The world has changed (a lot) and if we can't adapt we run the risk of becoming irrelevant and replaced. Creativity, and looking at the world in new ways will be what helps us thrive in this new world, where so many of the existing skills are being automated or shipped offshore. The curriculum that is supposed to provide opportunities for creativity often lacks the real teeth to do so and our job as contemporary educators is to make sure that creativity, innovation and thinking different are highly valued and rewarded in our classrooms, even if the system in general doesn't measure and support these things. We need to ensure that we do great things with kids in spite of the system. Finally, the impetus for maintaining our motivation and our understanding of the changing world can only come from surrounding ourselves with networks of like-minded people that can support us in our work every day.
4. The illiterate of the 21st century
will not be those who cannot read
and write, but those who cannot
learn, unlearn, and relearn.
Alvin Toffler
5. CC Image: 'Wenger GST Classic'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33764571@N00/2640120098
6. CC Image: 'Tick Tock'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33205618@N00/252592793
7. “It is not the strongest of the
species that survives, nor
the most intelligent.
It is the one that is the most
adaptable to change.”
Charles Darwin
8. CC Image: 'Leica IIIf'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/35237096015@N01/15216920
9. CC Image: 'Project 366 - 358/366 March of the+Cameras+HBW'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8692813@N06/3133209356
10. The most useful piece of
learning is to unlearn
what is untrue
Antisthenes
11. CC Image: 'Shure v15'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80682954@N00/316373030
12. CC Image: 'CD Rainbow 1200x900'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95601478@N00/33274702
14. The people who are crazy enough
to think they can change the
world, are the ones who do.
Apple ad
23. In early 1998 could you
have predicted how
much the world would
change in 12 years?
Image: 'ashamed'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24471966@N04/3114343040
40. Ask a class of first graders
“Are you creative?”
Ask a class of tenth graders
“Are you creative?”
What have we done
to these children?
Image: 'ijc'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23474554@N00/3561179958
41. We have never needed
creativity as much as
we do right now
CC Image: 'My Brain on MRI'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48600090482@N01/22584430
42. Abundance Asia Automation
Image: 'Hong Kong from the peak on a+summer's+night'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95572727@N00/953669278
Image: 'Vertigo Mall'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21976354@N07/3123412133
Image: 'untitled'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31128335@N00/1786128092 Daniel Pink - A Whole New Mind
43. Do we value creativity
enough in education?
Image: 'Starry Eyed Swirls'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77535248@N00/444463815
44. A tap drips at a rate of 10 drops
per minute into a large cylindrical
container. Each drop contains 5 ml
of water.
The cylindrical container is 1.5m
tall and 1.1m in diameter, with a
wall thickness of 50mm.
1.1m
How long would it take
for the water to fill the
container?
1.5m
45. How do we get creativity from our students?
Come up with something
interesting for them to work on
Give them the time, tools and
skills they need
Get out of their way!
Image: 'newt'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24471966@N04/3102653703
46. The less restrictions you
place on a task, the more
creative the response
The more restrictions you
place on a task, the less
creative the response
Image: 'Vintage block print illustration'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10278395@N08/2310455009
47. Make it “hard fun”
Be ambitious for them
Image: 'Bravo'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92953327@N00/234931709
48. Verbs Nouns
Write Wordpress
Communicate Wikispaces
Persuade PowerPoint
Calculate Voicethread
...using...
Present Glogster
Design Comic Life
Inform Photoshop
Create Sketchup
etc...
Teacher’s role Student’s role
56. So what’s the
common thread?
Opportunities to go beyond perceived limits
Opportunities to iterate, learn and relearn
Opportunities to follow individual passions
Opportunities to collaborate with others
Opportunities to work with the real world
Opportunities to engage with other views
Opportunities to be creative and original
Opportunities to combine media types
Opportunities to work with interesting tools
Opportunities for genuine assessment