A Doctorate Degree Cannot Open All Doors
A routine faculty consultation on lecture slide design changed my dream job as Academic Technology Lab Manager into a stepping stone for my career. After a productive work session, I was surprised to hear, “No, that won’t be needed.” Professor Sherman continued to speak with a sly snicker and flat tone, “…the presentation slides are…
Read MoreCreativity-Powered Learning
Many teachers hear “I’m not creative” echoing from their students when starting a project that requires them to make something. In many students’ minds, the thought of doing something “creative” conjures up arts and crafts projects, not the idea of making something innovative in other academic content areas. For others, creativity and innovation are tantalizing…
Read MoreChase the Lion!
It’s a crazy idea to chase a lion. Your brain signals you the strong impulse to run the other way, fast! I decided to live divergently, that is different than the way I had been living for more than half a century. I ran towards the roar. I developed that thinking even before reading Mark…
Read MoreI’m not creative!
Uncovering the lie to reveal creative confidence in ourselves “I’m not creative!” is a typical statement. It is also a lie that’s often repeated in our minds, typically when we watch an artistic person at work, like a painter, sketch artist, glass blower, or jeweler. Unfortunately, many of us didn’t get to take Creativity 1…
Read MoreInstructional “designer”?
What do I want to be when I grow up? An instructional designer! This is not the usual statement from a child, rather a mid-career instructional technologist. I have been thinking about the differences and similarities of instructional “designer” versus “technologist” for more than two decades. My recent musings were triggered by an EdSurge article, “So You Want…
Read MoreYes, I’m Still Unpacking ISTE 2017
Two weeks after ISTE 2017 in San Antonio, Texas, I’m still unpacking my suitcase and sorting through the experience. It was an enormous 4-day gathering of 21,000 energetic educational technology educators and vendors with thousands of sessions and events to attend. The first thing I discovered upon returning home was unexpectedly inside my suitcase. The TSA had…
Read MoreVisual Voice 2
Part 2: Present with Memory-enabling Power In part 1, the visual voice is described like a presenter’s fingerprint. It is the visuals that accompany the verbal (spoken or written) part of a presentation. This post uncovers the effects visuals have on the brain’s ability to remember what was seen and heard. We live and work in…
Read MoreVisual Voice
Part 1: Discover What’s Missing from Your Presentation If people learn a majority of content from visuals, it’s important for presenters to show what they’re saying as much as speak it to their audience. You have likely seen a few presentations so filled with words, both spoken and presented in the slides, that you had…
Read MoreBreaking Out of the Visual Box
Did you know there is a professional organization that encompasses multiple disciplines? Disciplines in the spectrum of education (all levels), instructional technology, sensory arts, art history, product design, graphic design, culinary arts, food science, textile technologies and visual arts, all find a comfortable fit in one place. The IVLA is the International Visual Literacy Association. Founded in 1969…
Read MoreDivergentED
Divergent Education. Let’s discuss, show, imagine education that diverts from the norm, as in “out of the box.” Let’s find examples of creative thinking, design thinking, 20Time, collaboration, flipped, communication, problem solving, and critical thinking. Share your ideas, thoughts, musings. I’ll share mine. Let’s see where our imaginations take us…the divergent education road less traveled.…
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