- Imagine—Start with an idea.
- Create—Build something based on that idea.
- Play—Test and tinker until you feel reasonably satisfied.
- Share—Show someone else, see what they think.
- Reflect—Consider what you've done, decide what to do next.
These steps are repeated as reflection leads to new ideas for extending or refining what has already been done. Learning builds on learning in an iterative cycle.
Initially, I thought about how these steps described the way in which my children learned as homeschoolers. I provided them with a rich environment (art supplies, building blocks, dress-up clothes—various materials that didn’t “over-constrain” or “over-determine,” to use Resnick’s words), and I could hardly stop them from imagining, creating, and playing. They invented worlds, wrote plays, and designed experiments. They eagerly shared what they were doing with friends and family. By the time they were school-age, they began teaming up with other homeschoolers to work on projects for science fairs or to explore their options on field trips. Discussing what they were doing and revising as they went along was a natural part of the learning process for them. They didn’t know what it was like to be told not to share their work with others, and they weren't afraid to try and fail (and try again) because there were no grades to worry about.
Initially, I thought about how these steps described the way in which my children learned as homeschoolers. I provided them with a rich environment (art supplies, building blocks, dress-up clothes—various materials that didn’t “over-constrain” or “over-determine,” to use Resnick’s words), and I could hardly stop them from imagining, creating, and playing. They invented worlds, wrote plays, and designed experiments. They eagerly shared what they were doing with friends and family. By the time they were school-age, they began teaming up with other homeschoolers to work on projects for science fairs or to explore their options on field trips. Discussing what they were doing and revising as they went along was a natural part of the learning process for them. They didn’t know what it was like to be told not to share their work with others, and they weren't afraid to try and fail (and try again) because there were no grades to worry about.
Then, I had a different but related idea. How might these stages apply to the way teachers plan their classes?
