E-learning TRENDS IN CREATIVITY EDUCATION
We've heard it time and time again, times are changing. This applies to the way we can learn about creativity as well. People who are committed to moving creativity learning forward are not waiting for the traditional avenues of teaching and learning to catch up. Rather, people are taking the way we deliver and learn about and experience creativity in numerous exciting directions. Some are conventional, and some are anything but. This page is dedicated to the exploration of some of the emerging trends in creativity education.
Trend #1
online learning
changing the learning landscape.
The internet has made a significant impact in Creativity teaching and learning. Access to information is unlike any other time in history. Distance no longer needs to be a barrier to learning. MOOCs (massive open online courses), online courses and online certificates and degrees have been popping up all over the world. You now have access to courses taught by cutting edge researchers and experts in the field. There is no reason that you cannot learn more about creativity. There is not longer one way for you to do it. You can download apps and try new things, you can choose to follow great creative thinkers by subscribing to their blogs and websites. Here are some great learning opportunities free for you to discover. This is 21st century learning at it's best. And, there are so many options for people that it is becoming more challenging to choose the best ones. I will share some great ones I have discovered along the way.
online learning
changing the learning landscape.
The internet has made a significant impact in Creativity teaching and learning. Access to information is unlike any other time in history. Distance no longer needs to be a barrier to learning. MOOCs (massive open online courses), online courses and online certificates and degrees have been popping up all over the world. You now have access to courses taught by cutting edge researchers and experts in the field. There is no reason that you cannot learn more about creativity. There is not longer one way for you to do it. You can download apps and try new things, you can choose to follow great creative thinkers by subscribing to their blogs and websites. Here are some great learning opportunities free for you to discover. This is 21st century learning at it's best. And, there are so many options for people that it is becoming more challenging to choose the best ones. I will share some great ones I have discovered along the way.
MOOCS: Massive open online courses
Ignite your Everyday Creativity
A wonderful MOOC by two of my own talented professors . This learning experience takes you through the 4 P's
of everyday creativity. The Person, The Process, The Press and the Product. Now available on demand. |
Stanford D-school
Can't get yourself to California? Click here to find out how you can take a Stanford course right from your own living room.
Do it alone or with friends, this top rated e-course will get your started with the basics of design thinking. |
Creativity, Innovation and Change
Penn State offers this course free though Coursera. It is delivered by engineering professor and is certain to provide another perspective on how to innovate through a science lens. This course was offered in Chinese.
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Websites and Blogs
You don't have to wait for the most up to date research to be published the traditional route before having access to it. There are many creativity experts who keep blogs or contribute to website publications. I share with you a few that I have found to be relevant to me. They are organized as they were recalled. I may one day categorize them when the list becomes too long to scroll.
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Apps and Tech tools
There are so many ways you can explore your own creativity.Take this website for instance. I don't know a thing about coding and yet I have managed to create this resource with little background knowledge using a fantastic site called Weebly (no free advertising plug). Truth is there are some incredible tools being released on a daily basis that can enable you to do things you never thought were possible. I will share some interesting apps I have found useful and relevant to areas of creativity. Many of the ones I share here I have found to be personally relevant to me (remember I teach visual art) however, as creativity is not limited to the arts, it is my hope that you might share with me the apps and resources you have discovered so I might add them to this list.
click icons to take you to download site
E-hubs; platforms for sharing and networking
I'm using my own creative license here and coining a term? E-hubs are the internet spaces i see creative people using to share, inspire and develop collaborations. never before has it been so easy for creatives to get in touch with others to share their unique talents and skills. This also means there is increased competition among talent and individuals as well. The middle man has been removed and people can engage directly with others in open markets, idea spaces and creative communities. This is having an impact on the traditional job market. Here are some of my favorite E-hubs.
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Trend #2
Extra-curricular programs
and rogue research
If the educational curriculum is not going to change through the schools system, how can we work around this? We can put our minds together and develop out of school programs that can support creativity in Education. While it is sad that much of this has to happen outside of the school day, this growing practice is causing schools to rethink how they are doing things and is putting pressure on the boards to start to do something about it. Some of these programs are even bringing their work to the schools in a supportive role.
Destination Imagination
Kids in the junior school engaged in a collaborative timed challenge. They had to communicate without words to complete this task.
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Destination Imagination or DI as those involved like to call it, is a global program originating in the US and is designed to develop a global community of learners from primary to university focused on developing the 21st century skills of: Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Communication. It is a competition based program that provides material to train school / groups teams of 5-7 students and an adult support member to work on a creative group solution and presentation on one of 6 annually designed challenges. There is an impressive resource package that includes mini practice challenges that one can acquire even if you cannot commit to the tournament structure. A fee of about 100.00 set up a team with the resources for local tournament participation. We had a wonderful and passionate volunteer representative come into our school to demonstrate some of the quick challenges just this past October (2015). My students had a great time participating in highly active, fun open-ended, timed challenges. We are hoping to get a team up an running. We are using some of the quick challenges as warm ups in our classrooms, they are very effective. I am particularly impressed with the global scale this program has reached. |
XQ: The Super School Project
With a pile of money and a desire for change, Laurene Powell Jobs, wife of deceased innovator extraordinaire Steve Jobs has pledged 50 million dollars for us to ideate, develop and implement iterations of what she calls SUPER SCHOOLS. This awesome project invites people from all corners of the US to dream big and to propose to bring to reality models for a school that will be engaging, relevant and amazing. The competition closes this month and winners will be given funding to help make their dreams into realities. I cannot wait to see what comes from this.
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Trend #3
Online lectures: TED Talks Anyone?
Don't have time for a MOOC? Can't commit to a course? Well there are others ways you can keep on top of things, enter TED talks. This incredible short lecture based initiative that strives to share great ideas is an incredible resource to use both in your classroom and for research. These short, well developed presentations are engaging and full of information and inspiration. It is so popular that TEDx events have been pooping up all over the world. I am sharing here a few that you just have to watch.
Sir Ken Robinson:
Do Schools Kill Creativity? This Ted Talks is one of the most viewed on the TED site. It has had incredible influence and truly opened up the dialogue around creativity in schools. Sir Ken Robinson is a published author and passionate speaker on the topic of Creativity in education. This is a must watch for anyone interested in advancing the cause. (link is currently not working but will be soon.) |
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Tamara Doleman (ME)
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Sunni Brown:
Doodlers Unite. This TED talks will have you wondering what happened along the way to discourage you from doodling on your notes? Did you ever stop to think that perhaps the reason so many people doodle during classes and meetings is that it promotes and support thinking and concentration? I know that this Talk has changed me forever. Enjoy! (link currently not working, check back soon) |
Elizabeth Gilbert:
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Tina Seelig:
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Ken Robinson
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Tom Wujec
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