I came across a couple interesting articles last night when I was proof-reading an article for my sister. I've been interested in the Media Lab at MIT for quite sometime and also interested in the writings of Neil Gershenfeld since I read Fab many years ago. I am always intrigued by the research and ideas surrounding his work but this first article addresses more about the problems with the education system and why big institutions "get it wrong". He is talking about the same kind of localized and applied learning and innovation that occurred in Industrial Arts programs and Craft based programs in years past. I really love his comments on distance learning and the organizational structure/chart. This article is worth spending some time with if you are an educator.
The second article outlines my thoughts on why Craft is so important and directly connected to the digital revolution. His comments on the process being about "smoothing material" resonates with me and builds the case for why I felt that the Digital Craft Research Lab needed to figure out how the digital and the analog work in tandem when I first started the lab. It also outlines the big picture when it comes to areas of study, the reasons for pursuing a course of study, and being grounded in reality. Sidenote: Mr Gershenfeld even mentions Dave Gingery who I've always idolized and shared with my students. Check out the article.
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