Lately I've been hearing about citizen science, ways that people like you and I can get involved with science projects on the internet. That prospect is intriguing. It's an opportunity to explore interests or hobbies beyond our professional lives. There's iNaturalist, a site to share your observations of plants and animals, and for my town you can add sightings at the Austin Science and Nature Center. At zooniverse, you can help scientists analyze data about bat behavior in the wild, one NSF-funded project among many others. Perhaps, you have students or know teachers who would be interested in one of the projects. I'd like to hear what ways you find to get involved.
Restorative Discipline, Worthy Cultural Change
Recently, the Washington Post reported on a principal in a Southeast DC high school who led a drastic reduction in the number of suspensions. Yetunde Reeves implemented the practice of "restorative discipline" and fostered a culture change. Through mediation, students develop skills to confront conflict and repair relationships, rather than missing out on school. How shall we protect students' rights to be in school? The Schott Foundation put out a toolkit of restorative practices. What kind of discipline do you encounter on the campuses you visit?
Minecraft: Virtual Legos, Educational Virtues
I have two kids. My daughter is a rising senior planning visits to colleges, and my son is about to enter high school.
This year is the first in several that my son hasn't played Minecraft much, you know, that single-player or multi-player online game that defines today's sandbox. Personally, I've struggled to understand this modern day play. Clearly, the kids are creative, looking at the structures they design. I see spatial reasoning, and is that coding I detect? The social component has been obvious; my son made friends from Rhode Island to London, Alaska to the Philippines, usually never meeting face-to-face. Still, could I be confident that it was good for him? I questioned my parenting.
Then I discovered Mimi Ito, a cultural anthropologist who studies gaming, learning, and online networks. She's a self-described progressive digital educator. Recently, she blogged about Minecraft and outlined four ways it's a game changer. The problem-solving going on is significant. Kids hold the reins. Ahhh, a sigh of relief. Take a look at the points she makes and see if you agree.