Journal 4

“Sowing the Seeds for a More Creative Society”
By: Mitchel Resnick

In his article, Mitchel Resnick begins by explaining how we are living in a more “Creative Society.” He explains that while schools teach students how to deal with specific situations and solve certain problems, students are unprepared when they are asked to think creatively on the job. In order to help develop students into more creative thinkers, Resnick discusses two types of technologies that are designed to help prepare students to live a Creative Society.

The first is called “Crickets.” When I was about 7, I had a talking life-size doll named, “Cricket.” She had a rubber mouth that actually moved when she talked, sang and told stories. I was fascinated with her. I never thought to discover how she talked. I had just assumed that she was a real live toy that happened to talk. Then, just today, I was walking through the Wal-Mart, and noticed a stuffed electronic parrot that would talk and move when I walked passed him. The toy had some sort of sensor that signaled the toy to react. Resnick explains that kids don’t usually notice how a toy talks when you press it, or how a light goes on when you walk up to a front door. It just happens. The author’s idea is to have a technology where kids can learn how electronics work. “Crickets” are a way for kids to design their own “toy” or interactive object. With Crickets, kids can create “musical sculptures, interactive jewelry, and dancing creatures.” By creating a toy themselves, kids not only have a fun object to play with, but they actually learn something about technology and the way the toy works. This is a much more educational idea for a child, rather than just buying the child a talking, moving toy. One 11-year-old girl comments, “With Crickets, you don’t have to use what someone else made. You can make it yourself.”

The second technology Resnick talks about is called, “Scratch.” It is similar to Crickets in that it allows students to create or invent. The only difference is Scratch is prepared by students online. Kids can create interactive stories and games, and distribute their ideas with each other on the web at http://scratch.mit.edu.

Crickets and Scratch are great ways for students to broaden their creativity. Resnick concludes that while these technologies are excellent ideas, we need to be continuously thinking of more and more ways to engage our student in a more creative learning atmosphere.

Question #1: How can you incorporate Scratch into the classroom?

I went to the Scratch website and noticed a simple “coin flip.” If I were going to teach a lesson on probability or statistics, this could be a good tool for the kids to use in the classroom. Students could record how many times in a row the coin randomly landed on heads or tails. The results should indicate 50/50. Another project I could use Scratch for could be in a writing or art class. As a fourth grade teacher, I may ask my students to write a short story and create an interactive drawing through Scratch. The site enables students to draw, and label objects. Students make the drawing interactive by clicking on an object. When the object is clicked on, it will either move or make a sound. This would be an excellent way to incorporate technology in the classroom.

Question #2: Besides these two new technological ideas, how else could you get your students to practice creative thinking in the classroom?

I would have an “Inventor’s Day.” I would encourage my students to come up with fun new ideas. There would be no limit on their inventions, other than it has to be something that they have never heard of before. Students may either write a paper describing their inventions, or they could create a prototype by either drawing a picture or making some sort of diorama. If the invention is a game I would want to see them create it. It doesn’t have to be too fancy; A simple poster board and markers would do just fine. This would be a fun way to entice students to think creatively.