Ideas for Learning and Creativity #1

This is the first in a series of posts about ideas for learning and creativity that I have come across. I hope these posts will provide helpful advice about online resources and creative ideas that may help the delivery of lessons and encourage and challenge students to learn and think creatively.

Creativity and Innovation

Oblique Strategies

This is a set of 100 cards each which will offer suggestions to a course of action or thinking to help break deadlocks or open up your creative thinking. One of my favourite Oblique Strategies:

- Take a Break
- Make an exhaustive list of things you want to do and do the last one on the list
- What is the simplest solution?
- Where is the edge?

From the introduction to the 2001 edition:

These cards evolved from separate observations of the principles underlying what we were doing. Sometimes they were recognised in retrospect (intellect catching up with intuition), sometimes they were identified as they were happening, sometimes they were formulated. They can be used as a pack, or by drawing a single card from the shuffled pack when a dilemma occurs in a working situation. In this case the card is trusted even if its appropriateness is quite unclear… (Wiki Entry)

I have found these cards to be invaluable in assisting in moving creative discussions forward, particularly when writing.

The cards are a little tricky to get hold of unless you buy them from the authors website and there are two sellers on Amazon that provide copies as well (same price as authors).

Danielpink.com

This is one of my favourite blogs/websites which I read weekly. It is owned and run by Dan Pink, author of the superb A Whole New Mind (see review here) and most recently Drive – the surprising truth about what motivates us. Dan Pink is exceptionally good at finding those interesting, thoughtful and, at times, quirky stories which make you think. In short, a very creative blog and his books echo his desire to discover and reflect on his experiences.

Here’s an interesting photo: emotioanlly intelligent signage - something I found on Pink’s blog:

The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers – LXD

Whether you have become wrapped up in the latest Street Dance craze or not do watch this brief video from TED 2010 because it goes beyond ordinary dance and raises interesting questions about taking creativity to a different level by using technology and social media. Jon Chu, speaking at TED 2010, introduces the dance troupe and the power of technology very succinctly:

…with online video and Social Networking dancers have created a whole global laboratory online: kids in Japan are taking moves from YouTube videos created in Detroit, building on it and within days releasing a new video while teenagers in California are…remixing it to create a whole new dance and style in itself.

The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers also have a good website with more performances and interviews: The LXD.com

Here’s the video from TED.com

ICT and E-Learning

Prezi

Prezi has become a popular presentation tool for many. I came across this creative presentation about using Prezi, well worth a look even if you are already familiar with Prezi:

ZinePal.com

Does what it says on the tin: creates PDF files from any online content so if you want your students to get a copy of the latest updates from your Learning Platform’s teacher’s blog then this tool is great. Similarly, if you want to send out regular activities, updates, or just want to give readers to opportunity to download your archived articles ZinePal is the tool for you. I love it. Here’s an example:

Blog Posts using ZinePal.com