experiment to watch waitstaff taking more time to wash their hands correctly. I always think of this class when I wash my hands thoroughly now. Sometimes I think about how others are thinking of me washing my hands. Did I wash them long enough? Was there hot water? Soap? I do still sometimes sing the song in my head. Long story to say that I can look back now and see how there were many areas of influence used to motivate us in that scenario. Just like the video says to "combine at least four or more sources of influence", I can count out at least four to now understand why it influenced my behavior for the better (All Washed Up!, 2009).
This coming to my mind helped me to see how I could apply the sources of influence to my plan. I am working with adults which requires a bit of adjustment in thinking for the sources of influence. I only work with online teachers so deciding how to motivate fully in a virtual setting brings another set of challenges. In the video Influencer, Cricket Buchler (2012) talks about harnessing the power of social pressure and finding strength in numbers. This is an area that needs to be a big focus in my plan. Creating opportunties for online teachers to collaborate, share, learn from each other, and receive help will be critical to influence. Giving them a voice and motivating them to use it can create the change we want to see. My plan is to think on these ideas as I perfect each of the six areas of influence to be sure that at least four will stick so we can see that shift in influence.
References All Washed Up! (2009). Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osUwukXSd0k Influencer | Cricket Buchler. (2012). Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu7UBY5euBg
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