Submitted by Cathy Davidson on Jun 30, 2009, 10:51 AM

"Our goal is to ensure that they leave with a better sense that they
can make things when they leave as when they arrived . . .and kids
learn that all things go awry, and every step in a project is closer to
success or gleeful calamity. . . . Failures are celebrated and
analyzed." --Gever Tulley, at TED.

All education should be like this!!!     Watch the TED talk by Gever Tulley.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/gever_tulley_s_tinkering_school_in_ac...

Submitted by Cathy Davidson on Feb 16, 2009, 08:09 AM
Katie Salen, of the Institute of Play and Parsons New School of Design, sends this press release for the very exciting opening of the new game school, Quest to Learn, opening with 6th graders in New York. This is yet another project that is being supported, in part, by a planning grant from MacArthur Foundation's Digital Media and Learning Initiative. It is thrilling: "New York, New York ? February 7, 2009. New York City will be home to Quest to Learn, a new 6-12th grade public school that will use game-inspired methods to teach both traditional and critical 21st century skills and literacies. Opening in fall 2009, the school is being supported by The Center for Transformative Media at Parsons The New School for Design. The school was created by the Institute of Play, a New York City-based not-for-profit organization that leverages games and play as transformative learning tools, in collaboration with New Visions for Public Schools. The school will be a District 2 school, located in Manhattan, near The New School campus. Quest will open with a 6th grade in fall 2009, adding a new grade each year.
Design and innovation are at the heart of the new school, labeled ?school for today?s digital kids.? According to principal Aaron Schwartz, former COO of Archimedes Academy, ?Quest balances traditional academic needs with a belief that students today can and do learn in different ways, often through work with digital media, games, online networks, and mobile technologies. Kids today use digital media as part of their everyday interactions?their learning should too.?

Submitted by Cathy Davidson on Aug 13, 2007, 06:44 PM
Irvine Welsh (author of TRAINSPOTTING) has a new book of short stories coming out next month. I've ordered with my Amazon one-click because who can resist this title: If You Liked School, You'll Love Work