Best Educational Ideas in the World- ulearn Day 2

Back into it. Derek Wenmoth's keynote was excellent.

THE FUTURE IS NOT WHAT IT USE TO BE.

The potential is tremendous, we need to harness it.

He covered

use of mobile interenet devices

The cloud

Virtual Augmented and alternate reality

Open Content

Location based learning

Smart objects and devices

Check out the notes on his blog. The videos will help to clarify.

"Change is the constant."

Gary Stager was again on his soap box.

"Every Education Problem has been solved... somewhere." A need for will and connectivity.

All good ideas and projects are imbedded with the principles.

Principles

Respect, authentic, Real tools and materials, expanded ops, learning is natural, urgency, commitment to social justice and democracy.

FAB programme-Neil Gershenfeld working with design tools to make anything!

Making things is better than being passive.

Making good things is even better.

Personal fabrication- instead of buying it go and make it. Using tech to solve local probs.

Bricolage -learning through tinkering. (The french express it so better.)

“How to make almost anything.” Check out the the video on what personal fabrication is all about.

Make magazine, a brilliant magazine facilitating the creating of just about anything. Bring out your chemistry sets!!

Microworld is a software mentioned often with personal fabrication. Go to the link and download the trial software.

The introduction of the theories of Reggio Emilia education showed how our preschools inherently do this stuff. The kids learn by what they are doing. The Reggio Emilia schooling hire a pedagogista who helps interpret what the children are doing as they learn. (Our job?)

Another version of learning through tinkering perhaps.

Elements for effective projects (definition- something to share with others)

purpose

time

Personal meaning

Complexity, including serendipity

Connected, shareable

Access to and constructive materials

All seems so easy when written down.

Reasons I'm so excited...

Firstly, the inquiry process lends itself to this perfectly. Don't know if many have mentioned this to Gary.

Secondly, Room 1's adaptation inquiry and it becoming Save the Wrybill, has many of the elements that he has been talked about in the sessions.

With perhaps a little more foresight by me, (this was heavily lead by the children), and an injection of more self reflection I can see the learning being strengthened.

Thirdly, our technology inquiry will lend itself to the "lets address the problem" of this tinkering, creative, child lead and reflective learning that has been espoused at the conference, and that is the inquiry process.

Bring it on.