Funding your passion
A new question:
What qualities of engagement can instructors glean from the domains of film, novels, dance, and music to help them to fully and consistently engage their students in deep learning and maintain that engagement?
My interest in storytelling as a pedagogical tool stems from an interest in engagement -- starting with how stories portrayed in a variety of media can make one feel. They draw one in, not just in attention, but in whole identity. People tend to invest themselves fully in stories and many other aesthetic endeavors. It has been suggested that certain qualities of aesthetic experience, patterned after narrative structure, can inform instructional design. It seems that this area of study has some good beginnings, but directly transferable concepts that a teacher or instructional designer could put into practice do not seem to be readily available yet. Admittedly, I have much reading to do before I have a good grasp of where this concept stands in the literature. But, I think more exploration in this area would be valuable.
The Hewlett Foundation has opened up a new area of funding for deeper learning for 2011.
Learning is the essence of the joy of human experience. But, at a certain point in life, it seems that many people develop a fear of or resistance to learning. I would love to undermine that resistance and engage a person's potential to learn deeply. I would like to help develop or explicate tools for motivating people to learn. I believe stories have the potential to engage people in deep learning. They represent a conversation that invites thought, discussion, and at times a change in world view. I think there is so much untapped potential in this area. My question needs refining, but I feel this is more on the track of where I would like to go with my studies.
What qualities of engagement can instructors glean from the domains of film, novels, dance, and music to help them to fully and consistently engage their students in deep learning and maintain that engagement?
My interest in storytelling as a pedagogical tool stems from an interest in engagement -- starting with how stories portrayed in a variety of media can make one feel. They draw one in, not just in attention, but in whole identity. People tend to invest themselves fully in stories and many other aesthetic endeavors. It has been suggested that certain qualities of aesthetic experience, patterned after narrative structure, can inform instructional design. It seems that this area of study has some good beginnings, but directly transferable concepts that a teacher or instructional designer could put into practice do not seem to be readily available yet. Admittedly, I have much reading to do before I have a good grasp of where this concept stands in the literature. But, I think more exploration in this area would be valuable.
The Hewlett Foundation has opened up a new area of funding for deeper learning for 2011.
Deeper learning prepares students to:
- Master core academic content
- Think critically and solve complex problems
- Work collaboratively
- Communicate effectively
- Learn how to learn (e.g. self-directed learning)
Learning is the essence of the joy of human experience. But, at a certain point in life, it seems that many people develop a fear of or resistance to learning. I would love to undermine that resistance and engage a person's potential to learn deeply. I would like to help develop or explicate tools for motivating people to learn. I believe stories have the potential to engage people in deep learning. They represent a conversation that invites thought, discussion, and at times a change in world view. I think there is so much untapped potential in this area. My question needs refining, but I feel this is more on the track of where I would like to go with my studies.
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