The Learner Behind the Lab
Subscribing to a blog is a big commitment. Maybe you want to know what you're getting into before taking the leap.
Like most young people, I started out my life engaged, curious, and full of questions. I was brimming with wonder and my parents nurtured that. No coloring books (they don't promote creativity). I wanted to be an inventor when I grew up. But as I made my way through several public school systems I started to lose interest.
"WHY DO WE HAVE TO LEARN THIS? WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ME?" No one ever had a really good answer.
I learned to play the "game" of education. I got the grades and eventually earned a degree. But it wasn't until I was out of school that I reconnected with my love of learning. After realizing that school had failed me, I set out on a quest to figure out how to "fix" the process so that other kids and adults didn't burn out like I did.
Ever since that turning point, I have been obsessed with figuring out how people's brains work, how we learn best, and how to frame content so that educators never feel awkward answering that question "What does any of this have to do with me?"
So these will be the guiding ideas explored in this blog. Specifically, I am interested in:
The museum's role in creating transformative experiences (especially immersive ones), aside from their missions to collect and protect objects.
The relationship between the built environment in a museum and the experiences (programming) that can occur there.
The role of technology in creating learning experiences. (VR, AR, Apps, and the like)
The role of museums in fostering well-being and empathy (like churches or psychologists)
Social justice issues: including race, food, gender, and feminism
Innovation and inspiration in all forms -- in museums and across fields
This consultancy is called Peak Experience LAB because learning how to educate is a continual experiment. I am willing to try just about anything to engage learners of all types. And have. Peak Experiences do not require costumes, but that doesn't mean I haven't tried on a few. Learning should be fun, too!
