What If? Imagining a Future Through Project-Based Learning
Noor Al Radi, MS CCC-SLP, Allison Brudner, MS CCC-SLP, Nancy Tarshis, MA MS CCC-SLP
Rose F. Kennedy Center - Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center UCEDD/LEND at Montefiore Medical Center
What is an Imagination Chapter?
•Imagination chapters are "pop-up learning spaces that foster creativity,
entrepreneurship and 21st century skills through creative play.” Chapters are
guided under the Imagination Foundation
•We are the first special needs chapter, and are based out of the Children's
Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC).
•For students with social-cognitive learning challenges accessing and
participating in group learning experiences is often a bigger hurdle than the
academics. In the current climate of STEM, STEAM and project-based learning,
how does one scaffold this population toward building, thinking, collaborating
and sharing an imagination?
Why is this important?
How to scaffold?
How to share a space? Dividing space using simple
barriers (i.e. tape) to support executive functioning.
Routine. Infusing reflection and planning into opening
and closing circle time as well as built in check-ins.
These externalize processes of iteration.
Being social. Activities to show what working with
others looks like – starts with directing your body and
gaze
Establishing a shared context / content. Using themes
and books to support them in sharing a thought
• We must re-conceptualize imagination as a keystone to learning and success,
as opposed to a childish escape from reality.
• Imagination is the action of forming new ideas not present to the senses and
a catalyst or transforming knowledge into new ideas (Seelig, 2012).
• It is the ability of the mind to be creative and resourceful and supports
academic, social and emotional growth in many ways, four are highlighted
below:
Clarifying expectations. Moving from “What am I
supposed to be doing” to “I am doing” through Job Talk
(Ward 2012)
Using visuals to reduce cognitive and linguistic load
Using design process. Moving from a linear model to
one that supports iteration
• If one does not consistently practice
creativity techniques, like any
machine or muscle, they will grow
rusty and stiff (Stouffer and
colleagues, 2004)
• Project-based learning
• “Children are eventually going to
learn to recognize letters. But
learning how people work and
what’s in others’ minds is a much
deeper and more profound
learning.” - Dr. Alison Gopnik
• How do you make something
happen? Then again, How do you
know what to do next if you're
unsure about what you're working
toward?
• Flexible Thinking - considering
alternatives
• Independent learning
• Introspection
Who is this difficult for?
• When we engage in creative and interactive play or have a conversation,
we often imagine what others may be thinking. This allows us to share an
idea, in our heads, so we can create and sustain an interaction with
contributions from all participants.
• To share an imagination, we coordinate our ideas, goals and interests with
those of others to pursue a common plan.
• We scaffold out projects to teach this concept because across the age
span from our youngest participants to adulthood sharing an imagination
is at the core of every successful collaboration.
• Children share imagination through Shared Collaborative Interactive Play
(SCIP)© and group learning experiences.
• Adults share imagination through conversation, collaborative work and
what we are doing now.
References
Changing relationships with mistakes. Reframing
mistakes as opportunities to learn to support a mindset
that tolerates risk and failure.
Building a skill set. Executive functioning, language,
reasoning and Social Thinking©
Gopnik, A. (2009) The Philosophical Baby, CA.
Hendrix, R., Palmer, K. Tarshis, N., Winner, M.G., (2013) We Thinkers Volume 1, CA.
Martinez, S. L. (2013) Invent to learn. CA.
Seelig, T. L. (2012). InGenius: A crash course on creativity. NY.
Tarshis, N., Winner, M.G., Palmer, K., Hendrix, R. (2016) We Thinkers Volume 2, CA.
Ward, Sarah (2012) Talk at Social Thinking Providers Conference, MA.
Acknowledgements
This poster template was made possible by the continued support of the
Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center, The Imagination Foundation,
and the Einstein Emerging Leaders.