Introducing Imaginative Education

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Introducing Imaginative Education

• 22nd. ICSEI Conference
• Vancouver, B.C. 5th. Jan., 2009.

Kieran Egan, Gillian Judson, Kym Stewart Simon
Fraser University
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What is Imagination?

• The ability to think of the possiblethe
  subjunctive mood.
• Source of novelty
• Emotional engagement

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Kinds of Understanding

• Somatic Understanding (pre-linguistic)
• Mythic Understanding (oral language)
• Romantic Understanding (written language)
• Philosophic Understanding (theoretic use of
  language)
• Ironic Understanding (reflexive use of language)

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Examples

• Place Value (Grade 3)
• Eels (Grade 8)

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From cognitive tools to planning teaching
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Mythic and Romantic

• Kinds of Understanding In Action

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Mythic Understanding

• understand experience through
  
• oral language
• no longer limited to making sense of the world
  through direct physical experience
• can now rely on language to discuss, represent,
  and understand even things not experienced in
  person

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Grade 2-4 example

• Curriculum areas
• Oral Language (Language Arts)
• Media Education (advertising)

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Narrative Media Detectives-in-Training

• Code names
• Secret handshakes
• Secret codes
• Cases to solve
• Info to share

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Sense of Mystery World is FULL of Adventures!
CASE 1 First Encounters
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Case 1 Cognitive tools used

• Narrative
• Detectives-in-Training
• Adventures of Zayah
• Binary opposites
• Obnoxious and sly
• Drama
• Humanize the meaning (theoretical and emotional
  connection)
• What does a sly or obnoxious logo sound like,
  walk like?
• Sense of puzzle
• Noticed what had previously been ignored
• see the normal as strange!

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Twist-tie Game (Binary Opposites)

• 1 player will select a TOPIC
• other players will decide which of their 5 cards
  would be best and place one FACE DOWN on the
  table
• TOPIC person mixes it up and then flips them over
• TOPIC person decides and awards the winner a
  token
• Then give all cards to the person on your left
• REMEMBER
• BEST SOMETIMES MEANS THE MOST EXTREME
• Weather could be hot /cold, but ALSO
  oppression/liberty
• Convince the Topic person, your choice is the
  best!

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Romantic Understanding

• understand experience through
• written language
• realization of independence and separateness
  from a world that appears increasingly complex
• relate readily to extremes of reality, associate
  with heroes, and seek to make sense of the world
  in human terms

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• Tool Card Shuffle Game
• Romantic cognitive tools

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Kinds of Understanding

• Somatic Understanding (pre-linguistic)
• Mythic Understanding (oral language)
• Romantic Understanding (written language)
• Philosophic Understanding (theoretic use of
  language)
• Ironic Understanding (reflexive use of language)

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Pro-D Kits

• Pilot versions are now available
• Feedback in MUCH appreciated!
• Published version will be available in the summer

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Pro-D Opportunities

• We can
• Customize it to your district
• Talk about creating long-term connections with
  districts and school
• Please contact us
• Gillian Judson (gcj_at_sfu.ca)
• www.ierg.net