Students blind spots are confused with instructors blind spots
I agree with many of the other comments that the self-recogition of blind spots is not easy but it is helpful to know of the existence of such blind spots. I detect the existance of my blind spots in test results by the students. I find the difficulty on measuring blind spots even more baffling when not all students suffer the frustration of dealing with my blind spots. In other words some students perform remarkably well, in spite of my blind spots, and some students do not. Student blind spots, although less meaasurable, are far more alarming to me than my own. Would not overall student success verify that instructor blind spots are more myth than extant.
Not acknowledging the HABEs of a student is a blind spot for an instructor. Thinking that all the instructor has to do is present the information in an understandable way and not take into consideration the background of the individual is setting up student's with a "history" to struggle and possibly fail.
If we setup HABE in the proper context, Blind spots are going to play a less role. We are selling education and students come into school to get something such as a degree or skill sets to work in the field. As an instructor, we have to sell them the idea why they are here in the first place. Students and instructors must understand that we are in it together to achieve our ultimate goal. I tell students, "You are going to be one day my bosses, I want you to succeed so that one day, you can give me a job to fetching donuts for you" I say this with total seriousness although it sounds humorous. In reality, this is the truth because one of our students could be all of our bosses. We literally touch the future.
