Creativity, learning and the brain

Here's the link to the Radio NZ interview.
http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/ntn/ntn-20081118-1123-Education-048.mp3

Listen to the interview and see if you can decifer what the problems are with the traditional curriculum concerning learning to learn and creativity.

Intelligence - What is it?

As we look at developing a school curriculum and common learning culture, it is important to have a good understanding of what learning is. This week, we will determine what 'Intelligence is' and perhaps start developing a picture of what learning may look like as well.

The following are quotes from renown educationalists concerning intelligence.

Intelligence is

• knowing what to do when you don't know what to do! Piaget
• the sum toal of our habits of mind. Art Costa
• the essence of intelligence is knowing when to think slowly and when to think quickly.
• a child's mind is maluable, expandable and can be coached and trained. This is is contrast to the theory of fixed IQ.

Question:
If intelligence is not static then what inferences can be made from the term 'Learning to Learn' ?
The traditional curriculum hierarchy.

The very nature of curriculum categories has been entrenched in western schooling institutions for centuries. So entrenched in fact that we have given them a hierarchy of importance. It certainly hasn't always been this way and begs the question if education currently looks like this.


What might learning look like if it integrated new understandings of intelligence and learning?

Task: Draw a diagram or picture to represent what learning may look like?

The change in the culture of learning in the classroom
Russell Prue - ICT evangelist

One of the main strands of Russell's presentation to the developing leaders focussed on changing teaching methods and the impact technology is currently having on this generation of pupils and teachers. So has he seen changes in the way teachers have worked over the last five years?



"Yes, but not everywhere, often new technologies are seen as a threat to the balance of power in the classroom and so are often not adopted in such a highly productive fashion. I do believe that the majority of teaching colleagues are doing their best to engage learners in the best possible way and that change does take time."


What do you think are the other challenges are teachers facing when trying to implement forms of new technology to their classroom?



"The biggest challenge is the change in the culture of learning in the classroom. Learners have and will always have a better grasp of new technology than us, what needs to happen is that we get more comfortable with this or get out of their way."