I think the phrase I'm looking for is intentional serendipity. I think it's Peter Skillen's term but there may be others using a similar concept.  In a world where play and wonder should really be considered essential dispositions, our education rarely values learning that isn't somehow tied to a chosen standard or outcome. Unlike a classroom...

I like design and I like making slides. We know that images can increase recall and understanding. You don't have to agree and this post isn't so much about convincing you of that as it is about the wonderful ways in which collaboration and push back can happen online and actually make things better.  I've been thinking about the phrase which I have...

I had the privilege of presenting to 150 high school teachers in Elk island Public Schools on Friday. Keeping participants active with limited technology and  moving beyond table discussions to experience some of the themes I wanted to explore was a good challenge for me. Fortunately, I was able to work fairly closely with a great leadership team from the...

I respect Gary Stager's opinion. He pushes my thinking. That's what he did for me here: Why would you Skype someone involved “in the process?” What process? Who? State legislators? What are they likely to tell a student that can’t be found out in a book or article? The connections you speak of, now matter how much you yearn for them may be...

That's a joke that many of us who know Alec Couros use to describe a number of experiences he shares as part of being a network learner and crowd sourcing. That become the intro to this video I put together along with the help of about 75 others. The Big Picture Learning Stuff While at first glance it may be seen as simply fun, silly and maybe a wee bit...

I’ve probably used the term social learning more than just about anyone I know in the past 3 years. Many believe that all learning is social. While I don’t if I completely buy that theory, I do believe that our schools in general have downplayed the value of learning with one another both in physical classrooms and in “third places“. As...