How Quantity Can Improve the Quality of Project-Based Learning
We often assume that improving the quality of student work means slowing down and spending more time on a single project. But sometimes the...
Radio and PodcastLive Radio & PodcastsEducation
The Creative Classroom with John Spencer
John Spencer is passionate about seeing schools embrace creativity and design thinking. In this podcast, he explores the intersection of creative thinking and student learning.
Episodes
20 of 23 episodesWhy Constraints Make Us More Creative
We often assume that creativity requires freedom. Remove the rules, open up the possibilities, and let students run with their ideas. But so...
5 Myths About Creativity
Sometimes our biggest creative failures reveal what we actually believe about creativity. In fifth grade, a disastrous California Mission pr...
The Power of Routine Creativity
We often picture creativity as something big and bold. It’s the ambitious project that draws in the entire community. It’s the big pro...
Beyond Screen Time: The Low Tech Learning Matrix
For years, the conversation around educational technology centered on one question: How can we get more technology into classrooms? Today, w...
The Power of Low-Tech Games and Simulations in the Classroom
When people hear the term game-based learning, they often picture students staring at computer screens while navigating elaborate virtual wo...
The Best Makerspace Might Be Outside
We want students to be makers and designers. But there’s a surprising source of inspiration for design: the natural world. As we think...
Beyond Screen Time: What LAUSD’s New Policy Gets Right and Wrong
The Los Angeles Unified School District has adopted one of the nation’s most restrictive classroom screen time policies. It will drama...
When Personalized Learning Works Better Than Adaptive Learning
Personalized learning has become one of the biggest promises in educational technology, with adaptive learning platforms and AI tutors claim...
What the Revival of Barnes and Noble Can Teach Us about Gen Z and Technology
For years, educational technology has promised to make learning faster, more personalized, and more efficient. On some respect, it has deliv...
Embracing the Low Tech Revolution
This is the first in my summer series I’m calling Low Tech Learning. In today’s podcast and article, I explore the negative aspe...
Q&A: The Big Questions We’re Asking About AI in Education
This week, I’m doing something different with my blog and my podcast. I’ve compiled a list of the most common questions I get ab...
When Should We Avoid Implementing PBL?
If you have followed my blog for any amount of time, you’ll know that I am a huge proponent of project based learning (or PBL for shor...
Contextual Thinking is Becoming Vital in the Age of AI
Authentic learning has always required a connection to a real context. However, in a generative age, where AI cannot “read the room,&#...
How to Be Proactive About Classroom Management in PBL
The post How to Be Proactive About Classroom Management in PBL appeared first on Spencer Education .
How to Design AI-Resistant Writing Before, During, and After the Writing Process
The post How to Design AI-Resistant Writing Before, During, and After the Writing Process appeared first on Spencer Education .
The Five Biggest Pitfalls of Collaborative Grouping (And How to Avoid Them)
The post The Five Biggest Pitfalls of Collaborative Grouping (And How to Avoid Them) appeared first on Spencer Education .
The Problem with “They Didn’t Teach Us That in School”
The post The Problem with “They Didn’t Teach Us That in School” appeared first on Spencer Education .
The Power of Silent Discussions for Deeper Collaboration
The post The Power of Silent Discussions for Deeper Collaboration appeared first on Spencer Education .
The Five Biggest Fears that Kept Me from Empowering Students
The post The Five Biggest Fears that Kept Me from Empowering Students appeared first on Spencer Education .