"EDUCATION IS NOT THE FILLING OF A BUCKET, BUT THE LIGHTING OF A FIRE!" Education MUST be strongly focused on student engagement, motivation, passion, curiosity, wonder and CREATIVITY. Lighting The Fire is dedicated to re-establishing that connection! It’s been my life’s work.
BELOW: a powerful page from Project Art. BUT... while I admire this program's dedication, mission, and effort; I have mixed feelings about all After School Programs. Yes, it's great that Art can be shoe horned into the school experience we offer our young people by extending the length of the school day. However, by doing so, it relegates Art to what is perceived as the realm of The Trivial... Worse, it evades the fight to right the wrong of excluding Art in the first place. In effect, such programs are magnificent bandaids. And in the end, we will have to fight that fight - the fight to re-examine our understanding of Education and re-target and re-direct it to reflect more informed and humane goals and methods!!! Until that fight begins, though, I'll be a fan of Project Art and similar efforts!
Today, over 4 million elementary school
students do not get any arts instruction. If you were born into a family
of low socio-economic status, these are two possible pathways on how
access to arts education can affect your life. These are based on
findings from research institutions.
SOURCES FOR DATA CITED
Improved Academic Performance for Students with High Levels of Arts Involvement, Americans for the Arts (2013) The Arts and Achievement in At-Risk Youth, National Endowment for the Arts (2012) College-Bound Seniors: Total Group Profile Report, The College Board (2005) Survey of Business Owners, Census Bureau (2007) Arts and Crafts: Critical to Economic Innovation, Economic Development Quarterly, Michigan State University (2013) Research Talking Points on Dropout Statistics, National Education Association (2006) The Silent Epidemic: Perspectives of High School Dropouts, Civic Enterprises in association with Peter D. Hart Research Associates for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (2006)
“AutoDraw is a new kind of drawing tool. It pairs machine learning with
drawings from talented artists to help everyone create anything visual,
fast. There’s nothing to download. Nothing to pay for. And it works
anywhere: smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop, etc.” "Google’s AutoDraw: Creation Made Easier
4/21/2017 6:00:00 AM
See the icons in the logo image above? The pants, leaf, megaphone, light
bulb, apple, and stethoscope? I drew them with Google’s new AutoDraw tool.
Maybe some of them look familiar, faithful reader. If so, it’s because I
attempted to redraw the very same icons I’ve used in recent logos on
#Schoenblog posts: a pen, fire, arrows, a lightbulb, apple, and
stethoscope
AutoDraw uses machine learning to predict what you are trying to draw
and match it to artists’ submissions. So while my pen and fire might
have turned into pants and a leaf, my quick sketch of an apple matched
perfectly. AutoDraw gave me options to choose from as I drew each image,
predicting and matching my movements.
The tool’s about page
explains, “AutoDraw is a new kind of drawing tool. It pairs machine
learning with drawings from talented artists to help everyone create
anything visual, fast. There’s nothing to download. Nothing to pay for.
And it works anywhere: smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop, etc.”
How often do we ask students to represent things visually? AutoDraw is a
great tool to help students develop visual iconographies. Whether it’s
used to help develop sketchnotes, depict scenes from literature,
represent a cell, or storyboard historical events, I can think of so
many uses for the simple visuals that AutoDraw helps create.
While it’s machine learning features may take away from some elements of
student creativity, it provides a valuable and easy way to get students
started in creative or visual tasks online. Plus, it’s free and works
on every device. You can also use the basic drawing features, add text,
change colors, and more.
In an age where more and more we need to teach students about digital
citizenship and acceptable use, AutoDraw helps us create. Although the
tool matches our sketches to other artists icons, these creations appear
to be copyright free. On the Control Alt Achieve post, Using Google AutoDraw for Sketchnotes, Infographics, Drawings, and More, Eric Curts
notes that when artists submit their artwork to AutoDraw, they have to
agree that "Drawings are my own and Google may use my drawings for any
purpose." The AutoDraw about page also describes the tool as free and
for everyone. I’m eager to see more clarity on copyright and fair use
here, but this has a lot of potential for our students--and beyond.
Blogging & Branding
I spend a lot of time--too much probably--thinking about how this site
looks and feels. In fact, a huge update to the #Schoenblog is coming
very soon. One of my intentional decisions over the last year has been
to brand my blog posts with a title image; each one is sized for
Twitter, and they follow a similar aesthetic. In the beginning, I
worried about finding other people’s artwork or ideas to help influence
my look. Lately, though, I’m much more interested in simple visual
iconography--just like I attempted in this post’s title.
I want to be more aware of the visual branding for this site and for how
I use images or art from other sources. A tool like AutoDraw helps me
be in control by evolving my ideas into simple open source icons that
are easy to use. I can download them as .png files and import right into
my favorite image editor. It’s free, easy, and efficient.
There’s a lot of potential for AutoDraw, and definitely room to explore
more tools for creation, visual aids, and graphic design, both in and
out of the classroom...."
"3 Reasons Why Robotics Promotes a Culture of
Creativity in the Classroom"
4/14/2017 5:50:00 AM
By Guest
Blogger Lynne Boucher
"To meet the challenges of the modern workplace, today’s education is calling
for curriculum that integrates STEM learning and creative problem solving in
the classroom. I have found that creativity in the classroom is better
harnessed when it is encouraged and is critical for today’s students,
particularly when using robotics.
Below are the top three reasons I believe robotics can promote a culture of
creativity in your classroom, ultimately helping propel the next generation of
innovators forward:
1. Robotics offers a new idea of what creativity looks like
One common misconception about creativity that many of my students have is
that to be creative, you need to have a knack for drawing, painting or
storytelling. What I try to teach through robotics is what I believe the true
definition of creativity is: doing or thinking about things differently. I
recently needed to help my middle school students understand what a two-stage
rocket is and why it is important to modern rocketry. The challenge I
gave them was to get a marshmallow as far across the floor as possible using a
two-stage concept. Students had to build a device that could be
robotically activated for the first stage which was a 5’ foot distance, the
robot then had to deploy a second force to continue moving the marshmallow to
the greatest distance possible.
By being creative as teachers and incorporating robotics into our lesson
plans, we can show students that it is possible for creativity to go hand in
hand in math, science, coding and more.
2. Open-ended challenges reveal there can be multiple solutions
for a given problem
Robotics frequently present open-ended challenges that do not lead to single
solution. Forcing students to experiment changes the way they think about
approaching problems, and encourages them to get creative. Another challenge I
conducted in the classroom involved moving tethered robots across a finish line
without the use of human force. One group in this challenge created straws with
the available materials so they could blow their robots across the finish line.
This prompted an interactive discussion and “light bulb” moments where students
think creatively within the parameters of a problem.
3. Students learn the importance of taking risks
Students who are not exposed to open-ended challenges can struggle with
going against the conventional structure of a classroom, and will often search
for what they perceive to be a single “correct” answer. It is important to
reinforce to these students that the core of creative thinking involves an
element of risk. During a study of famous artists I did with my 4th and
5th graders, students had to choose a work of art and then
problem solve how to make that art work move using gears, servos, and
programming. These students had very little to no experience with
robotics so this was a bit frustrating for them at first as they learned the
basics of robotics engineering. We had many of what of my students called
“epic fails,” but the key was that they kept trying new things. This is what
risk-taking is all about!.."
This appeared in my In Box this morning... Creative Educator always comes through with great project ideas to foster Student Creativity
Technology project ideas for your grade level
If you are looking for great technology project ideas to engage your
learners through the end of the school year, explore these high-level
lesson plans for:
Here's a table created by ISTE colleague, Karey Killian, who came up with a 'wish list; of possible Maker Space resources, categorized by ISTE Standards (and some Common Core Math/Language Arts Standards). She states:
“...Our purpose with these (Maker)
spaces is to ignite the passions within students to discover their unique
talents and abilities. We want spaces where students can explore, be
creative, work collaboratively, and make new inventions along the way…”
“…Here's a link
to the Word document that should be viewable to anyone with the link.
You're welcome to use any of this document if it can strengthen your program in
any way.
Wagner says "a child's innovative framework is strengthened when
teachers bring a sense of play to the curriculum; taking offbeat
approaches and making whimsical connections to the course material."
This allows children to think creatively-opting to think in new ways.
2. Curiosity
Programs that allow children time to interact with various
technology-related materials, and engage in a variety of individual and
team projects create greater understanding and a desire to learn more.
In conducting interviews with hundreds of innovative people for his
book, Wagner also found innovative people were shown how to connect
their passion to success. The best teachers and parents always supported
what the students' passions and natural curiosities were, and made an
effort to connect what needed to be learned to satisfy that curiosity.
They let children choose the subject matter they wished to study or
design their own investigations to learn more. This connected success
leads to a larger purpose-children's individual motivations and
interests, he says.
Increased fearlessness, especially when it comes to taking risks
and trying new ways of doing things, makes children better at creative
problem solving. If you can name effort as the thing that you want to encourage, effort creates ability.
Having a greater sense of purpose
makes finding solutions more urgent. This gives innovators greater
incentive to take risks, and look for new methods of solving challenging
issues."
Here's a good one that Ifoundin my In Box... I like what MakerSpaces.com offers... If you're not familiar with Paper Circuits, I recommend you peruse this for a few minutes to get yourself informed... They seem to me to be apowerful invitation to put the ART in STEAM Education...
Paper Circuits In Makerspaces - One
of our favorite makerspace projects (so far) have been the creation of
paper circuits. It's an affordable, easy to learn project that
can be completed in 30 minutes which is great for schools. There are
countless project ideas that incorporate the paper circuit concept which
can be added to most curriculum. For example, you can combine the ARTS
with Technology and make interactive circuit artwork or popup
electronic greeting cards.
If you want more info, check out our step by step paper circuit tutorial that includes 5 free project templates to get you started."
Here's a good session I came across... Click on the screen capture, below to launch recording (may take a short while to load. I think that if used in an informed way, this resource can support kids in their creative efforts!
The compensation data provider PayScale recently published its 2016 Workforce-Skills Preparedness Report, and the findings were eye-opening for schools and educators.
The report details the responses of almost 64,000 hiring managers
across a wide range of industries who were asked about the “skills
gap”—the disconnect between the skills students have when they graduate
from college and the skills companies need. Here are a few of the stats
that stood out for us:
60% of managers said new graduates do not have the critical thinking and problem-solving skills necessary for the job
46% said new graduates lack the necessary communication skills
36% reported new graduates have inadequate interpersonal and teamwork skills
Similar findings are appearing everywhere. Here’s just a sample:
The World Economic Forum reports
that students with social and emotional learning (SEL) skills like
critical thinking and problem-solving, creativity, communication, and
collaboration are better equipped to succeed in the evolving digital
economy.
Bloomberg analyzed the skills gap
among MBAs and found that the skills managers want most but have the
most trouble finding include strategic thinking, leadership skills,
communication skills, creative problem-solving, and working
collaboratively.
Fast Company describes 2016 as the year of the hybrid job,
in which employers want multifaceted employees who have both hard
skills like database technology and soft skills like communication and
collaboration.
Dan Schwabel of Millennial Branding, which partnered with PayScale on
their survey, summed things up this way: “Graduates need strong
communication and problem-solving skills if they want to interview well
and succeed in the workplace.”
Closing the gap with creativity
So how can educational institutions help students close the skills
gap? It’s clear to us that they need to go beyond teaching traditional
skills and make fostering creativity and developing digital skills a
priority in the classroom.
Many of the skills current grads lack are associated with creativity,
from critical thinking to communication to collaboration. But when
schools teach students how to create digital content, they help them
develop these in-demand skills.
Here are just a few examples:
Through digital storytelling with video and illustration, students learn how to communicate ideas clearly and effectively.
Through data visualization with animation and digital imaging,
students become better at understanding, simplifying, and explaining
information.
When students work on complex creative projects like designing apps
and websites in partnership with other students, they develop critical
collaboration and interpersonal communication skills.
And as they work on creative projects of all types, students develop the creative mindset employers crave.
In an education documentary, Tony Wagner of Harvard’s Innovation Lab
was quoted as saying: “Employers say over and over ‘I will teach them
(graduates) the content. What I can’t teach is how to think, how to
communicate, how to collaborate, how to initiate.’”
But our schools and educators can certainly teach these things. And Adobe can help.
For an in-depth look at what forward-thinking educators are doing to close the skills gap, visit the Adobe Education Exchange.
