Curios

It's far past bedtime, but there's a good idea in surrounding oneself with inspiration and toys. This stems from a presentation I saw today. Michael Eisenberg (from U Colorado's Center for Lifelong Learning and Design (L3D) gave a short talk on learning Math and Science through engagement with crafts. Here's the abstract he supplied:

At the risk of a bit of caricature, most research in educational technology tends to focus on "screens, schools, and skills" -- that is, on the use of desktop computers in classrooms to convey well-defined academic skills. While there is nothing terribly objectionable about this "conventional style" of educational technology, there are alternative styles that deserve greater attention and emphasis. In our lab at the University of Colorado, we explore the ways in which technology can be interwoven with children's crafts. Much of this exploration is in contrast to the conventional style. Rather than work solely with "screens", we often use embedded computation and "intelligent materials" of various sorts in our designs. Rather than focus on classrooms ("schools"), our projects and prototypes often are geared toward informal settings. Rather than focus on isolated academic skills, we try to create full-fledged expressive activities for children.

Needless to say, this resonates well with me and my silly interests in physicality. A big part of it, of course, has to do with my own experience growing up with the toys my dad made for me like the "latch box" (I should find this and at least get a picture of it) and the "electric kit" he made for my older brother, and Legos, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, etc. Surrounding oneself with things like this, Eisenberg says, increases one's thought about them, and consequently, the chances of engaging with things. He tells the story of the researchers who figured out how the Venus Flytrap works -- that they weren;t even studying it, but had one in the office and started talking about it. Next thing you know they start figuring it out....

Back in the day, rich white Europeans would have Curio Cases, or rooms -- of things they collected from their travels and expeditions. Basically, these were little private museums. And they provided a lot of inspiration for budding scientists (as museums tend to do). Eisenberg says computer screens can't do this. He's right. But they're not as expensive.