Week 9 (1213)

Innovation is mysterious. Inspiration is largely unpredictable. But it’s obvious from all the success we see in the Mac Lab that we can rise to the occasion.

Once the habit is ingrained and you become the starter, the center of the circle, you will find more and more things to notice, to instigate, and to initiate. Momentum builds and you get better at generating it. If you go to bed at night knowing that people are expecting you to initiate things all day the next day, you’ll wake up with a list. And as you create a culture of students who are always seeking to connect and improve and poke, the bar gets raised.

What might be considered a district-level decision at another school gets done as a matter of course. What might be reserved for our principal’s approval gets handled at the classroom level, saving us time and trouble (and generating student engagement and motivation).

This incredibly prosaic idea, the very simple act of initiating, is actually profoundly transformative.
— Seth Godin / Poke the Box (paraphrased) 

That’s not what Seth actually wrote. That’s what I read. Here’s what Seth wrote.

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When I’m reading books like Poke the Box, I’m always thinking: How might this apply to the Mac Lab? How can this help me to improve the students’ overall experience? How will it help to create more life-long learners? And in this instance:

How can I help the kids understand that this is about them, and not me? They’ve got to become the starter, the center of the circle. They’ve got to find more and more things to notice. They’ve got to build momentum and get better at generating it. They need to go to bed at night and wake up with a list of new ideas. They’ve got to raise the bar on their own expectations of what they might accomplish in here, and in life.

Because when you get down to it, their future is in their own hands, and not mine. 

Transformation is not incredibly prosaic. It’s an incredible opportunity waiting for you to discover… and initiate.

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These two versions—the author’s and my own—are constantly circling around one another, like in Tierra’s illustration. The Mac Lab is like that too. You exist in a parallel environment. I’m writing these words for you, but you’re interpreting them in your own way.

This is a potentially transformative moment. Or it’s just another of Skocko’s prosaic blog posts. It all depends on your point of view.

But…

You can’t evade the fact forever. It really does depend on you. You.

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Treasure: The Hidden Quest (150+50) up there ↑ actually does contain treasure. (And yes, I want you to find it.)

Warning: Completing the Quest doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve discovered the treasure.

Today: Catch up on old Quests.

MLSS: The next MLSS is November 10. I’m at Cal State San Marcos next weekend presenting our Gamified Curriculum Delivery System to San Diego educators interested in the idea.

Reminder: You might want to read the board.

MLM: Interested in learning how to use high-end video equipment like a pro? Mac Lab Media is having a meeting today in our back room at lunch. Be there! (Bring your lunch.)

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1030: A change is coming. See the Alice Quest for details.

Quest

• Alice (250+50)

Reminder: Alice is allowed during class today but then it’s on your own time* if you want in the MLCS (Mac Lab Computer Science) program.

*Yes, it counts as extra lab time.

OGO: I could also use your help in enforcing the new OGO (one-game-only) policy. Thanks in advance. (It won’t be easy.)

250,000: Just passed a quarter-million page views! w00t! Gratz to the two players who won 250 Gold for their correct guesses—including a two-time winner. (Nostradamus reincarnated or just 1337?)

Question: With 300,000 just around the corner, why haven’t you played yet?

New Bounty Policy: Anyone witnessing a player sending an unsolicited Guild invite can claim 50 Gold. The offender forfeits 50 Gold for Ignorance or Defiance (player’s choice) and I’m notified immediately. Fight the Good Fight and end the spam!

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1031: You are standing at the end of a road before a small brick building. Around you is a forest. A small stream flows out of the building and down a gully.

Quest

• Adventure (250+100)

Happy Halloween!

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1101: After a tiring night of trick or treating, the Boss understands that today you just want to relax by mastering the Pen Tool or diving deeper into the Elements and Principles of Art and Design. Make it so.

Reminder: You may work on Alice outside of class or play Adventure at home (OGO). If you choose to ignore this rule, you’re also choosing to venture into Sector 666, thereby losing 60 XP, 60 Gold, and 60 minutes.

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1102: Remember when the Boss said news of our gamified curriculum delivery system would spread? On Sunday, March 10th from 2:30 to 4:30 at the Sacramento Convention Center, our little gamification project will share the stage with Alex Peake, creator of Code Hero (and a dozen other epic projects), Carter Tatge, founder of STEM Fuse, and Melissa Jones, Adobe‘s World Wide Education Program Manager at the 2013 Educating for Careers Conference.

Note: The Boss didn’t apply to present. Word of our project made its way to Sacramento and he was asked to present. Cool beans!

Improve TAG: Remember that TAG Time is always open for you to submit ideas about how to improve the game. We’re just getting started and there are hundreds of ways to improve the experience. Good ideas are always worth an extra 50 XP + 50 Gold.

MLSS: The next MLSS is November 10. Tomorrow, I’m at Cal State San Marcos presenting our Gamified Curriculum Delivery System to other San Diego educators interested in the idea.

Quests: Since many of you are diligently working on your Pen Tool or Elements and Principles quests, the Boss won’t trouble you with new quests today. But Monday…

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