MIKE'S SEVEN C's

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WHAT MAKES (OR ONCE MADE…) LEARNING FUN?

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1.  Curiosity: surprise and intrigue the learner

2.  Confidence: help the learner feel safe and smart

3. Challenge: encourage learners to try something new

4. Control: help learners feel in charge

5. Contact: encourage sensory exploration and playfulness

6.  Communication: stimulate meaningful conversations

7. Creativity: freedom to arrive at one’s own conclusions without fear of being wrong

 


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WHEN DOES (OR DID…) LEARNING STOP BEING FUN?

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1.  When curiosity is stifled: monotony reigns and apathy can’t be far away

2.  When confidence is eroded: the learner feels at risk and un-smart

3. When the challenge is removed: boredom sets in and our ability to pay attention is lost

4. When control is taken away: all decisions are made for you and you feel unneeded or unwanted

5. When contact is not allowed: tangible understanding of the physical world is removed

6.  When communication is stymied: frustration sets in as we cannot effectively express our ideas to one another

7. When creativity is thrown overboard: we become mindless robots parroting what we’ve been taught in schools by “the educated minds of our day”