Daily Archives: February 13, 2007

1 Comment

Christopher D. Sessums says:

We need an instructional theory that states: “we must listen to people who think differently than we do.”

That's why it's important for someone like me to listen to someone like Dan Meyer. His latest post adds another must watch video to the ones I highlighted in my last post. One thing we both agree on is this:

...this is an exciting time to be a teacher with graphic design and motion graphics in his back pocket...

Compelling messages are being created that don't rely on words alone. Images, key text and motion combine to draw the viewer in, give that part of the brain that would normally be prone to distraction something to notice, and delivers the idea or concept in a very "sticky" way. Dan Pink talks about the importance of design and I think Dan Meyer is right on the money here. Engagement is not entertainment - but it's a compulsion to see something through to the end to see where something is going. That's where presentation technologies can be really useful. And that can work just as well (probably better) in a Californian mathematics class as it can in my humble Aussie primary classroom.