Creativity Course Week 1

This week I started on a 6 week course on Creativity delivered by Tina Seelig from Stanford University. The course is completely open and available to anyone who wants to jump in. Registration is free and simple – you can even sign in with your Facebook or Google account. I started on this course because I felt that creativity was definitely one area that I struggled to be successful at. I also wanted to explore how I can incorporate more creativity into my classroom activities – regardless of age or subject topic. Even at first glance this course had me hooked and so far it hasn’t disappointed. I guess the only aspect that is daunting at the moment is the sheer volume of people  who are participating and the discussions that are being generated through a culture of sharing and feedback. I need to find my tribe (group) and start to develop strong connections and communication. The first step in this process is to recruit a friend or two to take this fun learning journey with me. Second step is to reach out to those already in the course and start conversations with people that seem to have similar interests or backgrounds.

In the quest to recruit friends I am sharing my first assignment task here to showcase the sorts of things that we explore and have to ‘make/do’ in this course. I welcome your feedback and comments – and I don’t just mean the positive kind. The task outline was simple and flexible. Design The cover to my Autobiography: include the elements of an Image, a title, sub title and 200 word Bio. If you are interested to know how I created this final product, I am happy to share.

Step 1: Make all the butterflies (2 days).

Step 2: stick them to a door and photograph them.

Step 3: Edit the photo in Befunky.com (cartooniser)

Step 4: Edit the new image with GIMP – adding title and border

Originally I completed the whole task in Befunky (Title and Border) but I wasn’t happy enough with the final product. So I took the 4th step to improve the text and border elements.

My Autobiography titlepage

 

This collection of life stories is dedicated to all the amazing people who have touched my life; to those that matter most, or mattered for a moment. To tell my story I have no choice but the weave in the stories and characters that have been there with me. From the beginning my Dad, who challenged me to be anything I wanted to be and chase my dreams. Family, friends and leaders who gave me reason to pause and reflect on my life and where I was heading. I am in these stories but I am not the main focus. I am never happier than when I am surrounded by friends, making memories for a lifetime. In this book I am proud to preserve my memory of these people and how they are forever connected to me and helped to make me the person I am today.

 

Now I guess the only thing left on my ‘to do’ list is to write the damn book!!

4 thoughts on “Creativity Course Week 1

  1. Funny I read this… I have started a kind of health blog … My journey of now and past… In a way also my life story. I wondered about blogs but then I guess it’s out there for all to see??

  2. What a great first assignment. It incorporates creativity and reflection – neither of which come easily to many people (including me!). Well done. I think you must definitely have some creative skills as I would never have thought of making a cover like that.

  3. Humble Thanks Pam,
    I am rather pleased with this result. Pleased, because I realised that my learning/practice around ICT skills was paying off in a transferable fashion. For some time I have been learning and discussing how students can use Web 2.0 tools in a very theoretical way. This project allowed me to truly be a student and apply those tools and skills to use them. AND I also got create something beautiful…always a good spin-off.

  4. Hi Deb,
    YES Blogs are ‘open’ for the world to share if you choose, but you can also find that settings are available to keep things private, if that is what you want. My advice if you are starting out blogging – Keep it private until you are comfortable with writing to a ‘theoretical’ audience. As someone who kept a diary for many years (and still does) blogging is not quite the same as keeping a diary.It is generally agreed that blogging is for sharing, and there are some amazing benefits to sharing a journey like a health blog. The nice thing is that ultimately it is up to you whether you ask others to join you on your health journey or keep things private and that alone is an empowering feeling. I would be happy to follow your blog.

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