Module2 What's the big idea?

Observation is the basic beginning of the learning process. All of our learning process starts from observing something. We usually think that observation is just a visual activity, but it goes beyond looking at something very carefully. The profound observation which requires the full use of multi sensory stimulation results in an essential difference in perceiving something. We can even find this difference in our everyday life. For example, I am looking at the snow falling outside of the window. I can observe this with visual sensory perception. However, if I go outside and have a chance to observe the snow with multi senses; this can create a totally different perception for me.  I can smell the snow, taste it and hear its sound and touch the snow to feel how soft it is. This observation can even leave a question such as why this snow melts on my hands. Additionally, we can think of a situation where the snow is observed without using any visual sense. The snow can provide me with an unforgettable impression of touch or smell. Only because of being deprived of one sense, I will be much more sensitive to other sensory stimulations. This kind of observation is very effective for practicing focused observation.

Imaging is a little different from observing. Imaging something is a personal shorthand expression of one’s observation with sensations. It can be a realistic or an abstract one which presents one’s private feeling of something. For example, on a hot summer day you bathe your feet in the cold water. You can feel the coldness from your feet and the hot heat from in your head. Finally, you are going to feel that your body is getting cooler. If you express this heat transfer with lines or the colors on the paper, this is the imaging of your perceiving experience. An individual who is good at imaging can visualize something efficiently so that one can perceive something in various ways.

These two thinking tools are applicable in our everyday life so that we can be creative and perceive the mundane stuff with appreciation. With this consideration, I can observe the amount of sunshine in my front yard everyday and find out the appropriate plants there. Or I also can create a drawing about my own feelings depending on the amount of sunshine; which can be an art in itself.

This perceiving attitude can be put on practice to teach students creativity and to teach creativity to students. I think it is very important for students to be familiar with using their senses, pay attention to stimulations and try to express their perceiving experience with various imaging for communicating with other people.  For example, if the convection phenomenon is the subject,

The activities for students can be:

1. Assume the places where the convection phenomenon is happening every day at your own house.

2. Observe this place. How does it feel/smell/ sound/look like and how does it change after while?  

3. Observe this place with the thermometer? Can you find any visual changes?

4. Draw the directions of air movement in this place.

5.  Express your feeling of this space with colors on the paper.

6.  Can you find out the reasons why the air vent is on the floor?

With these activities, the students can have a chance to observe a mundane circumstance with consideration and realize the invisible phenomenon. They can also express their discoveries with other ways to communicate. During these activities the students can imagine the results before they do them and compare it afterwards so that they can think more creatively and accept the ordinary things differently.