places to learn

Over at the working in adult literacy forum last fall, we talked about our dreams for places to learn.

Well, if you can't find them you can do what Konrad from blog of proximal development did and build one.

I’ve been thinking about classroom design for a very long time but have never really been able to experiment with it until I found out about Second Life and the virtual building opportunities that it affords. When I first started working on my teachandlearn retreat on the island of jokaydia in Second Life, I realized that, for the first time in my career as an educator, I had an opportunity to create my ideal learning environment. I had the freedom to create any place I wanted. Strangely enough, what I created does not have desks or tables, it doesn’t even have chairs. Instead, it has a hot-air balloon (great for small group conversations), a couple of Japanese tea houses, and a lot of cushions. Oh, and the view, you have to see the view!

Now there is some crazy wisdom at work.

A quick rest, woodblock by Joshua Rome ↑

First demonstration of a hot air balloon in Umegasaki, Japan,
in 1805 by Johann Caspar Horner →