Learning In and Through the Arts
Learning how to create looks a lot like effective learning in science and math.… Read More Learning In and Through the Arts
Category: New research
New research from the lab.
Music and the Mind: New Research
I just received the January, 2022 issue of the academic journal Psychology of Music. I’m on the editorial board so I always pay close attention to what’s going on in this field. The 22 articles are technical and hard to read if you don’t work in the field, so I thought I would summarize a… Read More Music and the Mind: New Research
Neandertals Were Creative! Or were they?
We still don’t know. Don’t believe the headlines you read about a new scientific study of cave sketches by Neandertals. The study itself is good, solid science: it demonstrates that Neandertals made rough sketches on cave walls–geometric shapes and stencils of hands. The study was published in the leading journal Science (read the article here). You… Read More Neandertals Were Creative! Or were they?
Learning with Robots at UNC
This week in “The Maker Movement and Education,” a UNC undergraduate class taught by Professor Keith Sawyer: This week the students are exploring how to use programmable robots to help children learn. I asked the students to find a lesson plan activity on line, one that uses one of three robots to help children learn… Read More Learning with Robots at UNC
Creativity in the Classroom: Everyone Agrees that We Need More
A new study from Adobe, on the importance of teaching creative problem solving skills, found that educators and policymakers agree that we need to weave creativity throughout the school day, in all subjects. The study surveyed 2,000 teachers a policymakers from the U.K., Japan, Germany, and the U.S. They all say that creative problem solving… Read More Creativity in the Classroom: Everyone Agrees that We Need More
The Inventor of Emergence: George Henry Lewes, in 1875
Emergence and complex systems: These concepts are more and more important, with the growth of the Internet, distributed intelligence, social media, and collective consciousness. “Emergence” refers to higher-level phenomena “emerging” from lower-level components, organized into complex systems. For example, mental states — like memory, attention, emotions — are said to emerge from neurons and their… Read More The Inventor of Emergence: George Henry Lewes, in 1875
Group Genius: Today It’s the Accepted Wisdom
In 2007, my business book Group Genius was one of the first books about collaboration and innovation. Since 2007, a lot more books have been published on that topic, each one affirming the points in my book. That’s because Group Genius was grounded in scientific research, and that research has stood the test of time.… Read More Group Genius: Today It’s the Accepted Wisdom
Bumblebees Can Learn
Check out this cool new study published in SCIENCE Magazine. The study proves that bees can learn, and they can adapt what they’ve learned to new situations. The researchers created some really clever tasks for the bees, and the descriptions of what the bees had to do are pretty complicated. First, the researchers showed the bees a… Read More Bumblebees Can Learn
We Never Think Alone
Here’s a wonderful new book, The Knowledge Illusion: Why We Never Think Alone. The authors, professors Philip Fernbach and Steven Sloman, argue that it’s “a misunderstanding of knowledge” to think that “it goes on between our ears.” What really sets human beings apart is not our individual mental capacity. The secret to our success is… Read More We Never Think Alone
What Will We Do After AI Takes Our Jobs?
Christopher Mims predicts that artificial intelligence will increasingly put white collar, professional workers out of work. That means people who blog. 🙂 Muriel Clauson, of Singularity University, says “Education is often touted as the answer to the skills gap, but it is generally a blunt instrument.” She recommends this system: First, break down every job… Read More What Will We Do After AI Takes Our Jobs?
The Creativity Guru 