Where are you ?

In my 'GPS, Geocode & Googlemaps for Learning' class as an icebreaker we locate ourselves in an interactive map. Check it out !
http://www.zeesource.net/maps/moremap.do?group=3619

In addition to the obvious benefits to teach geography, it think that this is just a really cool icebreaker for any type of training :-)

Architecture & Learning - Part 2

I found other very interesting material aboput architecture, layout, museums and learning at
http://www.art-works.org.uk/research/spaceforlearning0.shtml

The name of the project is ' Space for Learning' and in the URL above you can find the handbook of the project.

Space for Learning : A Handbook for Education Spaces in Museums, Heritage Sites and Discovery Centres is a collaborative research project investigating learning spaces in museums, archives and libraries, historic houses and buildings, heritage sites (industrial, archaeological and natural), architecture and science centres, children's museums and discovery centres across the UK

According to their website, the Artworks programme, is devised and funded by the Clore Duffield Foundation as part of its support for visual arts education in the UK

Architecture & Learning

Helping Suzanne with her project of the caves in Tanga (Tanzania) for my class EDTEC 671, I discover another area that is really interesting.

Is about museums layouts to enable, support and even enhance the learning experience .... this crossroads among architecture, graphic design & instructional design is amazing.

In the The Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) website ... great site by the way ... I found a very interesting article titled "The Importance of Place" by Rob Semper.

Here is how starts:
" While learning is often thought to be a process of the mind, much of what actually occurs during the learning process is predicated by features of the learner’s environment. The variety of stimuli, the social aspect of the setting, the spatial context, and even the amount of ambient light and sound all affect the learning experience. Even the external architecture of the building sends a strong message about visitor expectations."

Want to read more ? Go to
http://www.astc.org/resource/education/learning_semper.htm

My first attempt with Podcasting

Here I am, in my Saturday Podcasting class.

I really enjoyed learn how to create Podcast, and as many of the courses in my MA Educational Technology program:
1) Increased my awareness of the 'behind-the-scene' work
2) Reinforced the fact that 'good intentions; do not make -necessarily - good educational products
3) Helped me to find new areas to be passionate about

Our teacher (Bernie Dodge) said that make podcasts is like make pancakes, no matter how much effort you put, always the fisrt one will not be perfect ... however as much as you practice ... you will master the art (pancakes & podcasts).

Here is my first pancake (Bernie Dodge dixit):
A 2:50' Podcast about bad reasons of why parents don't talk to their kids about drugs.
Download the Podcast

I re-purposed the text I found in one interesting adversitement about the same topic.
I wrote to them to get the permission to use the wording ... I have not answer yet ... so this is purely for educational purposes.

A special 'Thank You' to Margaret, Bindu, John, Suzi & Aaron for their collaboration.

The organization is called The Partnership for a Drug-Free America, their website is http://www.drugfree.org/, I like very much the way they approach the topic.