Blog: Post key ideas you noted from the "Big C" [CREATIVITY]-Content speakers and any ideas you retained from Laura Masters' presentation. Within the context of your classroom and your teaching practice: What are your insights from this analysis? Are there common threads in your perceptions? How do your findings fit in with the other topics in this class: 21st century teaching & learning, equity of opportunity for students, the brain, problem-based learning, etc. As instructional leaders, how might you apply Mobley's 6 insights to help your students think creatively?Key Ideas I Gleaned From Each Video and Article
(1) Seung, S. (2010). "I am my connectome." Video - The brain function includes memories, personality, intellect. At a synapse, when/where the neurons communicate, neurotransmitters are sent out. Every neuron is connected to another neuron in one or more locations. - Brains change over time because of genetics, neural activity/physical movement within the brain (stream of conscientiousness), personal experiences, Just the mere act of thinking can change your connectome. - The human brain is being studied (constructed and reconstructed) to better understand our human existence. (2) Brown, JS. (2010). "The New Culture of Learning in a World of Constant Flux." Video - 21st century thinking is different from the past: From a predictable world of equilibrium to an exponential world of constant flux and dis-equilibrium because of increasing abilities in computation, storage, and bandwidth; thus, changing social, work, organizational, and political practices. - Skills we are teaching now will potentially be unnecessary or obsolete in just a few years. Instead of protecting knowledge assets and resisting change, we need our students participating in knowledge flows (creating new knowledge and embracing change) - Curiosity is needed in a world of constant flux. Mobile devices can be used as curiosity amplifiers. - Rethink "How We Learn, What We Need to Learn, and How New Media Has Changed This Process in Fundamental Ways ": Learning is redefined from traditional learning of old information to immersive learning by creating new information. Instead of "I think, therefore, I am" -- the new notion ought to be "We participate, therefore, we are." Understanding is socially constructed; we know ourselves in relation to others. - Nothing is better than learning in collaborative study groups; and, there is no better way to learn than for students to explain their understanding to others. According to Harvard, the best predictor of college success is whether or not you can form or join a study group -- even if it is through a virtual world and/or game-based learning. - Post/blog/write what you're experiencing! Those thoughts/answers become questions for further inquiry. Tools help to interpret/create answers. - Homo ludens: a highly nuanced concept of play as in the freedom to fail repeatedly, then get it right; as in imagination like poetry/music lyrics; as in an epiphany of understanding/of how to resolve a problem; as in riddles to reframe a world view; as in progenitor of culture (3) Gardner, H. (2007). "Five Minds of the Future." Video - The Disciplined Mind - Practice a lifelong habit of working steadily on things (practice) - Master the major ways of thinking: Historical, Scientific, Mathematical, and Artistic - Become an expert in a profession, craft, or art - The Synthesizing Mind - The synthesis has to be able to be explained to other people. - The synthesis needs to be revised contextually so it will make sense to the audience. - The Creative Mind - People who are creative are those who come up with new things that are eventually accepted. - They take chances/risks, are not afraid to fall down, then pick themselves up - They say "what can I learn from this?" as they move forward. - Creativity occurs after mastering at least one discipline, art, or craft -- usually takes about 10 years. - "Thinking outside of the box" cannot occur if you do not have a box. - A creative person's work(s) change how other people think and behave. (His definition/only criterion) - The Respectful Mind - Beyond tolerating differences; Understanding, reconciling, and forgiving each other's difference - Treating each other the way the other wants to be treated; "You"-based instead of "I/my" perspective first. - The Ethical Mind - It reflects on the different roles we fulfill and talks about the proper ways to meet the needs of those roles. - GOOD WORK is defined as EXCELLENCE, ENGAGEMENT, and ETHICAL - Give students practice in making ethical decisions through case studies and "What if..." questions. (4) Robinson, K. (2013). "How to Escape Education's Death Valley." Video - End outmoded industrial educational system and create a highly personalized, organic approach using technology and professional resources to engage ALL students! - Humans are naturally different and diverse. - A real education has to give equal weight to the arts, the humanities, to physical education as well as STEM. - Curiosity drives human life and innovation. Children are natural learners; continue to nurture their curiosity. - Great teachers mentor, stimulate, provoke, and engage their students so they can learn. - Have a high quality teaching profession with support and professional development. - "Alternative education" schools should become the norm to support ALL students' learning. - Change the learning environment/conditions to value the relationships between teachers and learners - Allow creativity and innovation to flourish rather than merely rule-following and rote memorization. (5) Pink, D. (2010). "The Surprising Science of Motivation." Video - Extrinsic rewards narrow our focus and restrict other possible ways of thinking/seeing/reacting/reasoning. - Higher incentives led to worse performance. - Right-brained creative, conceptual abilities are more important than ever. - Intrinsic motivation works best because problem-solving/tasks are based around things that matter, we like, are important, and are interesting. - People will be most interested in doing the task if it includes autonomy/self-direction, mastery, and purpose. - "ROWE" - Results Only Work Environment: How, When, and Where is self-determined. (Think: Wikipedia!) (6) Mobley, L. R. (2010). "Can Creativity Be Taught?" Article - a) Asking radically different questions in a non-linear way is key to creativity! - b) Upend existing assumptions; design mind-blowing experiences! - c) Being creative is a transformational process by doing, not by reading about it! - d) Hang out with creative people in an unsystematic unstructured environment with peer-to-peer interactions! - e) To be creative, one must be reflective and know oneself (strengths, flaws, biases, world view, etc.)! - f) Most importantly, let go of the fear of looking like a fool. Discover and learn from the "mistakes!" My Reflection: Ultimately, we teachers and our students must see ourselves and each other as change agents within and beyond our classrooms. Teaching and learning needs to be transformative, especially in terms of Mobley's 6-point perspective! Project-based learning appears to be the best path to helping our students participate with myriad skills (which includes the reflective process of how-to-learn) and thrive in our ever-changing 21st century. It provides inquiry-based learning, which includes: curiosity, creativy, and choices to solve problems authentically through collaborative study groups that communicate and think critically, then present/explain their knowledge to others. More importantly, this manner of learning can be enhanced with the use of technology so students who mentor and learn with each other can also do this virtually and across the globe! Because this type of peer-based learning and creation of aha moments is fun/emotional, the learning will be stronger based on intense neural brain activity. We must engage our students and each other as knower, maker, and player -- that is, as participators. In addition to inquiry-based learning, blogging is another important way to learn because it changes content/static knowledge to a creation of new information via collective contextual interactions. Those conversations can create convergent and divergent thinking! Aha, blogging appears to be the easiest manner in which I can help my students achieve transformational learning, so it must be implemented in my classroom (and in others, too). I also need to teach even more digital literacy than I have done before along with the other traditional literacies (language, numeracy, etc.) Based on the assigned videos and article I viewed in addition to other books I've read before this class regarding creativity as well as through the experiences I've fostered in my classroom, I believe whole-heartedly that creativity can be taught especially when everyone feels safe about the discovery process: asking questions like "what if ..." while making sure the expectation is that no one should laugh or put down the relevant ideas and divergent thinking. All of our students need to be encouraged to make mistakes, experiment, see experiences as learning moments, and to see the word, FAIL, as First Attempt In Learning so they will feel free to become/be creative in their own thoughts while encouraging their classmates to be creative, too! Full disclosure statement: Unfortunately, while growing up in San Francisco during a time in which perfection, being good, obeying rules, and following directions (not flexible-mindedness) were the major end goals for my immigrant parents, their siblings, extended family, friends, and society. I was extrinsically pushed/motivated/punished by my parents and elders to NOT make mistakes, always try to go for 100%, etc. -- or else! In retrospect, I feel like I could have grown so much more if I were to have felt safe enough to make mistakes and see those moments as opportunities to learn and develop. Therefore, ever since reading books on creativity and further validated by these assigned videos, I have learned about the importance of NOT being held to the standard of perfection to enable growth founded in confidence-building rather than fear: I cultivate in my classroom the theme that we should all do our BEST to give our sincere efforts in trying to learning by doing! I encourage a community culture in which my students recognize that everyday should be considered a new opportunity to better communicate, collaborate, create, and be a critical thinker with awesome character, and a global citizen perspective.
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AuthorJulie C D Meyer-Houston began her exciting journey during Spring 2016 as a grad student in Touro University - California's Innovative Learning program to earn her Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree, which focuses on Social Justice & Equity and the use of technology in education. Archives
May 2016
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