We are in the midst of planning an event at TRU for October 23 & 24, 2017 called Creativity in the Open. I’ve described it as:
Two days of sharing ideas about openness and creativity and their place in education in a fun and informal atmosphere.
We are very lucky to have Laura Ritchie, Rajiv Jhangiani, and Christina Hendricks joining us on site for the event. As soon as we confirmed that Laura was going to be able to come, a few months ago now, a tweet from David Kernohan got me thinking about ways to maybe include folks at a distance… Would it be possible to play music together, though half a world apart?
Summer was busier than I can describe in words and the idea got buried under other things needing to get done *right now.* I’m already over my head in planning this event so I’m sure, left in my own, I wouldn’t have come back to the idea. But then… Sherri Spelic shared, via Michael Berman, the University of Edinburgh’s 2016 version of Sian Bayne’s Manifesto for Teaching Online also presented as a video by James Lamb.
[vimeo 222406740 w=640 h=360] <p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/222406740″>Manifesto for Teaching Online, June 2017</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/james858499″>james858499</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>I’ve been saddened lately with what feels like an unalterable assumption that online learning will be of lower quality than learning on campus, resigned to it. But this morning I wonder if we could dedicate a workshop session to Creativity at a Distance. Sending thanks to the many folks distributed in both time and space who have this morning refreshed my thinking, my energy, and my hope.
I’ve got a few ideas, but I’d love more especially thinking about: How can we stop thinking of distance as a deficit to be overcome? In what ways does being at a distance enhance creativity? What can distributed students/ participants bring to a class that is harder in person?
Tanya!
I’m so excited that you are thinking about things in this way right now. I love the focus on creativity at a distance and how great to have Laura, Rajiv, and Christina coming out!!!
Your post reminds me about the conversation around constraints in creativity. Are you familiar? You can just google it – there are a lot of articles out reflecting on this idea that it is an unspoken myth that creativity needs unhindered resources and wide open flexibility. The reality, it is argued, is that we end up being much more creative in constrained environments where there are various limitations. That it is constraints that force creativity.
Check it out and let me know how I can play with TRU’s Creativity in the Open!!!