Constructing Knowledge Art: new book
A new book has just come out as part of the Synthesis Lectures on Human-Centered Informatics series (originally Morgan Claypool, now SpringerNature), edited by Jack Carroll. Constructing Knowledge Art: An Experiential Perspective on Crafting Participatory Representations As many of you will know, Al Selvin is a close colleague and friend in New York, whose PhD research with me […]
Moving: children taking charge of their learning
For me, there’s nothing quite so moving in the world of learning than witnessing teachers give young people the responsibility and safe freedom to show what they are capable of, and then seeing those children talking about how that felt, and showing what they did. Tragically our national curricula often crush this possibility out of […]
Complexity, Computing, Contemplation, Learning?
Beyond conscious rationality All of my work has been around harnessing the digital world to get us to go beyond the surface and think more deeply. Up till now this has been largely focused on rational modes of thinking, inquiry and sensemaking — hence all the stuff on argumentation, dialogue/debate mapping and hypermedia. However, we […]
What are Schools For? – conference report
What are Schools For? (10 Dec 2010, London) was the launch event for the UK’s Whole Education network, whose partners number many of the country’s most dynamic organisations seeking to effect educational transformation. “So far the active partners behind Whole Education include: ASDAN, Building Learning Power, Channel 4, The Co-operative College, Discovering Language, Flow, Food […]
Working with “Learning Futures” on authentic enquiry
Learning Futures is a national initiative to foster, evaluate and share secondary school innovation, around four priorities which they see as central to the future shape of learning in schools (but we’re interested in its relevance to post-secondary learning as well…): Extended Learning Relationships: The 21st century heralds the possibility of a system redesign that […]
Changing Education Paradigms: Ken Robinson
Humour and insight from Ken Robinson, with fabulous animation from Cognitive Media: To unpack this further, take a look at Bodies of Knowledge (towards an approach that bridges the false dichotomy between academic and practical knowledge)… …and on the implications for a curriculum capable of responding to the passion and engagement you see when learners […]
Learning skills impact Ofsted inspection
I commented earlier on the way in which schools in England are assessed, which is still dominated by high stakes SATs exam testing, even at Primary School Key Stage 2 level (11 year olds) — the sector in which I’m most involved. The new controversial Ofsted inspection regime has recently got tougher, with a continued […]
