Ants Use a Novel Teaching a Technique

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Researchers at the University of Bristol in England have demonstrated a unique case of formal teaching in a non-human species – a species of ants.  The researchers found feedback in both directions between the teacher and the pupil, with the teacher providing guidance for the learner at a rate suited to the individual.

The ants used a technique called ‘tandem running' to lead a student ant from the nest to a food source.  Signals between the two ants controlled both the speed and course of the run.  At the start, the runs are rather slow because the follower frequently pauses to look around for land marks so that it can learn the route.  Only when the follower has done this does it tap on the leader to let it know the run can proceed.

The feed back between leaders and followers allowed them to adjust their speed to keep the gap between them reasonable.  It looked like the leader was towing the follower, but with the follower dictating the speed of the lesson by stopping frequently to consolidate its growing knowledge of the path taken.

The leaders pay a price to teach the lesson, since they could reach the food four times faster if not hampered by the follower.  The researchers observed that removing the follower and tapping the leader with a hair at a rate of twice a second caused the leader to continue.

So next time you have to teach something, learn from the ants and get feedback from your students.