I’m fascinated by “Ge Wang: The DIY orchestra of the future.” It’s not so much the music he makes that fascinates me though. Watching this musician and computer scientist – but even more, watching this human being – I am struck by his curiosity, his experimentation, his integrated exploration and his interdisciplinarity.
He’s got a project, and he’s exploring. And that’s a cool way of journeying to learn.
Review: MODA’s inspiring “Design for Social Impact” shows how it can be done | ArtsATL
“Design for Social Impact, MODA’s current exhibition, challenges that perception. An exploration of design as a tool for real-world problem solving, it takes visitors on a journey through the careful process of observation, research, development and execution that leads to effective design.”
Resting Makes You a Better Creative – Explore Create Repeat – by 4ormat
What’s the story?: The Fuzzy Front End
Problem definition can be so much more critical than solution-ing.
Problem Finding and Student Ownership | Steve Mouldey
I love strong examples of design thinking and PBL. This post from Steve Mouldey (@GeoMouldey) is just such a strong example.
Why is Pruning Important? | Chip HoustonChip Houston
What are you pruning organizationally and programmatically so that things/people are their healthiest?
We Don't Like "Projects" | Edutopia
Great piece via @ThinkThankThunk about the perceptions and problems with the word “project” http://t.co/CHmMkMNgal #idiploma @boadams1 [HT @MeghanCureton]
Great questions asked “before granting resources to our students to begin working on their projects…”
Before granting resources to our students to begin working on their projects, we ask the following:
Moving Back and Forth Between Fantasy and Reality | The Curious Creative
Allowing for time to really explore our imaginations. Creating opportunity in schools for learners to stay with a discovery path for longer. Navigating the portal between reality and imagination.
What do you know about how math is taught versus how math is best learned? Do you have twenty minutes to spark and forward your own deeper understanding about maths learning? How does your child’s school approach math teaching and learning? How are you serving as a school leader to enhance math learning in your school – do your school practices match the research?
So, if a maths question doesn’t have the space inside it to think and learn and discuss, then its potential as a learning task is very limited.
When we open tasks and ask students to think about how they see them and to talk with each other, the opportunities for learning are increased.
Maths classrooms should encourage more depth and less speed.
– Jo Boaler, YouCubed
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In the summer of 2013, I enrolled in and completed Jo Boaler’s MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), “How People Learn Math.” In my 43 years, it has been one of the strongest learning experiences I have had.
Innovative Education: Make Room for “What Ifs” | Edutopia
Project point of origin work. The more I dig into real-world PBL and innovation, the more I am struck by how the “big stories” begin with personal connection. Making space for learners to journey from a story of personal connection needs to be the next “big thing” in school design and scheduling.
Four Ways to Move from ‘School World’ to ‘Real World’ | MindShift
“By shifting from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance, we can move from school world to real world.”
The Benefits of Blue Sky Thinking – Explore Create Repeat – by 4ormat
“We should embrace the challenge of trying to outdo ourselves in all forms.”
What if we structured (at least some) time in school to provide for the type of research that Uri Alon describes in his talk: “Why truly innovative science demands a leap into the unknown?”
What if we recognized and said “Yes, and…” to the likelihood that genuine and authentic research – the kind that stems from deep questioning and sustained curiosity – is most likely to lead learners (young and old) into the “Cloud” that Uri talks about?
What if we did more science – practiced more of being scientists – than just studying science in school?
What if we reverse engineered (at least part of) school and created margins and white space for the kind of exploration and discovery that bypasses the points A—>B path that we expect and embraces the unexpected “point C” that Uri shares with us?
What if we allowed time for learners to originate their journey(s) from projects of significant and profound interest to them and made it okay to reroute numerous times along the way?
What if we had at least two points of origin for the kinds of work we do in schools: 1) subject-area points of origin that later find projects, and 2) project points of origin that later find disciplinary avenues? What if we built schedules to allow for – and to encourage – both/and? And the weaving together of the two…. What if we widened the spectrum of school learning to more closely match with life learning (before and after school years)? How might we ignite more play, passion, and purpose in these ways?
What if we built capacity as faculty members and community partners to facilitate the type of relational way-finding that Uri declares is the nature of true, meaningful searches? What if we more significantly prioritized the guide-on-the-side postures by making room for the student learners to be the chief navigators of (a more significant amount of) their journeys?
What if you watched Uri’s talk and figured out ways that its corp might change the core of your classroom practices and school-day architecture?
it's about learning 