Curriculum Not Included

Many of my readers and colleagues know that I have a knack for questioning deeply held assumptions and myths involving education. I also hold positions that others might find extreme. For example, I think curriculum, in all of its forms – especially heavy-handed nonsense like “Common Core – is a terrible idea. I don’t mean bad curriculum is a bad idea; I mean that curriculum... [Read more]

What Makes You Think This is Teaching? – episode 1

Note: I’m starting a new series of occasional blog posts in which I share my disbelief at what I see passed-off as “teaching” during my work in schools around the world. My nephew, let’s call him Vernon Honours, is a 9th grader. His Geometry teacher assigns the kids to read Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott over the December holidays (so far, so good)... [Read more]

Literature Review on Keyboarding Instruction

Note from Gary Stager… In 1989, a great friend, colleague and pioneer in educational computing, Steve Shuller, authored the following literature review. Steve was Director of Outreach at Bank Street College during its microcomputer heyday, co-created New Jersey’s Network for Action in Microcomputer Education (N.A.M.E., now NJECC) and was a Director of the IBM Model Schools Project. Shortly... [Read more]

Gift Ideas for You and Colleagues (it’s not too late)

Four collections of recommended books The Constructivist Consortium has compiled an extensive online book store for creative educators. Be sure to peruse these recommendations! Wanna be a School Reformer? You Better Do Your Homework! Required reading for school leaders, administrators and policy makers. Tinkering resources for educators Overlooked gems, books kids (especially boys) will love The... [Read more]

Misrepresented by the NJ Star Ledger

While in While in Italy last week, I received email from Eugene Paik, a reporter for The Star Ledger newspaper. He read my blog post, BYOD – Worst Idea of the 21st Century?, and was seeking expertise for an article on a New Jersey school district enacting a Bring-Your-Own-Device/Technology policy. I dropped everything and responded to his questions immediately via email since I was overseas. Besides,... [Read more]

Deeply Moving Historic Video by CMK 2012 Speaker

One reason why Constructing Modern Knowledge is gaining a reputation for being the premiere learning event for educators is the opportunity to work with world-class experts and an amazing faculty. Award-winning filmmaker and digital story-telling genius, Casey Neistat is one of the spectacular guest speakers participating in  CMK 2012. Casey creates several super creative short films per week using... [Read more]

The Best Steve Jobs Quote

The PBS documentary, Steve Jobs – One Last Thing, contains video (I believe from 1994) in which Steve Jobs offers the following advice. “Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact and that is everything around you that you call life was made up by people who were no smarter than you. The minute that you understand that you can poke life and actually, if you push in, something... [Read more]

Why I Should Keynote ISTE 2012

The International Society for Technology in Education is once again seeking nominees to be the keynote speaker at their annual ISTE Conference, June 2012 in San Diego, CA. I would be most grateful if as many of you as possible would nominate me by November 13, 2011. I am confident that I possess the experience, skill, courage and humor to make you proud while contributing to the progress of an academic... [Read more]

The Gary Stager Video Collection

The following videos are a good representation of my work as a conference keynote speaker and educational consultant. The production values vary, but my emphasis on creating more productive contexts for learning remains in focus. For information on bringing Dr. Stager to your conference, school or district, click here. For biographical information about Dr. Stager, click here. For a list of new keynote... [Read more]

Creativity & Constructionism in the Land of Endless Test-Prep

On October 5, 2011, I had the privilege of addressing leading education policy-makers and educators in Seoul, South Korea as a guest of the Korea Education Research & Information Service. I presented in a “classroom of the future” complete with horrific card readers with True/False-type buttons (response systems) affixed to wooden desks. Given the orthodoxy associated with the staid... [Read more]

ITEC 2011 Keynote Video

I recently enjoyed the privilege of being the opening keynote speaker at the annual ITEC Conference in Des Moines, Iowa. The topic of the keynote address was, “Ten Things to Do with a Laptop: Learning and Powerful Ideas.” It is one my most popular keynote addresses. Despite the video quality, this is one of my best recorded presentations in recent years. Ten Things to Do with a Laptop... [Read more]

CMK 2012 Welcomes Super Awesome Sylvia

Constructing Modern Knowledge 2012 celebrates computing, creativity and children by adding blog, YouTube and MakerFaire sensation, Super Awesome Sylvia as a guest speaker and faculty member at CMK 2012, July 9-12, 2012 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Sylvia’s enthusiasm, curiosity, ingenuity and passion have inspired hundreds of thousands of children and adults to tinker with cutting-edge technology.... [Read more]

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