I’m going to get here one day, Gary Stager’s Constructing Modern Knowledge event. Sylvia Martinez included in her tinkering session at Educon this year, some video clips of teachers working (minds-on) at last year’s event. It was a tinkering session where teachers were building something from various objects they had access to, and exploring the thought processes taking place along the way.
This year guest speakers will include: Deborah Meier, James Loewen, Peter Reynolds and Alfie Kohn. You can register here and then block off July 12-15 on your calendar to be in Manchester, New Hampshire for Constructing Modern Knowledge.
I wonder if Gary would allow me to attend just the first day and the last day?
David,
We’d love to have you! Thanks so much for sharing news of our summer institute with your audience.
Constructing Modern Knowledge is quite unique. Rather than sit through speaker after speaker, CMK participants work on personally meaningful projects and are supported by remarkable educators and high-tech pioneers like Dr. Cynthia Solomon (one of the 3 people who invented Logo 40 years ago) Brian Silverman (programmable LEGO, PICO crickets, MicroWorlds, Scratch, StarLogo, LogoWriter, The Phantom Fishtank). Sylvia Martinez, John Stetson and I join the other participants in supporting each learner in their personal or collaborative learning adventures.
Our environment is stocked with creativity software, a library, art supplies, toys, robotics materials, cameras, Whiffle bats, marshmallows and plenty of bubble gum.
Occasionally the action of our “atelier” is interrupted for conversations with some of the finest minds in education today, including Deborah Meier, Alfie Kohn, James Loewen and Peter Reynolds. There is nowhere else educators can have this level of access to genuine education heroes.
Who knows what other surprises may lurk at CMK 2010? For example, Marvin Minsky, one of the world’s great scientists has led informal 90-minute conversations with participants the past couple of years and the Big Night Out in Boston begins with a reception at Peter Reynolds’ storied FableVision Studios.
We work hard to ensure that CMK is affordable and easily accessible. In fact, I think it’s the professional learning bargain of the year. Manchester is delightful in July and within an day’s drive of the mid-Atlantic and New England States. The airport is served by most major airlines and has a free shuttle to the venue.
Hope to see lots of you in July!
I may be officiating at a wedding that week, so I’m not sure yet if I’ll be able to go… but I definitely enjoyed my time there last year, and felt like I learned a lot from being in an atelier-style classroom.