new things

I was at the other creative and media delivery centre within the learning partnership I work in giving a talk on using a sony HDV camera. I always look round in new places and I happened to see the iMacs in view behind the students balanced on the window ledges.

it's part of a new building called 'the chill'. there is something about the building that makes me relax the open space and the view from all areas seems to encourage listening. I will find out soon as I will hopefully be able to spend more time there over the coming months.

to design stuff >> or just come back to what you know?

it has been a while since I really had to think hard about a new design related exam for students. I have been looking at course to run with the education situation of my 'real life' within a product design situation. so was very pleased to find that the way certainly OCR 'A level' & OCR 'GCSE' are thinking is more in line with the way the design & technology of the 2000's is moving. (or perhaps it is just my opinion)

as so many people keep saying much of the work current pupils & students will be doing does not exist yet. so how can we plan for them never mind teach them.

the more design based curriculum of some is actually starting to address the fact that design and designers in whatever discipline play a continually important part of what ever the future has to bring. creativity is something that is part of the human rather than computer input and it seems that exam boards have realised that now. it just needs the education system to make sure we can deliver what the current generation need, in my view a fresh look at being able to consider as well as dream using the progress in technology to be creative.

creative >>inqbate >>celtd

today I was looking around in search of inspiration to kick start my tired teaching mind and was pleased to find inqbate.


*+to inspire and support staff and students in those subject areas which require students to understand and display “creativity”
+ to inspire and support staff and students to be more creative in their approaches to teaching and learning, across all disciplines and subject areas.

some of the thinking behind inqbate is listed below

*+ Freeing teachers and learners from the constraints of the traditional classroom. New spaces allow new behaviours and dynamics, and support the move away from classic, didatic 'chalk'n'talk-style' teaching to a more facilitative approach.
+ Providing teachers with effective tools to engage modern learners. The availability of a comprehensive range of cutting-edge technologies within a flexible space empowers teachers to construct compelling learning experiences and tailor these appropriately to changing needs.
+ Enabling teachers to enrich learning opportunities. Teachers will be able to extend the learning experience flexibly according to need through the effective use of layered learning resources where learning items are hyperlinked to deeper levels of information, further rich media resources and relevant individuals and online communities.

further to the inqbate site I was led on to cetltd, 'the centre for excellence in teaching and learning through design'

The Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning through Design is a HEFCE-funded partnership between the University of Brighton, the Royal College of Art, the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Victoria & Albert Museum.

*all copy in italics is taken directly from the relevant websites.