Blog - Page 11 of 48 - Spencer Education

Jan 10 2023

In a World of AI, Our Students Need Project-Based Learning

By John Spencer Artificial Intelligence, Project-Based Learning, Technology and Media Literacy 7 Comments

The Artificial Intelligence revolution is here. That might sound like hyperbole. After all, the world looks the same. The revolution didn’t arrive with Skynet and robots or with Blade Running cyborgs. It’s been subtle. Auto-correct here. Grammarly suggestion there. An auto-fill option in G-mail and…

Jan 02 2023

Launching Into the New Year

By John Spencer Creativity, Mindsets, Podcast, Teacher Life One Comment

Each year, I choose a single word to focus on as my “one word.” I realize this might sound cheesy but I find it helpful. Having a single word helps me stay focused on a general theme for the year. I typically create visual reminders.…

Dec 12 2022

No, Artificial Intelligence Won’t Destroy High School English (Or Any Other Subject)

By John Spencer Artificial Intelligence, Creativity, Future of Learning 6 Comments

If you're not familiar with ChatGPT, it is an Artificial Intelligence chat bot that answers questions. If you're thinking it's like Siri or Alexa or even Clippy (let's be real, Clippy was the coolest of all the digital assistants), it's so much more than that.…

Dec 09 2022

Human Skills in a World of Artificial Intelligence

By John Spencer Artificial Intelligence, Podcast, Technology and Media Literacy, Vintage Innovation 13 Comments

Three years ago, I stood in a high-tech lab at a technical university and stared at the giant flat screen monitor. The professor asked me, "Can you tell me which of these samples was generated via Artificial Intelligence?" At the top, a student had asked…

Dec 03 2022

The Creative Momentum Journal Is Here

By John Spencer Creativity One Comment

Ever felt stuck in a creative rut? Ever had a dream of getting started with a creative endeavor but you just can't make the habit stick? The challenge might not be one of habit-forming or inspiration but actually creative momentum. While habits focus on consistency,…

Nov 21 2022

I’m Not Looking for a New Adventure

By John Spencer Creativity One Comment

Each day, I do an entry in my gratitude journal. Okay, not actually each day. About 2-5 times a week, I fill out an entry in my journal. With Thanksgiving around the corner, I thought I would share a personal journal entry after being in…

Oct 31 2022

Scott Witthoft on the Curious Craft of Prototyping

By John Spencer Creativity, Design Thinking, Podcast One Comment

In my latest podcast episode, I interviewed Scott Witthoft, who shared an expanded view of what it means to prototype. I've written extensively about design thinking but his latest book This is a Prototype? challenged my thinking while also providing several new strategies I plan…

Oct 20 2022

The Power of Student Conferencing

By John Spencer Creativity, Podcast 9 Comments

If we want to empower students to own the assessment process, we need to incorporate meaningful self-assessment and peer assessment into our lessons. However, students still need guidance from their teachers. This is why I love five-minute conferences. Unlike a deep dive tutoring session or…

Sep 24 2022

Designing Socratic Seminars to Ensure That All Students Can Participate

By John Spencer Empowering Students, Podcast 19 Comments

Socratic seminars are a democratic, student-centered, approach to class discussions. They can be used at any grade level with any subject area. In a Socratic Seminar, members meet in a circle (or more likely an oval, because, let’s be real, circles are really hard to…

Aug 14 2022

Writing Prompt: You Discover a Magic Fountain Prompt

By John Spencer Creativity One Comment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oUvp3TqJpM&t=6s Writing Prompt: It’s a lazy afternoon on a blazingly hot Saturday, so you and your friends decide to go to a mall to cool off. Once you arrive, you notice a water fountain where people are tossing coins and making wishes. You know it…