The Unreasonable Institute

http://unreasonableinstitute.org/

10 New Education Ideas That Are Changing How Our Students Learn

My students swallowed hard during the first day of classes when I assigned them the task of creating a professional Personal Learning Network tied to their studies using a number of diverse online social media platforms. After sitting down with the current issue of Good magazine [14 pages], I feel emboldened. Here are some quotes.

“Technology is a way to open the window for [students].” David Bitten, superintendent, Wyoming, Michigan, [colonelb on Twitter]

The Obama administration’s National Education Technology Plan: “It calls for teachers and students to be provided with an “access device” so they can stay connected to homework assignments, events and each other.” I have found a closer connection with my students as a result of online media which makes the class time more effective and their overall educational endeavors more effective.

“Education is a knowledge industry and in 2010 that really means access to technology.” Karen Cator, director of education technology for the US Dept of Education. And “Using technology for social reasons is very different from leveraging technology to think and learn and solve complex problems.”

I have incorporated a variety of social media formats into my classes since 2007. It has had the effect of building community and teamwork within the programs I direct.

Some assignments are public via these media, which has increased individual assessment and, as a result, learning. Students write more when they blog; when they write they better understand what they think. One of my favorite quotes is something to the effect of writers write in order to understand what they think. I add, artists make to understand what they think and feel about what is going on around them.

Indeed we are a globally networked society and students today [and all of us] need to understand how to be digital citizens.

www.good.is/educationguide

• an online platform for thought and action around education
• goal: top create a vibrant discussion about these topics- online, in print, in the real world

www.good.is

The Jewelry Project at the House of Ruth

Check this out.....great idea!
http://thejewelryproject.blogspot.com/

"Profit is useful if it serves as a means toward an end."

Interesting review of Michael Moore's "Capitalism: A Love Story" in the Washington Post.

Ties in nicely with many of our consumerism discussions in Design and Social Entrepreneurship course.

Photograph Your Guerilla Project

Many guerilla tactics are temporary so photograph your guerilla tactic in situ.
Post on your blog. Document your process/progress as well.

Give aesthetic consideration to your guerilla install/tactic. Anita has a great idea that I can image would be just lovely when first installed. Think color, materials, design....etc.

Sketch. add color. Sketch the guerilla tactic in situ.
Design It! from start to finish.

Listen! Pay Attention.

I continue to be surprised when my students do not know what public radio is and they are not familiar with the local stations WYPR in Baltimore and WAMU in DC. Once you get comfortable with the local stations, start streaming public radios stations from the more diverse and forward-thinking cities in our country. A telling statement came from one of my students a number of years go in response to the integration of ethical issues into the art and design courses I teach. I designed an assignment on the issue of Blood Diamonds. We watched The History Channel's documentary together because of its horrific and blunt content. I put together and gave students lists of references for further research/learning: projects designed around the issue, websites, other documentaries and movies, and of course books. Part way through the project this student who I had assessed as being a "good" student said out loud in class, "How did I not know this was happening?" How indeed I thought to myself. I replied, "Where do you get your news? What are you reading?"

This memory indelibly lodged in my mind, came to the fore this morning as I sipped coffee standing in my kitchen, listening to WYPR. Sheila Kast hosted Bill Barry, the Director of Labor Studies at the Community College of Baltimore County's Dundalk Campus. He talked about the origins--and the future--of Labor Day and the labor movement. I am not an expert on labor history but found this interesting. The modern work week was based on an 8-hour workday so that people could have balanced lives: spend time with their families and friends, participate in civic and religious entities, and have a healthy, balanced life. Makes sense. We know that balanced people make better decisions- big and small- when they are balanced. When did we lose this as a national value? I was educated with a liberal arts undergraduate degree and teach in a liberal arts educational system. Our society will function best if we grow well-rounded, balanced citizens. I encourage you to visit the WYPR website and listen to the re-play of today’s conversation. Be informed.

This story also reminded me of the social design course I teach. On Thursday we had our first class brainstorming session in response to the question, "Before we begin to do our research in this course, what do you see as the social issues of the day?" I love this course. Students love this course. I couldn't shut them up- these students had so many ideas, opinions, thoughts about what is going on in our society today. Work is one factor. People are working too much.

Bill Barry closed with the following ideas and imperatives. "Get up, get out, get angry, get organized." This is the history of America, or it was. "What is a little law to a big bank?" This is especially apropos on the heels of multiple events such as the Bernie Madoff scheme and the failure of many people at the SEC[!] Enron, Wallstreet, etc, etc. Businesses, and the the bigger the business the more prevalent the attitude, willingly, knowingly break the law and pay the penalty because it still comes out in their favor. Why have laws if the predominant attitude from the biggest and the most powerful is to ignore them and as a society we accept and tolerate this? Are we really surprised where we are as a society? Really? And finally, as Woodie Guthrie said,
"Take it easy, but take it."

Be Informed

I saw a great exposé on the largely unregulated debt collection business in this country and the illegal tactics used to scare people. Check this out. One debt collection business profiled was owned by an individual with a felony record whose employees impersonated police officers and bullied in some cases innocent citizens. It amazes me [still] how much poor behavior is permitted in our civil, democratic society. How far Main Street has fallen. Be informed. I don't want to live in a bully culture, so you? Stand up for the country you want.

Amazing Story of Courage- Women's Rights in Pakistan

Muhktar Mai, a Pakistani woman, is bravely standing up for basic human rights for women in Pakistan and she is making a difference. Check out this story. Nicholas Kristof [NY Times columnist, Pulitzer Prize winner] and Sheryl WuDun [Pulitzer prize winner] have a new book coming out this week: Half the Sky about discrimination against women. They dedicate a chapter to Muhktar Mai. Hear an excerpt here.

Respectful Relationships

Check out Rick Steves' travel show on Iran. His closing statements [below] struck me as relevant to this course. He raised the issue of the tensions between Iran and America and pointed to governing emotions such as fear and strategies such as understanding. Click here for a link to Steves' site with multiple links to various things: slideshow, travel journal, homepage, etc.

Steves' Closing Statements:

"I left Iran struck more by what we have in common than by our differences. Most Iranians, like most Americans, couldn't care less about politics. They simply want a good, safe life for their loved ones. Just like my country, Iran has one dominant ethnic group and religion that's struggling with issues of diversity and change—liberal versus conservative, modern versus traditional, secular versus religious. As in my own hometown, people of great faith are suspicious of people of no faith or a different faith. Both societies seek a defense against the onslaught of modern materialism that threatens their traditional "family values." Both societies are suspicious of each other, and both are especially suspicious of each other's government.

My hope is that the TV show we produced (along with this journal) will help promote understanding between our two countries. When we travel—whether to an "Axis of Evil" country, or just to a place where people yodel when they're happy, or fight bulls to impress the girls, or can't serve breakfast until today's croissants arrive—we enrich our lives and better understand our place on this planet. People-to-people connections reduce fear and mistrust. We learn that we can disagree and still coexist peacefully.

Granted, there's no easy solution, but surely getting to know Iranian culture is a step in the right direction. Hopefully, even the most skeptical will appreciate the humanity of 70 million Iranian people. Our political leaders sometimes make us forget that all of us on this small planet are equally precious children of God. Having been to Iran, I feel this more strongly than ever. If this all sounds too idealistic, or even naive...try coming to Iran and meeting these people face-to-face.

Happy travels...and, as they say in Iran, 'May peace be upon us.' "

Clothing + Digital Technology

Sherri might have been on to something when she wanted to "tag" people with a record of drunk driving. Read about W-41 a Netherlands-based company combing clothing and technology. Be. On.The.Edge.

Armchair Revolution

Check out Armchair Revolution. They have internship opps for any of my social design students who are interested.

Kiva- Micro-lending for the Developing World

I don't know alot about Kiva but it is billed as micro-lending for entrepreneurs in the developing world. Think Muhammad Yunus [Creating a World Without Poverty] for starters.

Check out this project opportunity:
http://tinyurl.com/4ejc4s

Fast Company magazine- Social Responsibility

The new issue of Fast Company magazine arrived in my mailbox today. It is the annual Masters of Design issue. The whol thing looks great. In connecting the dot for my students, I looked up some articles on FC's website and passed them along. Under the Social Responsibility page I saw an article about Clorox going green which Anna or Sherri brought up in class this week. Here is another resource. Check it out. If you don't know FC, it is a great magazine about tour world today- all aspects. Just as you see a Design Page on the website, design is talked about in almost every issue of this magazine that is generally classified as a business magazine. FC is about innovation in our world today. Career professionals, when asked about the best careers to go into today, name entrepreneurship as the top field. The competition in the world is tight. Those who are entrepreneurial and innovative will fare the best. And speaking of entrepreneurial and art/design/craft/DIY....do you know Squidfire? If not check them out. I had dinner at Golden West tonight and guess who opened a bricks and mortar store where Atomic Books used to be? Squidfire also organizes a series of DIY shows, here in Baltimore. They did it with their vision, you can do it with yours. It isn't rocket science it just takes motivation. If you aren't motivated to do what you love.....good luck!

NeoCon East

See my post on Project Object from earlier today about NeoCon East design trade show October 29 + 30, 2008.

On Thursday, October 30 at 9am: Emily Pilloton, founder of Project H Design, will present a summary of her call-to-action (anti)manifesto for humanitarian deign, asking students to stop talking big and start doing good with their design skills. Through examples of Project H initiatives and new models for design business and academics, she will champion the idea of design as a vehicle for social change.

Scraper Bikes

Great story on NPR today about Scraper Bikes. Check it out.

Art on Purpose- Baltimore, Maryland

Art on Purpose is an innovative entity here in Baltimore that "uses art to bring people together around issues and ideas." Check them out.

Social Design

This is a link to the image of the website [above] www.socialdesignsite.com. Check it out.

Project M- John Bielenberg

Project M is a terrific art project created by John Bielenberg who was inspired by the amazing Samuel Mockabee of the Rural Studio program at Auburn University in Alabama. GOOD magazine did a feature on Project M in 2007. And the Project M website a lot of great leads on it although I find it a little hard to read- above is a screen capture of one section of the website. Check it out. Samuel Mockabee inspired so many people. Here is a link to a video....there is lots of good info out there on him. Be in the know.

Thoma Mann's Storm Cycle

Thomas Mann is a metalsmith based in New Orleans. When Hurricane Katrina hit he happened to be on vacation in Michigan. The metals community was emailing Tom like crazy so he used his email list to send out updates. [Network and stay connected to people and communities; nothing happens in a vaccuum.] For those of us receiving those updates, it was a personal inside view into what was happening there.
Tom returned to New Orlean as soon as he could [he is well connected]. He is a visual artist. He toured by boat, taking it all in. He then hired a helicopter to fly him around, photographing the entire time. He created a body of work titled, Storm Cycle. It is one response to a crisis situation.

Avant Guardians

Avant Guardians is a series of small books written by Linda Weintraub addressing the environment from several different disciplines including art. The Avant Guardians website has some great links. Linda spoke last year at Goucher, an interesting lecture blog-worthy. If you are interested in the intersection of art and the environment and art, science and the environment check out Linda's work.