Muscle Memory

 Our physical bodies are in flux. They build, repair, and dismantle muscle all of the time. They store consumed energy in muscle and fat, and then break it down in a near constant cycle. They build and alter neural networks. It is simply the state of being alive. 

We can intentionally influence the dynamics of this balance through activity and diet, but we tend to forget that this isn’t something we turn on and off with choices or intention. It’s a state of being. 

Learning is also a constant, physical process. We are always perceiving, storing memories, making associations, determining cause and effect. Every time you flick a light switch and something different happens, you learn. Every time the same thing happens, the association is strengthened. It is not allocated to a classroom or training course. It is not something we turn off and on. It too is a state of being. 

Sometimes the literature seems to ring fence learning mediated by intentional teaching - whether in the ISD, constructivist, or transformative realms. While forming theories that provide tools to support and enhance intentional learning are critical - in the same way medical science theories can mitigate the ill effects of muscle atrophy during bed rest - understanding how and when process knowledge or value reframing develops in the absence of intentional instruction can provide a more integrated perspective and theoretical framework.