How Much is Enough

I am amazed that in spite of what we know about curiosity driven epistemic engagement, we still put a high value on lengthy lectures, dependency on textbook usage and tedious pencil-paper testing. It isn't that these pedagogical devices fail - but, that we overlook an opportunity to exploit the learners' ability to awaken neurophysiological gateways stimulated with minimally familiar material. What the heck am I talking about?
 

Remember the first time you saw a camper stove? Now, it was likely after you had been exposed to a stove in the kitchen. It looked somewhat familiar, so you weren't totally ignorant of its purpose. If you are like most people, you thought - "I should be able to figure this buggar out, but, how the heck does this puppy work?" What is the tank for? Where is the on/off switch? Why doesn't it just fire up when I turn the burner knobs?

Constructivists, understand that our current knowledge always attempts to make sense of new information in light of what we have already learned. Unfortunately for us, the older we get, the less information we allow to challenge our existing understanding. We are content to rely upon otherwise synthesized knowledge. So, do you know how we get around that? I love this.

We activate our brain by tickling our imagination. I use to say igniting our curiosity, but now I know better. We create filters for word clusters - I fall asleep when someone starts talking about macroeconomics, but I become almost childlike when I hear someone mention group permeability. So, unless you want to watch me do my narcolepsy impersonation, talk about the subjects I like to talk about. The older we get the more challenging it is to get to think differently. What does this have to do with Pecha Kucha Hour?

IMAGES are the best communication devices ... because they convey a personal message to everyone who sees them. Actually, we assign a meaning to what we see. If you want to wake up a class full of sleeping teens, show them an IMAGE and watch them engage. The best Pecha Kucha presentations involve at least 18 separate images. Have you ever heard the adage, "a picture is worth a thousand words?" If you were to try and speak one thousand words, at a rate of just 100 words per minute ... how long would it take? TEN MINUTES! Imagine, 18 images over 6 minute 40 seconds. That is amazing. Welcome to the world of Pecha Kucha