“The greatest invention was the invention of kindergarten”, according to Mitchel Resnick (@mres) teaching and life should be more like Kindergarden. In kindergarden the circle approach to learning is common practice. Imagine, create, play, share, reflect and start imagining again.
The Kindergarten approach to learning, by Mitchel Resnik
Children in Kindergarten are stimulated to be creative. They are free to play and free to create. As soon as children enter a ‘real’ school they are no longer allowed to be imaginative and are being told how it works. Mitchel told how he (and others) at MIT look at how technology can change this.
One example they have created is Scratch. With Scratch children can create their own stories, virtual construction kits, artwork etc. A really fun way to express your ideas. Children are being encouraged to share and build on each other. Because what’s the value of expressing yourself if nobody sees or hears it. Does this work? Over 2 million projects have been created by children – and one by me 
.
Goals of MIT:
- Help young people to create their own naratives – not consume
- Helps young people to reason systematically (programming reasoning)
- Work collaboratively
New technology like this doesn’t enter the life of children through the classroom. Scratch was first being used at home, and is now moving in to schools as ScratchEd.
According to Mitchel ICT should stand for:
Invention &
Creativity
Technologies
The challenge Mitchel gave us at Learning without Frontiers was to translate the kindergarten approach in to education for all ages.
We’re happy take up this challenge!