Mitchel Resnick MIT Media Lab

Who is doing the inventing?

Whoever is doing the inventing is doing most of the learning

We need new approaches to technology and learning

We need new approaches to technology and learning Our inspiration: Kindergarten

After Kindergarten...

How can we help everyone learn in a kindergarten style? Lifelong Kindergarten

How can we help everyone learn in a kindergarten style? One ingredient: Providing the right tools Lifelong Kindergarten

Froebel’s Gifts

Froebel Gifts for the 21st century Programmable Bricks

Exploring: sensing control behavior feedback Artificial Creatures

Kids can use Crickets to build their own scientific instruments Kids as Inventors

Distance Speed

StarLogo Students can build their own models

StarLogo Students can build their own models Write simple rules for lots of objects and observe what patterns arise

Example: Traffic Jams If see a car close ahead, slow down If don’t see car ahead, speed up If see radar trap, slow down

The cars just speed along. They’ll end up staggered, in intervals. Nothing will be wrong. Cars will just go. There are no obstacles. They will adjust themselves to a uniform distance from each other. I didn’t think there’d be a problem, since there was nothing there.

The Centralized Mindset Assume centralized control where none exists Impose centralized control where none is needed

Decentralized Systems Traffic jams Termite colonies Market economies Computer networks Human minds

After-school centers where inner-city youth work together on design projects