The purpose of the Invisible Learning Tour was to raise awareness for the need for innovation in education. Mainstream teaching focuses mainly on the preparation of students for compartmentalized roles and jobs (mainly factory workers and bureaucrats) that contrast sharply with the needs of the modern economy, which requires people that are imaginative, creative, and innovative. We explored ideas, existing options, and new pathways for learning that is relevant for the 21st century.

The preliminary program for the upcoming e-competencies event on October 31 in Mexico City is now available! Although this is likely to change a lot, I want to share it immediately to highlight the excellent minds (from nine countries) that will be joining us! 9:00 Welcome and opening remarks Giovanna Valenti [FLACSO], John Moravec [UMN] [...]

Desire2Learn‘s challenge of Blackboard‘s e-learning patents have resulted in an initial action by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that invalidated all 44 of the Blackboard patents questioned. The action is not final, yet, and both parties have 60 days to respond. But, as eSchool News points out, the ruling raises questions about the validity [...]

There’s a lot of talk about moving to “Education 2.0″ –but, what would Education 3.0 look like? Here’s my take on the Education 1.0 – 3.0 spectrum: Education 1.0 Education 2.0 Education 3.0 Meaning is… Dictated Socially constructed Socially constructed and contextually reinvented Technology is… Confiscated at the classroom door (digital refugees) Cautiously adopted (digital [...]

I shudder to think.  This notion came to mind as I watched this video, Do Schools Kill Creativity,  delivered by Sir Ken Robinson at a TED Conference in Monterey, CA. where he again raises the concern that our educational system is about the business of educating people out of their creativity.   Over the years, I’ve inspired many a [...]