Strictly pedagogical

Sir Ken Robinson outlines 3 principles crucial for the human mind to flourish -- and how current education culture works against them.

Via Gust MEES

 

With the following four variables in place, a learner can exceed expectations.

 

1. A good prompt, motivating challenge, or thoughtful question
2. Appropriate materials
3. Sufficient time
4. Supportive culture, including a range of expertise

The genius of this approach is that it is self-evident. If you lack one of the four elements, it is obvious what needs to be done.

Via Ana Cristina Pratas, Gust MEES

One way to design a transfer task is to imagine what someone in “the real world” might do with that knowledge and skill – what kind of work would they be doing? 

 

Then, build a plausible scenario where students can be in those roles, and/or make it real by having their final product, thinking, and ideas shared with an authentic audience.

 

Via Gust MEES

Are you ready to make technology and creativity a big part of your classroom? Technology inspires creativity like little else and it’s time to take a close look at what technologyreally means for your classroom.

This dynamic duo is here not to replace you, not to change you, but to enable you to move forward with the times, to reflect circumstances in the real world and to prepare students as citizens of the future.

 

Many critics of using technology in education cite the idea that once students start using technology, they’ll be unable to be creative anymore. In fact, technology and creativity really go hand in hand – more than you might imagine.

 

Via Gust MEES

TED is awesome…  I recently watched a TED talk by Eddie Obeng  who spoke about our fast changing world.  His central focus was the idea that the pace at which the world is advancing is exponential 

whereas the pace of learning and education is and has been consistent.  Schools are improving – we just can’t keep up.

 

Consequently, educators are feverishly looking for ways to make schools once-again interesting for kids.

 

One of my favorite progressive educational leaders and thinkers is Sir Ken Robinson@SirKenRobinson.  He gave a TED talk in 2006 that has since been viewed by over 16 million people. 

 

He is an advocate for fostering creativity in children because in the end, it will be creativity that solves the problems of tomorrow. 

 

His concern (shared by many) is that our school systems and institutions are designed around conformity, greatly reducing the ability of educators to foster creativity.

 

 

Via Gust MEES