Well, two great back-to-school messages, actually. I'll get to the one from two organizations in a minute. First, one from a parent: At a time when so many families are feeling swamped with stuff added to schedules and school supplies lists – and that's on top of run-of-the-mill, everyday parental pressures that probably include worries about what young peers are up to online, in games, and on … [Read more...] about One of the best back-to-school messages I’ve seen
MacArthur Foundation
The whitewater-kayaking kind of learning needed today
This week: the first of a three-part series on two educators working in very different spheres – John Seely Brown at the University of Southern California, helping adults think creatively about learning, and Marianne Malmstrom at the Elisabeth Morrow School in New Jersey, helping children learn creatively Play is essential, says John Seely Brown, to becoming the kind of learner that keeps … [Read more...] about The whitewater-kayaking kind of learning needed today
Digital achievement badges for people of all ages
Unlike the Girl Scout/Boy Scout ones many of us grew up earning, these merit badges – though just as visually appealing – are digital, for people of all ages, and will go into Facebook pages, blogs, and resume Web sites. They'll spotlight skills and achievements not necessarily acquired in traditional environments like school, adding graphical credentials to people's digital resumes and … [Read more...] about Digital achievement badges for people of all ages
Quest Atlantis, VWs & academic situational awareness
In a virtual world, science students can be scientists. In Quest Atlantis, students explore scientific problems or quests, so that – in addition to learning scientific content on quests – they find themselves in situations where they have to put that new knowledge to actual use. In other words they're being scientists, not just learning science. What a "science class"! Prof. Sasha Barab, one of … [Read more...] about Quest Atlantis, VWs & academic situational awareness
School & social media: Uber big picture
When I think about how the book, enabled by Gutenberg's press, was pretty controversial back in the day (15th c.) and probably didn't make it into "school" for a while (though it fueled the Renaissance and the Reformation), maybe I understand why there's resistance to using today's media - called social media - in school. But things are moving a little faster these days, and students are actively … [Read more...] about School & social media: Uber big picture