talk presented at Learning & Brain conference, San Francisco, Feb. 2013

1. The Creativity Edge in Education:
Arts, Technology & Passion
Learning & The Brain Conference
San Francisco, February 14, 2013
Milton Chen, Ph.D., Senior Fellow
George Lucas Educational Foundation
San Francisco Bay Area
milton.chen@edutopia.org
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2. Good News #1:
Happy Valentine’s Day!

4. Good News #2:
Neuroscience Supports Creative,
Collaborative, Passionate Learning!

5. Creative Learning = Authentic Learning
School Life = Real Life
“the great waste comes from [the child’s] inability to
utilize the experiences he gets outside the school…
within the school…on the other hand, he is unable to
apply in daily life what he is learning at school.”
John Dewey, The School and Society lecture,
University of Chicago, 1899

6. Neuroscience & Cognitive Science:
Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
1. Verbal
2. Logical/Mathematical
3. Visual
4. Musical
5. Bodily/Kinesthetic
6. Intrapersonal
7. Interpersonal
8. Naturalist

10. “Average students learn subject
matter in a third or less of
present time, pleasurably rather
than painfully.”
George Leonard,
Education and Ecstasy, 1967

14. Learning
Any Time, Any Place,
Any Path, Any Pace

16. 4

17. Imagine an Education Nation…
A learning society where education of
children is the highest priority, on par
with a strong economy, high
employment, and national security.
A nation is only as good as its
educational system.

19. • Creativity & Innovation:
Key to an Education Nation
• A “Must Do,” Not Just “Nice to Know”
• Internet Time: Google 15 Years Old,
YouTube 8 Years, MOOC 4 Years
• Every 30 seconds, 24 Hours of New
YouTube Video

21. Growth vs. Fixed Mindset:
Students, Educators,
& Parents

24. The Technology Edge
• Weapons of Mass Instruction, 1:1
edutopia.org/maine-project-learning-
schools-that-work
• iPod, iListen, iRead
sites.google.com/a/eusd.org/eusd-iread/
• Online Learning
edutopia.org/stw-online-learning-
new-breakthroughs
• Assistive Tech/Universal Design

31. What’s your definition of
a great school?
Make it short and measurable!

32. Do the students run in at the
same rate they run out?
Assess Passion for Learning!