Creativity, Power, PBL, and Beyond

August 10, 2012

I think that inspiring student learning and creativity is a lot harder than it seems on the surface.  One would think that language arts and the sub-areas of this subject would easily inspire creativity- literature, poetry, writing, responding, speaking, acting, etc.  On the surface, there is a ton of room in my classes to promote these ideas.

I think as I develop parts of my Wiki and writing instruction this year, I will focus on a few "real world" PBL/CBL type writing topics.  I think I can use different platforms like Google Docs and Evernote to have students collaborate on ideas and provide each other with feedback in addition to seeing the world globally (and flat).  At the same time, it's important for me to teach about planning, drafting, editing, and publishing these pieces.  Obviously, blogging is the natural platform for publishing this type of work.

I think it's most valuable to start this journey with a problem that's "real" to the student.  On our first day of the Summer Institute, our small group discussed the idea of POWER as an over-riding theme.  I keep coming back to this because I can cite several pieces of literature that I already read with students where themes can be discussed from this word and concept.

Onward and upward to planning a PBL chapter or unit around a student chosen issue (maybe in small groups, maybe not) that facilitates and inspires student learning and creativity.

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1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:

• promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
• engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.
• promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.
• model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.