Comments on: The importance of environmental design (why whiteboards are awesome) http://www.unschooled.org/2007/05/the-importance-of-environmental-design-why-whiteboards-are-awesome/ It's been a long week... Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:42:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Unschooled » Blog Archive » Life Optimization, Or, Brief Thoughts On What Has And Has Not Worked In Improving My Dad-to-Day Life http://www.unschooled.org/2007/05/the-importance-of-environmental-design-why-whiteboards-are-awesome/comment-page-1/#comment-52 Unschooled » Blog Archive » Life Optimization, Or, Brief Thoughts On What Has And Has Not Worked In Improving My Dad-to-Day Life Sat, 10 Jan 2009 19:10:45 +0000 http://www.unschooled.org/05/29/the-importance-of-environmental-design-why-whiteboards-are-awesome/#comment-52 [...] make it hard to ignore and even harder to forget. This is one of the many things I use my whiteboard for: My notes/goals/lists live as large letters on my wall, visible from my bed. A note on my [...] [...] make it hard to ignore and even harder to forget. This is one of the many things I use my whiteboard for: My notes/goals/lists live as large letters on my wall, visible from my bed. A note on my [...]

]]> By: Peter A. B. http://www.unschooled.org/2007/05/the-importance-of-environmental-design-why-whiteboards-are-awesome/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Peter A. B. Mon, 04 Jun 2007 22:40:53 +0000 http://www.unschooled.org/05/29/the-importance-of-environmental-design-why-whiteboards-are-awesome/#comment-10 Maria Montessori promoted a similar concept which she called The Prepared Environment. Her approach to education was based on a triangle whose points represented the learner, the teacher and the material (which included both individual materials, such as numbered blocks, and the (broader) material environment. In her classrooms, materials were designed, placed and maintained in such a way as to initiate learning/development. She advocated only the best quality for even the youngest learners (e.g., two year olds) and insisted that they be meticulously maintained. Hence, when a young person went to, say, the language arts area, in order to begin to master pencil control, (s)he would find a small wooden writing block (like a 6" square chopping block), a container of perfectly sharpened thick pencils, and a tray with an ample supply of pre-cut 6" square pieces of paper, along with a set of 6" square metal plates with different shapes cut out from their center, such as a 5" diameter circle or 5" square. The student would be taught to take the block off of the shelf, place a piece of paper on top of it followed by one of the metal forms, and then trace the inside form (circle, square, etc.), thereby beginning to master pencil manipulation in a controlled environment. If you think you're obsessive (with your symmetry of three whiteboards), Nicholas, you ain't seen nothin' compared to Montessori. Her 27 steps of handwashing relied on the use of matching--and they must be matched by color--bowl, pitcher and sponge. Other activities and materials were similarly controlled in their design (and use!), all with the belief that by preparing the environment thusly, an adult could stimulate the development of basic concepts such as number, order, seriation, size, shape, tone, volume, etc. Although, through today's lens, we might see her approach as being a bit confining (though many adults still see it as necessary and desirable), the basic idea of creating a physical environment that would facilitate specific behavioral outcomes seems to have merit. (After all, don't we put doors on buildings so that people don't have to climb in the windows or come down the chimney?) Maria Montessori promoted a similar concept which she called The Prepared Environment. Her approach to education was based on a triangle whose points represented the learner, the teacher and the material (which included both individual materials, such as numbered blocks, and the (broader) material environment. In her classrooms, materials were designed, placed and maintained in such a way as to initiate learning/development. She advocated only the best quality for even the youngest learners (e.g., two year olds) and insisted that they be meticulously maintained. Hence, when a young person went to, say, the language arts area, in order to begin to master pencil control, (s)he would find a small wooden writing block (like a 6″ square chopping block), a container of perfectly sharpened thick pencils, and a tray with an ample supply of pre-cut 6″ square pieces of paper, along with a set of 6″ square metal plates with different shapes cut out from their center, such as a 5″ diameter circle or 5″ square. The student would be taught to take the block off of the shelf, place a piece of paper on top of it followed by one of the metal forms, and then trace the inside form (circle, square, etc.), thereby beginning to master pencil manipulation in a controlled environment.

If you think you’re obsessive (with your symmetry of three whiteboards), Nicholas, you ain’t seen nothin’ compared to Montessori. Her 27 steps of handwashing relied on the use of matching–and they must be matched by color–bowl, pitcher and sponge. Other activities and materials were similarly controlled in their design (and use!), all with the belief that by preparing the environment thusly, an adult could stimulate the development of basic concepts such as number, order, seriation, size, shape, tone, volume, etc.

Although, through today’s lens, we might see her approach as being a bit confining (though many adults still see it as necessary and desirable), the basic idea of creating a physical environment that would facilitate specific behavioral outcomes seems to have merit. (After all, don’t we put doors on buildings so that people don’t have to climb in the windows or come down the chimney?)

]]> By: amyb http://www.unschooled.org/2007/05/the-importance-of-environmental-design-why-whiteboards-are-awesome/comment-page-1/#comment-9 amyb Wed, 30 May 2007 14:45:23 +0000 http://www.unschooled.org/05/29/the-importance-of-environmental-design-why-whiteboards-are-awesome/#comment-9 1. "aided in the development of a theory of how best to pick up strangers" What did you come up with? You clearly cannot post that you and your roommates had pick-up line revelations on your white board and then not share said revelations. 2. Do you have any thoughts on the black board white board divide? Why are WHITE boards so awesome Nick? Why not BLACK boards? So racist. 1. “aided in the development of a theory of how best to pick up strangers”

What did you come up with? You clearly cannot post that you and your roommates had pick-up line revelations on your white board and then not share said revelations.

2. Do you have any thoughts on the black board white board divide? Why are WHITE boards so awesome Nick? Why not BLACK boards? So racist.

]]> By: six http://www.unschooled.org/2007/05/the-importance-of-environmental-design-why-whiteboards-are-awesome/comment-page-1/#comment-8 six Wed, 30 May 2007 07:55:10 +0000 http://www.unschooled.org/05/29/the-importance-of-environmental-design-why-whiteboards-are-awesome/#comment-8 Corollary: Once I change my cultural practices to fully exploit the new technological infrastructure, I am dependent on it until I build another new infrastructure to replace it. (cf. your longing for ubiquitous whiteboardism; college students' pathological obsession with Facebook; the world's pathological obsession with the internet; etc.) Corollary: Once I change my cultural practices to fully exploit the new technological infrastructure, I am dependent on it until I build another new infrastructure to replace it.

(cf. your longing for ubiquitous whiteboardism; college students’ pathological obsession with Facebook; the world’s pathological obsession with the internet; etc.)

]]> By: Amanda http://www.unschooled.org/2007/05/the-importance-of-environmental-design-why-whiteboards-are-awesome/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Amanda Tue, 29 May 2007 18:22:22 +0000 http://www.unschooled.org/05/29/the-importance-of-environmental-design-why-whiteboards-are-awesome/#comment-7 <blockquote>With graph paper, when you’re not working on your problem set, the problems are not in view — they’re in your backpack, desk drawer or, most likely, on your floor.</blockquote> I find that most problems need some period of dormancy before they resolve themselves. Unfortunately, it’s very easy for a dormant problem to become a hibernating one. My current technique to prevent this is to keep my projects literally in sight – that is, I have to have the papers sitting there to remind me that I’m still puzzling out the problem. This is far from ideal.

With graph paper, when you’re not working on your problem set, the problems are not in view — they’re in your backpack, desk drawer or, most likely, on your floor.

I find that most problems need some period of dormancy before they resolve themselves. Unfortunately, it’s very easy for a dormant problem to become a hibernating one. My current technique to prevent this is to keep my projects literally in sight – that is, I have to have the papers sitting there to remind me that I’m still puzzling out the problem. This is far from ideal.

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