Schools kill creativity

I just saw Ken Robinson's TED presentation Schools kill creativity. The title says enough. It very much reminded me of a situation in my own life, years ago:

After my first year at the Academy For Digital Communication (ADC) I decided to do something else, because (for some reason) I was not sure if this was what I wanted to do. So the following year I attended the Amsterdam teacher education institute (PABO).

For exactly the same reason that Ken Robinson talks about in his TED presentation, I knew after 3 months of PABO that I could never be a school teacher and realised I wanted to go back to the ADC.

Here's the reason why:
Right after the start of the year I was already teaching a class of 4-5 year old kids. Every friday afternoon they'd have 2 hours of free play time; they could go and draw, play a board game, clay, Lego etc. At the end of one particular friday afternoon of free playing 4 kids were missing in action. Some kids told me they were on the hallway so I took a look and there they were: 1 kid stripped down to his underwear while 3 others were examining him. They were not making any noise, they were not being bad: they were just playing. Since free play time was over I called them back in class and the day continued normally... Until my mentor told me that I had to go talk to the kids, explain to them that this was inappropriate behavior and that they could not do that game again.

I refused. I refused because I could not explain to those kids why that (playing) was "wrong" behavior.

This is the exact reason that I decided to stop teachers education. There were more situations where I had to correct kids for what was considered "inappropriate" behavior, but this one really stuck with me.
It made me realise that the current school system tries very hard to teach children what is and what is not important or appropriate behavior, and by doing so kill their creativity. Ken Robinson's insightful presentation was an eye opener to me and I'm glad that I did not take part in this crime against humanity! :)

Soon enough I realised (again) that things like internet, media, communication and tech have my interest because they're such a big part of our lives. So I returned to and finished the ADC. The work that I do today feels more or less like a hobby that got out of hand.
I now wonder: Would that be because when I was young we had no internet, so we could not be told what we could, or could not do with it??? Is that why the internet is so interesting to so many of us? Because we look at it without prejudice?

from to

Ok the word is out -a couple of days already- :)
I am going from the Experience Architecture team @ Media Catalyst to the User Experience team, Online Services @ Vodafone

Games & Politics

Honestly - I did not expect this :) But why not?


source: metro.co.uk

I'm not sure yet what to think of this. Would I want this in my face when I try to make a good race and not be bothered with the "real world"? Of course the same can be said about other in game ads. However, the game-experience is less disturbed when the ads are in context with the game.

But this is so totally out of context, and coming from the future pres. of the USA, that I would never have expected this :-) I think it's cool imho

iPhone app Trein

Een informaticastudent heeft een iPhone app gemaakt dat de treintijden veel beter weer geeft dan de mobiele site van de NS zelf en de NS vind dat niet leuk. Dat vinden ze zelfs zo stom dat het niet meer verspreid mag worden. Want, zo zegt de NS, deze applicatie gebruikt onze informatie zonder dat wij daar toestemming voor hebben gegeven...

Nou hup, zeur niet en geef die toestemming! Werk samen met die student. Doe iets nuttigs ipv dagenlang uitzoeken wat wel of niet verboden is, bedenken wat je gaat doen om vervolgens zelf wekenlang bezig zijn met zelf een app (te laten) maken die vervolgens hetzelfde kan als wat er nu al is.

:-)