Open Conversation

Video

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:48:33 +0200

Distance learning [old] example - Russian at Dallas TV

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:03:10 +0200

Distance learning [old] example - Russian at Dallas TV:

Still nice :)

The OPEN Act as an experiment in digital democracy

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:51:00 +0200

The OPEN Act as an experiment in digital democracy:

cnn.com

By John D. Sutter, CNN
(CNN) - With all the buzz about SOPA and PIPA you may have missed another important acronym: OPEN.
The OPEN Act is being touted by its sponsor as the moderate alternative to those other two…

OPEN - an act to replace the SOPA/PIPA acts, which I am sure you have heard about (if you did not, make sure you google these terms). What is so special about OPEN is the way it is being elaborated - in a collaborative way, where the whole internet can be a part of this act, as one. Collaborative and participative process to define together how we want the world we live in to look like are expected to be more and more numerous, but meanwhile this piece of legislation is an interesting step toward a world in which citizen of the world are able to work together.

Communication - everything is about the unsaid This short video...

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 13:55:00 +0200

Communication - everything is about the unsaid

This short video is making evident the fact that communication is not about the information but about its meaning, which is a complexe mix of emotional data resulting from a specific context.

While there is not enought data to assess how good educational system was at training the young generation about human communication, the richness of existing complementary training program in this area, seems to indicate that for most people, this topic was not grasped thouroughly during their school years.

Actually, communication as a social skill requires more that to master message formatting technology and desktop publish. Preparing a power point is not communicating, but it is merely a nice packaging for raw information.

How to convey this information is actually more about how good can one connect to the audience, and create a relationship with the public.

People value connection. To learn how to communicate, we need to teach how to connect with each other.

Photo

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:20:36 +0200

We need more multi cultural project at school

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:03:00 +0200

Projet Citoyen was an interesting learning exercice for the kids in East Dunbartonshire schools, at least that is what it seems when you read there blog. An international experience, of cultural exchange, is something vital in today’s world. Our world demand more people able to understand there neighbourg, especially if this one does not belong to the same culture as I do.

While the project is not recent, I feel it is a pity such an innovative experience does not happen more often, and in more schools. One of the reason why Europe today is suffering from the crisis, stem partially from the lack of shared culture, and mutual understanding between different European nations.

If sixty years ago, the funders of Europe were dreaming of a europe living in peace, and common understanding, it is not quite the same picture we can witness today when we look at european social and cultural reality.

The best tool to change such a situation is education, but for this we need to invest time and effort in building the bridges while kids are still in school.

25 Best Movies About Education Ever Made | Blog @ BOU

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:56:06 +0200

25 Best Movies About Education Ever Made | Blog @ BOU

The birth of the iPad

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:18:26 +0200

The birth of the iPad

Really worth a watch - Confessions of a Pro-Social Psychopath

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:23:37 +0200

A fascinating talk of James Fallon, a neurologist with an unusual story. His talk brings quite a lot of interesting questions to think about, and I would really advise it to all, plus, it might fit well as a basis for some high-school class.

Everyone is ignorant…

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:11:19 +0200

Everyone is ignorant…

#occupyTogether at school

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:34:00 +0200

Teachers, have you talked about the #occupyTogether in your class? If so, what have you done? Have you raised a conversation? How did the kids reacted? If not, why did you choose to not speak about it?

Teaching Students to Turn Empathy into Action

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 08:56:38 +0200

Teaching Students to Turn Empathy into Action

Happy ! A film, by Roko Belic, one of the great ones. The...

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 08:23:00 +0200

Happy !

A film, by Roko Belic, one of the great ones. The first thought that came to my mind while watching this trailer, is why don’t we teach these kind of things at school ? Why do we not teach “Happyness” as a topic? I mean, there is a lot to think about on this issue, as it turns out this one thing in which you will invest quite a lot of time in during your whole life.

We teach how to deal with money, but we do not teach kids how to deal with emotions. Then, later some grownups kids have to learn psychology and psychoanalyze, to take care of the other kids that cannot deal with their emotions anymore…

To think different you need more than an apple ;)

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:42:06 +0200

To think different you need more than an apple ;)

Toddler Robot nominated to carry the Olympic flame

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 04:39:12 +0300

Toddler Robot nominated to carry the Olympic flame

The Era of collaboration

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:22:00 +0300

Our society is undergoing constant changes, no breaking news to anyone, however, the nature of changes might require some kind of examination.

When we come to try to realize some changes in education, it important to have a look at the big picture, because approach to education is really our approach to life.

So far human society has developed along with the evolution of our desires, or more precisely with the growth of individual desire.

Each one claiming for each its own desires to be satisfied.

But now, I think it can be said that we are at a turning point, where individual satisfaction has grown to a point where it undermines the stability of our social structure.

Somehow, we need to learn how to take in consideration others in our own personal satisfaction, so that the society which we need to realize these very same desires, will survive this collective claim for individual satisfaction.

Instinctively, we know we need to take others in consideration, of course, however this is not enough anymore, because the level of interconnection and interdependency has grown in our world to a point where our instincts are somewhat falling short to make the right evaluation.

We need to educate ourselves how to live in this global world.

It is as if our social senses are getting confused by these fast changes our society is going through and we have to learn a whole new set of social skills to make us more collaborationist, if one may say.

Collaboration is not just a buzz word - it is really the key to this new sustainable society, when one need to find the right way to satisfy its own personal desires, while keeping alive the social connection between us.

Learning how to collaborate is a required step to develop our society on the short and long term.

Or at least it is a absolute requirement for long term, it turns out to have immediate pay out, as the business world is discovering. (See last summer HBR dedicated to collaboration)

Meanwhile some kind of schema that could illustrate the idea:

Everything is a remix

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 10:40:19 +0300

Understanding creativity has always been a challenge. In his quest to reach the secrets of creativity, Kirby Ferguson worked on a series of short documentaries, doing an analysis of the best pieces of art in literature, music and films. The series is called “Everything is a remix”, and you will be surprised. Check the links:

http://vimeo.com/14912890

http://vimeo.com/19447662

http://vimeo.com/25380454

Enjoy !

History of online education #edchat

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 02:53:56 +0300

History of online education

#edchat

New software for brain #edchat

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 07:11:56 +0300

New software for brain

#edchat

Do we teach the power of words to our students? If passion would...

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 03:28:00 +0300

Do we teach the power of words to our students?

If passion would be leading children, they would learn to be Shakespeare. How to awaken this passion is the hard work, how to give meaning to the learning.