Do schools kill creativity?

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

Andreina and Marco, summarize (in 20 minutes) the speaker's point of view, explaining his vision of the future of education. Once you have listened carefully to the talk, click here to go to your Google Docs to write your summary. You can also write your summary here by clicking the Comments link below.

Good luck!

Helwing

Genes v. Memes.

Starting with the simple tale of an ant, philosopher Dan Dennett unleashes a devastating salvo of ideas, making a powerful case for the existence of memes: concepts that are literally alive.

Marco, summarize (in 20 minutes) the speaker's point of view, explaining what Memes are and how they guide human evolution. Once you have listened carefully to the talk, click here to go to your Google Docs to write your summary. You can also write your summary here by clicking the Comments link below, at the end of this post.

Good luck!

Helwing

About the piece:

This video shows (in excerpts) a special viewing of Doug Aitken's installation "Migration" on October 2, 2008. Doug Aitken invited the musicians Lichens, White Rainbow and Arp to perform live music improvisations to the installation, replacing the film's original soundtrack.
"Migration" is included in the 55th Carnegie International exhibition "Life on Mars" where the piece is projected on the museum's façade through January 2009.

Migration (2008) is an odyssey through a contemporary American landscape of seemingly abandoned hotels and motels. Encompassing executive airport suites and desolate, nondescript inns inhabited, or haunted, by mammals and birds indigenous to the American West, Migration's sequences evoke a scenario in which places of temporary human habitation are confronted with instinctive and wild forces.

"In "Migration" the movements of wild North American migratory animals are transposed upon the ubiquitous space of modern roadside hotels and motels. As the wild birds and animals inhabit these mysteriously vacant and sterile interiors we're taken on a haunting odyssey through the contemporary American landscape. With the film alternating between three billboards within the gallery space, the viewer is left to determine his own place in the often desolate and alienating transitory spaces which man inhabits."


About the artist:

Doug Aitken's art is concerned with stimuli and stories that are asynchronous and fractured. Through the orchestration of multiscreen moving-image installations he has frequently touched on themes of urban isolation, emotional alienation, and expansive natural wilderness. The "characters" he directs—whether humans, machines, animals, or landscapes—often exhibit uncanny behaviors or communicate in strange statements, lending Aitken's immersive audiovisual environments the sense of an unfolding waking dream. Characteristically using up to a dozen or more projectors, monitors, and speakers, Aitken delivers a multimedia experience for our time that suggests a separate category, somewhere between cinema and architectural sculpture.

Luz Maria,

Watch the video above. Then, write a comment in relation to what the artist thinks about Modernism, specially in relation to the ways we have organized and shaped our surroundings, and, conversely, ourselves. Also, comment on how the artist relates his work formally with the current state of world affairs.


About the exhibition:

Ian Monroe’s exhibition “The Instantaneous Everything” at Haunch of Venison Berlin draws its title from an earlier work by Ian Monroe, and plays with the proposed notion of a single identifiable moment in which the entirety of a universe comes into being - both real and imagined.

The show - Monroe’s second solo show in Berlin - consists of constructed images and sculptures made over the last year and a site-specific floor piece. VernissageTV met with Ian Monroe on the occasion of the opening of the exhibition. VernissageTV correspondent Sabine Trieloff spoke with him about his work.
The exhibition runs through December 20, 2008.
Haunch of Venison Berlin, October 31, 2008.

I promise I'll send a happier exhibition next time!

Helwing
Talk.

Click and comment below!

Why talk about art?

There is no universal form instantly understood by anybody by just looking at it. Even the simplest of marks has a density of meanings and references. our way of looking is loaded with complexities of attitudes, ideas, experiences, and meanings that shape what is in front of us. Thus, we can say that as a society, it is you and I rather than the artist who define what art is.

So, if you don't ask questions, you have no way of really seeing, let alone deciding. Ask: why does it look the way it does?

Oh, just a quick note about context: Is a runner sprinting in the Olympics different from another one sprinting inside a gallery? If so, why?

In addition to promoting visual awareness and a better understanding of our material culture, talking about art provides us with an opportunity to clarify, verbalize, articulate, and better understand our own responses to objects and images in their environment, as well as learn to appreciate others' responses.



Influencing Factors

Factors influencing our responses to art (Vincent Lanier)

* Social attitudes toward a specific work
* Cultural view of the art form
* Perceptual skills (awareness and experience)
* Recognition of formal qualities (such as the elements and principles of design)
* Knowledge of specific symbols
* Associations with personal experience
* Historical significance
* Judgment
* Relationships of artwork to life


Some Approaches

There are a variety of approaches for talking about material culture and the visual environment, including art. The artwork, your purposes, and your audience will help determine which approach you select.

Regarding art particularly, these approaches assume that objects and images are purposefully created (with intent): that there are reasons why the object or image looks and/or functions the way it does and that often there are messages or meanings that are intended to be communicated to the viewer.

For young students, one useful analogy is to think of themselves as visual detectives, looking for clues. For older students this could also include a discussion of the different styles, processes, types of clues, in detection--from Sherlock (descriptive and empirical) to Magnum PI (intuitive).

Anyways, remember that conceptually speaking, some of today's artist function more as semantic DJs, mixing up messages and meanings new and old, either for a new take on our contemporary society, or just for kicks.

The following approaches are not presented in any particular order--and it should be noted that they may be blended together as appropriate depending on your instructional objectives.


Imitative (subject-matter content) & Expressive Qualities

Questions focus on the literal, symbolic, or abstracted content, and are aimed at understanding and/or interpreting the meanings, messages, feelings, or mood being conveyed to the viewer.

This approach is particularly accessible to younger students because it begins with talking about their own responses to the image or object.

The teacher's role should be to validate all responses while asking clarifying questions. The elements and principles of design can be useful tools in this dialogue (and extend understanding of Why I like "that"); however subject-matter associations will usually play a more powerful role in influencing student responses. It can be useful to point out that one student's reasons for liking an image may be the very reason another student dislikes the image--both are valid.


Formal Visual Qualities

Questions focus on the structural organization of the work and aim at describing and analyzing the visual content in terms of the formal elements and principles of design in order to evaluate the visual "success" of the work and better understand how the work is "put together" and accomplishes its intent.

Young students can learn about and identify the elements and principles of design in visual imagery; however this approach tends to down-play the subject-matter content and with young children is most appropriate when discussing nonrepresentational or some abstract images. As students acquire abstract thinking skills, this approach is useful in developing "objectivity" and analytical thinking processes.


Cultural Heritage &
Historical Significance

Questions are aimed at understanding the context in which the work was created--who, what, when, where, why (for whom and for what purposes). It is helpful to include in this discussion how the image/object is similar or different from related objects/images that students are familiar with from their own culture or time.

Historically: How was the work thought of or used then; and how is that similar or different to how we think of or use it now in our own culture and time? How has it changed? Why? how does the work intertwine itself with art history.

Culturally: How is this work similar to or different from works serving similar purposes in our own and other cultures? Why? Is there a cross-cultural link in the work.

This focus can be adapted to most age levels--from basic awareness and exposure to objects/images from other cultures or times, to more in-depth inquiries by older students.


Elements and Principles of design.



Borrowed and mixed from: STArt: Arts and Media Basics

Write your opinion about this talk by clicking on the comentary link below or send it to me in an email to: talkhelwing@gmail.com

Play the video and follow the directions! Have your notebook ready.

What economist don't know.

Listen to a part of a talk by economist Tim Harford, then answer the following questions. The talk focuses on the falibillity of economists.





1. What is the speaker's view of economy as an object of study?


2. What are some ways economist try to expose the truth about the economy?


3. Who are the "talking heads" on TV, and why are they always wrong?


4. How does the speaker use the analogy of the problem of the supermarket check out line (cue) to explain how markets actually work?


5. Why can't economists forecast the stock market; that is, what are the limits of the job of economists?


6. Give us your opinion about the talk. Do you agree wuth the speaker's views? What are your views on the job of economists in today's society? Add your response by clicking on the comments link below.

How to write Memos

What is a memo?

A memo is:

a hard-copy (sent on paper) document used for communicating inside an organisation. Usually short, a memo contains To, From, Date, Subject headings and Message sections, and does not need to be signed, but sometimes has the sender's name at the bottom to be more friendly, or the sender's full name to be more formal.

How to write a memo.

Memos should have the following sections and content:

1. A 'To' section containing the name of the receiver. For informal memos, the receiver's given name; e.g. 'To: Andy' is enough. For more formal memos, use the receiver's full name. If the receiver is in another department, use the full name and the department name. It is usually not necessary to use Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms unless the memo is very formal.

2. A 'From' section containing the name of the sender. For informal memos, the sender's other name; e.g. 'From: Bill' is enough. For more formal memos, use the sender's full name. If the receiver is in another department, use the full name and the department name. It is usually not necessary to use Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms unless the memo is very formal.

3. A 'Date' section. To avoid confusion between the British and American date systems, write the month as a word or an abbreviation; e.g. 'January' or 'Jan'.

4. A Subject heading.

5. The message. Unless the memo is a brief note, a well-organised memo message should contain the following sections:
a. Situation - an Introduction or the purpose of the memo.
b. Problem (optional) - for example: "Since the move to the new office in Kowloon Bay,
staff have difficulty in finding a nearby place to buy lunch."
c. Solution (optional) - for example: "Providing a microwave oven in the pantry would
enable staff to bring in their own lunchboxes and reheat their food."
d. Action - this may be the same as the solution, or be the part of the solution that the
receiver needs to carry out; e.g. "we would appreciate it if you could authorise up to
$3,000".
e. Politeness - to avoid the receiver refusing to take the action you want, it is important to
end with a polite expression; e.g. "Once again, thank you for your support.", or more
informally "Thanks".
f. Signature (optional).



Sample Memos:

MEMO 01

To: Katherine Chu, Regional Manager
From: Stephen Yu, Sales
Date: 12 October 2007
Subject: Notification of My Resignation

I am writing to inform you of my intention to resign from G & S Holdings.

I have appreciated very much my four years working for the company. The training has been excellent and I have gained valuable experience working within an efficient and professional team environment. In particular, I have appreciated your personal guidance during these first years of my career.

I feel now that it is time to further develop my knowledge and skills base in a different environment.

I would like to leave, if possible, in a month's time on Saturday, 10 November. This will allow me to complete my current workload. I hope that this suggested arrangement is acceptable to the company.

Once again, thank you for your support.



MEMO 02

To: Health & Safety Committee
From:Joe Chan, Chairperson, H&S Ctte
Date: 12 Oct '07
Subject: Room change for next meeting

The meeting on Saturday, 10 November has been changed to Room 101.



MEMO 03

CONTACT COMPUTER GRAPHICS MEMORANDUM

To: S M Chan, General Manager
From: SamanthaNg, Office Manager
Date:12 October 2007
Subject: Purchase of a Microwave Oven


1. Introduction

At the monthly staff meeting on Tuesday, 9 October 2007, you requested information about the possible purchase of a microwave oven. I would now like to present these details.

2. Background

Since the move to the new office in Kowloon Bay, staff have difficulty in finding a nearby place to buy lunch.

3. Advantages

Providing a microwave oven in the pantry would enable staff to bring in their own lunchboxes and reheat their food. Also, staff members are less likely to return to work late after lunch.

4. Staff Opinion

A survey found that staff would like to use the microwave oven.

5. Cost

Details of suitable models are given below:

(Show table)

6. Request

If this meets with your approval, we would appreciate it if you could authorise up to $3,000 for the purchase of the microwave oven.

Samantha Ng

Subject Heading

Goal:
How to write correct subject headings for business documents.

Guidelines:
The purpose of a subject heading is to tell the reader:

what the document is for (the purpose of the document), and
what it is about (the topic of the document)
e.g. in Complaint about Late Delivery of Order 12345, the subject heading tells the reader that the purpose of the document is to complain, and that the topic is Order 12345.

Purposes:
Business documents can have many purposes. In a subject heading these are written as nouns. Here are some examples, with the usual prepositions that go with them:

Complaint about ( + problem)
Apology for ( + problem)
Information on ( + topic)
Warning about ( + danger)
Report on ( + topic)
Investigation into ( + topic)
Proposal to (+ verb phrase; e.g. to Reduce Waste)
Proposal for (+ noun phrase; e.g. for Waste Reduction)
Congratulations to ( + a person who has done well)
Congratulations from ( + a person sending the message)
Congratulations on (+ a topic; e.g. Passing your Exams)
Request for (+ a noun phrase; e.g. a Day's Leave)
Request to (+ a verb; e.g. to Miss a Lesson)
Application for ( + a noun phrase; e.g. a License)
Application to (+ a verb; e.g. Use the Company Junk)


If the purpose of the document is to inform the reader, the purpose is often missed out, and the most important information is used; e.g. Late Arrival of Order 12345, or Estimated Time of Arrival of Order 12345.

Formatting

Subject headings should be highlighted in some way. This can be by using:
Bold Font,
Larger Writing
Underlined Writing, or,
less commonly, Italics.

NOTE: DO NOT USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS BECAUSE IT LOOKS UGLY AND IS HARD TO READ.

You can use Re: before a subject heading, but it is not necessary if the heading is highlighted in some other way. Do not underline Re:

Do not put a full stop at the end of subject headings.

Title Case

Subject headings should be in title case. This means that the first letter of the first word should have an upper-case letter, and so should all the other words, except for articles and prepositions; e.g. Complaint about the Late Delivery of Order Number 12345.

Back to how to write memos.