As mass production has obviously departed our shores followed by the information worker, I have to wonder what my kids will do when they leave school. So what should every teacher be doing in order not to stagnate or repeat last years lessons.
Have a look at Jonathan Coulton, a guy who 2005 I left his day job writing software to pursue music full time. To keep himself busy he released a new song on his website every week for a year in a project called Thing a Week. Check out the video below – produced using World of Warcraft. How did he get here? By realising that the world changed.
eCreativity is something we must become great at. We need to be right-brainers not no-brainers. Rather than oblige the Draconian syllabus’ intentions to ‘design a webpage’ – which really is not a skill worth learning at school — how about developing a theoretical iPhone application.
Introducing iPhone Mockup – a great free site that allows anyone to knock out a mock up of an application. For a fast lesson in creativity – in any key learning area – this site allows a student (or group) to quickly come up with plausible designs and ideas. Working around a simple online tool – the meta level discussion and thinking potential makes for eCreativity. This probably won’t work if you like to stand at the front and lecture, but if you’re into enquiry and experiential learning — this is a great tool.
Give no quarter to anyone who says ‘they can’t’ in 2010. They can, they just don’t want to. Everyone is a n00b once, everyone starts at the beginning and each persons datum point is today.
This is something you can do in Stage 1. By the time kids are in stage 5, they should be writing apps.
The scary thing is that they’ll probably still be asked to make HTML and Visual Basic 6 and that will be enough as the patriarchy continues to exclude new ideas and new people – who can model and lead change. Yeah, I’m looking at you HR goons. You are not only excluding people, but losing the ones you have — still as long as your job is safe, keep sending those letters.
Playable 
Thanks Dean, you have just solved what I am going to do with one of my RFF classes first term! I have been ‘out of action’ for the last year in terms of classroom teaching & was looking for something meaningful & purposeful for our students. Just in time learning- always a winner!