"All I Really Need to Know (About Creative Thinking)
I Learned (By Studying How Children Learn) in Kindergarten
*
Mitchel Resnick
MIT Media Lab
Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
+1 617 253 9783
mres@media.mit.edu
ABSTRACT
This paper argues that the "kindergarten approach to
learning" - characterized by a
spiraling cycle of Imagine,
Create, Play, Share, Reflect,
and back to Imagine - is
ideally suited to the needs of the 21
st
century, helping
learners develop the creative-thinking skills that are critical
to success and satisfaction in today's society. The paper
discusses strategies for designing new technologies that
encourage and support kindergarten-style learning,
building on the success of traditional kindergarten
materials and activities, but extending to learners of all
ages, helping them continue to develop as creative thinkers. "
"As you are watching, ask yourself:
What changed by using, in this case, the iPad and ShowMe app?
Could the same [learning] have been accomplished by keeping students' illustrations analog?
Was there differentiation potential?
Can this type of "activity" be used as an assessment to replace/upgrade traditional assessment?
Are the movie clips potential artifacts for digital portfolios?
Could these movie clips be part of a variety of student work at a parent-teacher conference?
Was any learning amplified by placing it on the classroom blog to share with families?
What skills were practiced?
What literacies were supported?
Was it worth the extra time investment, the learning curve?"