What constitutes an effective work space in schools?

What makes an effective work-space? An image of an open office from an article describing how open space offices are not effective work-spaces above an image of a pretty standard open classroom described as a "21st century learning space". So why is an open plan seen as awesome for education but crap for business? The […]

Posted by milesmac on March 14th, 2019 | No Comments Posted in big ideas

Educator perceptions of district-mandated Edcamp unconferences

"Do I have to go?" "No, you GET to go!" For several years I have been exploring the Edcamp format and learning about Open Space Technology and unconference-style professional development. Personally, I believe there is tremendous potential for the format to build more robust professional networks, propagate ideas through an organization, and contribute to individual […]

Posted by milesmac on June 13th, 2018 | 1 Comment Posted in Pedagogy, Research

Our Low-Budget Cardboard and Glue Makerspace Experience

Earlier in the year, some students were struggling when putting together a Chinese Dragon for a social studies presentation. They wanted to find a way to attach a large fabric sheet to a cardboard box in a way that allowed for adjustability and easy removal, but secure enough to hold everything in place for the […]

Posted by milesmac on June 6th, 2017 | No Comments Posted in Pedagogy, Projects

Mandatory Edcamp Experiences

The Edcamp model is creeping into districts looking to offer PD experiences that leverage the wisdom of the group, that facilitate the exchange of ideas, and that build professional networks throughout the organization. I've been involved in a few such events and have done some preliminary research on the topic. Now, a colleague and I […]

Posted by milesmac on May 29th, 2017 | No Comments Posted in Research

What is an Edcamp? A Brief Introduction.

Posted by milesmac on January 16th, 2017 | No Comments Posted in Resources

Early Human project evolution: project based, self regulation, understanding by, as told in design Microsoft Sway

I used Microsoft Sway to share some thoughts and learnings from an inquiry based/hands-on/place/based/problem-based learning experience focusing on early humans and self-regulation using some elements of the Understanding by Design framework.

Posted by milesmac on October 30th, 2016 | No Comments Posted in #GDPI, Pedagogy, Projects

Those were the days: my great aunt's recollection of school in the 1920s

My Great Aunt Doris was a school teacher. She has long since left us, but she wrote a short booklet of family memories back in 1983. One of those recollections, titled, "School and Careers", always struck me as both funny and sad and I have always wanted to share the story with others. Here is […]

Posted by milesmac on August 13th, 2016 | No Comments Posted in Pedagogy

Reforming the Annual Reflection on Professional Learning

The Annual Reflection on Professional Learning (ARPL) is, I believe, a colossal waste of effort, but not for the reasons you may think... Knowledge Building Schools are filled with very creative and insightful professionals who, every year, craft statements or artifacts that reflect on, and make sense of key learning and experiences in their professional lives. […]

Posted by milesmac on June 29th, 2016 | No Comments Posted in big ideas

Article reflection, "The community of inquiry as a basis for knowledge and learning: The case of history" by Peter Seixas

Reflections on the article, "The community of inquiry as a basis for knowledge and learning: The case of history" by Peter Seixas. Seixas, P. (1993). The community of inquiry as a basis for knowledge and learning: The case of history. American Educational Research Journal Summer, 30(2), 305–324. The author describes how history is less about […]

Posted by milesmac on February 26th, 2016 | No Comments Posted in #GDPI, big ideas, Research

Article reflection: Paul Smeyers, "What Philosophy can and cannot do for education."

This post is a reflection on Paul Smeyers' article titled, "What philosophy can and cannot do for education." "debate ... does not lead to conclusions; rather, its function is to make those involved sensitive to the way something can be appreciated"  Once the author explores Wittgenstein's propositions linking language with meaning, he eventually describes the […]

Posted by milesmac on February 22nd, 2016 | No Comments Posted in big ideas, Speed Reads
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