Mitchel ResnickMIT Media Lab

Who is doing the inventing?

Who is doing the inventing?

Whoever is doing the inventingis doing most of the learning

We need new approaches totechnology and learning

We need new approaches totechnology and learning

Our inspiration:Kindergarten

After Kindergarten...

How can we help everyonelearn in a

kindergarten style?

Lifelong Kindergarten

How can we help everyonelearn in a

kindergarten style?

One ingredient:Providing the right tools

Lifelong Kindergarten

Froebel’s Gifts

Froebel Gifts forthe 21st century

Programmable Bricks

Exploring: sensing control behavior feedback

Artificial Creatures

Kids can use Crickets to build their own scientific instruments

Kids as Inventors

Distance

Speed

StarLogo

Students can build their own models

StarLogo

Students can build their own models

Write simple rules for lots of objects and observe what patterns arise

Example: Traffic Jams

If see a car close ahead, slow down

If don’t see car ahead, speed up

If see radar trap, slow down

The cars just speed along. They’ll end up staggered, in intervals.

Nothing will be wrong. Cars will just go. There are no obstacles.

They will adjust themselves to a uniform distance from each other.

I didn’t think there’d be a problem, since there was nothing there.

The Centralized Mindset

Assume centralized controlwhere none exists

Impose centralized controlwhere none is needed

Decentralized Systems

Traffic jamsTermite colonies

Market economiesComputer networks

Human minds

After-school centers where inner-city youth work together on design projects