Disruptive Creativity

“There’s something Happening here..What it is ain’t exactly clear…”

Last Sunday was the ‘official start of Creativity, Innovation and Change, a MOOC offered through the University of Pennsylvania’s Engineering Department.  The goals of the course, “to empower you to develop your creative human potential to improve, enhance, and transform your business, your community, and your personal life” intrigued me.

In this first week, part of the process is to identify with our own self image of creativity through different exercises.  The first exercise I chose was creating a LIFE RING, using the elements of the CENTER process, outlined by co-teacher Darrell Velegol  What is your driving force?  How do you invest your time?  What are your priorities?  The process of creating the ring allowed for self reflection, creativity, and a focus on priorities.

A second exercise was to determine your Creative Style by completing a Qualtrics survey by answering 10 ‘trick’ questions.  Co-teacher, Kathryn Jablokow, says that we are all creative, we just have different styles. By understanding your creative style, you are better able to deal with change and innovation.  My score indicates that I am mildly innovative.  This rings true, because, as an educator, I believe that digital learning and culture is changing the way we do the “business” of school.  My participation in MOOC cultures encourages me to design professional development modules for teachers that encourage the development of engaging learning experiences, not the Common Core.

I opted out of the third exercise, creating a paper tower out of an 8-1/2 sheet of paper, one which co-teacher Jack Matson tells us tests the theory of Intelligent Fast Failure.  Scores of images populated the Google+ communities showing successes and failures after multiple tries.  I chose to use the theory of failure to try my hand at creating animated gifs and clipping videos for another online class.  Here is one result.  (“This reductionist process to extract a few seconds form a larger work…to isolate movement to just a small portion of a frame…is a creative process.”)

All three teachers shared their theories in the weekly class videos.  I took notes, but classmate Linda Saukko-Rauta did such a great job summarizing the ideas, I share her  sketchnotes.

In a previous post, Leaving EDCMOOC with a Digital Identity, I began the process of building my digital identity and my Personal Learning Network.  Along the way, I was fortunate to connect with many like minded individuals with whom I have been “making meaning”  in a digital culture.  Gardner Campbell explains it as a “deep experience of ecologies of learning that inform desire to make meaning of our experience together.”

It is this connectivism that is of critical importance to digital learning.  In the last MOOC, I became part of a group of “Fraingers”.  Without this connectedness, I doubt that my experience would have had such a profound impact.  In this MOOC, I am part of two Quadblogging Teams, one that is made up of a group of EDC alumnus and the second is a group I formed myself to spread the importance of connectivism and meaning making TOGETHER.

It is my intention through the exploration of my own creativity in this MOOC to join the ranks of those who through the use of digital technology and culture seek to transform the educational environment.

Blog picture is courtesy of fellow MoocMate, Douglas Arnold