Imagine Learning

So Charlie has had this project in mind for a long time and for the last past weeks we have been pioneering "Imagine Learning" in our Research class. This highly ambitious project aims to find ways to reinvent redesign high school education.

The best thing about this project is the method of approach that we are using, the so called APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY.
Appreciate Inquiry focuses on the positive, working with what is already given, identifying strenghs and building around it.
(more about this in future posts*)

Our research groups have consisted on "sharing and dreaming sessions" with Bay Area High School students. It was truly fascinating to find out how much these kids have to say. These sessions last around 3-4 hours and consist on three parts. First they answer personal outlook questions (that will later share with the group), secondly, they come up with a group outlook on the current educational system and lastly, the dreaming part, where in groups, they literally "paint" their "high school dream" in a big piece of canvas.

Here are some pictures from the Marin High School of the Arts session in Novato High School:

... And I can't wait to start putting together the documentary!!!! ^_^

on disruption

find the convention, the status quo, and defy it.
Find the negative and give it a positive spin.
How can I apply this to my everyday life?
Smile to that annoying classmate, sleep with the enemy.

on fascination

just another thought following the perfect spaghetti sauce quest idea... a different orchid for a different bug.



The point is ... that every one of these flowers has a specific relationship with the insect that pollinates it. There’s a certain orchid [that] looks exactly like a certain insect. The insect is drawn to this flower, its double, its soul mate, and wants nothing more than to make love to it. After the insect flies off, it spots another soul mate flower and makes love to it, thus pollinating it. And neither the flower nor the insect will ever understand the significance of their lovemaking.

How could they know that because of their little dance, the world lives? But it does. By simply doing what they are designed to do, something large and magnificent happens. In this sense, they show us how to live. How the only barometer you have is your heart. How when you spot your flower you can’t let anything get in your way.

Laroche, Adaptation

on research

There is not such thing as "the perfect spaghetti sauce". There are, however, perfect spaghetti SAUCES. Beacuse every person is unique and everyone likes his or her spaghetti sauce in a certain way. That is essentially the charm of life and the pursuit of happiness, the search for a spaghetti sauce that is perfect for each of us.



Malcom Gladwell at Ted.

This guy is amazing! Great communicator, great insights on marketing and on life. Love it!!!!! Note to self: MUST MUST read his books.

on documentaries

insights captured using video as a vehicle to story-telling and using big wave riding as vehicle to capture the spirit of surf

moving

on focus groups

So basic, yet so easy to forget. People don't know "why". And they might feel like you are questioning their answer, thus them. Instead of "why" ask them to tell "the story behind it" .

A very important lesson brought by Denzil, a freelance account planner, that showed us his magical and whismical focus group skills... amazing! I especially enjoyed the trick to shut annoying people up... sleeeeeeeek :o)

on briefing

My Briefing for the Cartoon Art Museum today had two parts.

In the first part we watched 2 videos:
- Video 1: "When I say museum , you think..."
We see still images of old museums, the "David", dinosaur bones, ancient egypt, marble, modern art paintings, do not touch signs.... (Audio: monotone footsteps with echo)

- Video 2: "Now check out this museum"
Old Russian cartoon featuring a bad bad wolf who is chasing a rabbit in a museum (the Russian version of Tom and Jerry)... just imagine the big mess! (Audio: quirky funny music)

These videos capture the feelings that people have about "Museums" and "Cartoons" and stress their different nature.

In the second part of the Briefing we go through the Brief itself.
The Brief comes in the format of a graphic novel (see cover below*). The comic book now is a platform for the cartoon, as an universal language and infinite fun.