tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48061631974852624562009-12-27T09:04:00.095-08:00Connections: Investigating RealityA supradisciplinary approach to organizing knowledgeMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-74854272093792176022009-12-27T06:00:00.001-08:002009-12-27T06:00:17.410-08:00In response to the experience of teachers piloting the course, we’ve revised CIR's opening. Learners were resisting the investigations primarily because they were unlike the "read and remember game" they'd come to expect to play in school.
Mindy Nathan, principal of an alternative school in Bloomfield, Michigan, wrote to us:
"...My kids LIKE and PREFER the surface requests of conventional testMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-84963216931023417602009-12-26T13:16:00.001-08:002009-12-27T09:02:01.631-08:00Introduction: Thinking About ThinkingIn response to the experience of teachers piloting the course, we’ve revised CIR's opening. Learners were resisting the investigations primarily because they were unlike the "read and remember game" they'd come to expect to play in school.
Mindy Nathan, principal of an alternative school in Bloomfield, Michigan, wrote to us:
"...My kids LIKE and PREFER the surface requests of conventional testMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-84605843806615777332009-12-26T09:03:00.001-08:002009-12-27T08:39:53.670-08:00Investigation: Thinking in SchoolInvestigation: Thinking in SchoolMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-52180168777851301802009-12-26T09:02:00.000-08:002009-12-27T09:04:00.104-08:00Investigation: Mental PuzzlesSome comments on the second ("Thought Processes") part of the first Investigation:
1. Draw a map of the area where you live. (Probable thinking processes: remembering, translating; perhaps "observing" should be added.)
2. Discuss which is better: great clothes, or a cellphone. (Valuing)
3. In the area where you live, from what direction do winds usually blow when storms approach? (RememberingMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-32856538196597587582008-10-15T10:22:00.000-07:002009-09-30T04:40:01.596-07:00About This ProgramI’ve been in education since 1932 as student, teacher, administrator, textbook and professional book author, publisher consultant, teacher educator, contributor to professional journals, newspaper columnist, and visitor to schools as far east as Greece and as far west as Japan. I have opinions that helped shape Connections: Investigating Reality:On the challenge – Forget rocket science and brain Marion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-16981881632572637982008-10-13T17:26:00.000-07:002009-09-29T19:50:06.713-07:00Connections: Investigating Reality - A Course of StudyConnections: Investigating Reality is a free course of study designed primarily for adolescents and older students, working in small, cooperative groups. It's downloadable from this page. The program's overarching aim is expanding learner ability to "make sense" of reality, an aim we consider essential to the achievement of all other legitimate aims of a general education. The activities in Marion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-2033651665669691722008-10-13T17:13:00.000-07:002009-09-29T19:50:47.622-07:00Big ideas that shaped Connections:The future will be more complicated than the present. Old solutions won’t solve new problems. To solve problems, you need to make sense of the real world. In the real world, everything connects. You’ll need to understand “systems.” Because they’re the creators of all sciences and all arts, human societies are the most important systems you can study. Making sense of systems requires organized Marion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-15230663550800385572008-10-13T17:12:00.000-07:002009-12-26T08:59:46.851-08:00PART 1: Linking InformationMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-47402204670010781082008-10-13T17:11:00.003-07:002008-10-13T17:11:56.713-07:00Investigation: What’s Going On Here?Marion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-18666271947884875512008-10-13T17:11:00.001-07:002008-10-13T17:11:31.642-07:00Investigation: Categorizing InformationMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-15385815887007226152008-10-13T17:10:00.002-07:002008-10-19T17:56:58.719-07:00Investigating PatternsActive-Mode LearningIn traditional classes, the student’s role is to “absorb” information from text and teacher. In this passive mode, maintaining student interest is a never-ending challenge, students have difficulty retaining what they’ve learned, and complex student thought processes are largely neglected.Common sense says that life requires the constant use of many complex mental processes. Marion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-60711467056424451862008-10-13T17:10:00.001-07:002008-10-13T17:10:43.638-07:00Investigation: Social PatternsMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-81033184310526146222008-10-13T17:09:00.004-07:002008-10-13T17:10:24.881-07:00Investigation: Biological PatternsMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-85872834812232119382008-10-13T17:09:00.003-07:002008-10-17T10:47:08.867-07:00Investigation: Mathematical PatternsNote that series near the bottom are quite difficult.Answers:a) Each number increases by 3 over previous1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22b) Each number increases by 8 over previous5, 13, 21, 29, 37, 45, 53, 61c) Each number increases by 4 over previous11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, 35, 39d) Each number increases by 7 over previous3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 38, 45, 52e) Each number increases by 9 over previous5, 14, Marion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-82755458636253449712008-10-13T17:09:00.001-07:002008-10-13T17:09:27.555-07:00Investigation: Literary PatternsMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-2351315081877911972008-10-13T17:08:00.003-07:002008-10-13T17:08:54.111-07:00Investigation: Target AreaMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-33290964773370647392008-10-13T17:08:00.001-07:002008-10-13T17:08:29.574-07:00Investigation: Patterns in the Target AreaMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-62572864151133120792008-10-13T17:06:00.002-07:002008-10-13T17:07:32.774-07:00Investigating RelationshipsMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-34981373639349168022008-10-13T17:06:00.001-07:002008-10-13T17:06:44.216-07:00Investigation: A First Look at RelationshipsMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-2872521762156868732008-10-13T17:05:00.002-07:002008-10-13T17:06:01.045-07:00Investigation: Aerodynamic RelationshipsMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-8814532531749303712008-10-13T17:05:00.001-07:002008-10-13T17:05:41.348-07:00Investigation: Geographic RelationshipsMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-3054297385569445772008-10-13T17:04:00.004-07:002008-10-13T17:05:20.342-07:00Investigation: Relationships in Public IssuesMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-11569357599305543352008-10-13T17:04:00.003-07:002008-10-13T17:04:52.392-07:00Investigation: Physiological RelationshipsMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-77022587333359098332008-10-13T17:04:00.001-07:002008-10-13T17:04:24.547-07:00Investigation: Relationships in the Target AreaMarion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4806163197485262456.post-6091303675610043522008-10-13T17:03:00.001-07:002008-10-13T17:03:59.355-07:00I. Branching Out (1)Marion Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02606892539368068504mbrady22@cfl.rr.com0