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Mar 03 2016

I Want Students to be Better Consumers

By John Spencer Creativity 4 Comments
“We need kids to be creators, not consumers.” I’ve heard this statement so many times at conference and in Twitter chats and in blog posts. I get it. We want students to be creative. But is consumption actually a bad thing? See, every person I…
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Mar 01 2016

Can Technology Transform Learning?

By John Spencer Technology and Media Literacy One Comment
When I was a kid, I remember hearing that computers would replace teachers. I didn't like this idea, unless they could guarantee that my teacher would be like Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation. However, technologists promised us that computers would radically transform our…
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Feb 23 2016

How to Move Beyond a Deficit Mindset

By John Spencer Innovation 3 Comments
A few years back, I was sitting in an office with my best friend Javier, scribbling out a web of ideas for our upcoming STEM Camp and Lab School. “What if we . . .” He stopped mid-sentence and looked at his phone. “You were…
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Feb 20 2016

Can design thinking work when you don’t have devices?

By John Spencer Design Thinking 3 Comments
A teacher emailed me earlier this week asking a question about design thinking. "I don't have much technology in my classroom but I want to have a maker space and I want to try design thinking. Any ideas?" My first thought is that some of…
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Feb 17 2016

Who Gets to Choose the Audience?

By John Spencer Design Thinking One Comment
When I first shared the LAUNCH Cycle publicly, my friend George Couros offered some gentle pushback. He questioned whether or not it was necessary to wait until the end of the design thinking cycle to share with the world. So, it leaves me with this lingering…
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Feb 15 2016

Curious About Design Thinking? Here’s a Framework You Can Use in Any Classroom with Any Age Group

By John Spencer Creativity, Design Thinking 6 Comments
  The term "design thinking" is often attached to maker spaces and STEM labs. However, design thinking is bigger than STEM. It begins with the premise of tapping into student curiosity and allowing them to create, test and re-create until they eventually ship what they…
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Feb 01 2016

Why Vintage Tools Totally Belong in a 21st Century Classroom

By John Spencer Creativity, Innovation 6 Comments

With the click of a button, I can send my work to the entire world. It can feel empowering. I tap a screen and suddenly my ideas can reach a larger audience. But what if that’s not always ideal? True, audience matters. But so does…

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Jan 28 2016

What Two Cooking Shows Taught Me About Design Thinking

By John Spencer Creativity, Design Thinking No Comments
I love geeking out on the creative process. I love seeing the connections I experience in teaching, in writing, in developing web platforms, and in making sketchy videos. However, I also enjoy thinking through creativity in a context that's foreign to me. See, I'm not…
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Jan 25 2016

Ten Free Video Writing Prompts to Spark the Love of Writing in Your Students

By John Spencer Creativity 8 Comments
I believe that writing should be fun. It's not merely a functional activity we have to get through in life. I believe that persuasive, informational, and functional writing should be as fun as writing a story. I believe that all writing is inherently creative and…
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Jan 24 2016

There Is No Instruction Manual in Teaching . . . And That’s a Good Thing

By John Spencer Creativity One Comment

Often, in working with pre-service teachers, someone will ask about the “right” way to do something. The educational system throws around words like “best practices” and “highly qualified,” but it doesn’t really work that way. There is no guidebook or instruction manual or how-to video…

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Dr. John Spencer

I’m a professor and a maker. Sometimes I make things. Sometimes I make a difference. On a good day, I get to do both.

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    Dr. John Spencer

    As a former middle school teacher and current full-time professor and best-selling author, I’m a big believer in empowering students (and teachers) through the power of creativity. Whether you sign up for one of my online courses, enroll in one of my cohorts or invite me to spend time with your staff, I promise you’ll walk away with a fresh perspective and new ideas to transform your classroom.

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