Method Ocean Plastic

Method

I just discovered Method’s Ocean Plastic Soap Bottle. It’s the world’s first bottle made with a blend of recovered ocean plastic and post-consumer recycled plastic, a combination that results in a uniquely gray resin.

How fantastic is this? How much do I love this brand?

Don’t Go Back To School

Kio Stark

My studiomate Kio Stark just launched her latest ebook titled Don’t Go Back to School. Fact is, schools don’t have a monopoly on learning anymore as more people are declining traditional education and college degrees. Instead they’re getting the knowledge, training, and inspiration they need outside of the classroom.

In Don’t Go Back to School Kio draws on extensive research and over 100 interviews with independent learners, and with that offers the ultimate guide to learning without school. The book provides models and methods for taking a new kind of path through learning, and transforming that alternative education into an exciting career path.

Kio provides concrete strategies and resources for getting started as an independent learner. If you’re debating whether college, trade school, or independent learning will get you where you want to be, Don’t Go Back to School is essential reading.

Buy her ebook here.

Letters Puzzle

letters puzzle

Tilo’s recent obsession with everything ABC makes me want to splurge and buy this Wooden Letter Puzzle.

Hey Learn This

Navigating life as a functioning adult can be tricky at best. Ace Greenhorn is teaching us the basics with his Masterclasses: Learn how to walk (above), how to throw, how to recognize basic shapes etc.

This. Made. My. Day!

(Thank You Jenny)

Balloon Rocket

This weekend, I will be making Balloon Rockets with my kids. You can find more projects like this over on Toys from Trash by Arvin Gupta.

Gravity

I was just trying to explain the concept of Gravity to my daughter this weekend. This video will help.

(via explore)

Slinky Study

Incredibly fascinating slow-motion footage of how a slinky falls when extended by its own weight and then released!

(via the kidshouldseethis)

Teaching to See

Inge Druckrey: Teaching to See from Edward Tufte on Vimeo.

In this short 38 minute film by Edward Tufte, Inge Druckrey teaches us how to see, really see. Absolutely fantastic!

(Trying to convince Edward Tufte that it’s ok for me to embed the video here.) Thank you Mr. Tufte!

(via Tufte / via @chadkdesign)

Don’t Fear The Internet

You’ve probably seen Jessica Hische’s and Russ Maschmeyer’s site Don’t Fear The Internet before. But just in case you haven’t, trust me, you should pay a visit.

Origami Flapping Bird

Ready to fold some origami? Here’s a tutorial by Tavin15 that will teach you the flapping bird. There’s plenty more.

(via the kid should see this)

Brooklyn Robot Foundry

Brooklyn Robot Foundry is a group of educators and technologists dedicated to helping Brooklyn children optimize their hands-on, technology-based learning experience. In other words: They’ll teach your kids how to build a robot. It doesn’t get much cooler than that.

(thank you Josh)

Three Primary Colors

Three Primary Colors is a collaboration between OK Go and Sesame Street explaining the basics of color theory in stop-motion. Try to watch this without smiling.

(via Brain Pickings)

The Future Belongs to the Curious

Congrats on the fantastic spot, Skillshare!

Lighting Techniques for Video Interviews

Now that was interesting! A video tutorial teaching you Lighting Techniques for Video Interviews.

(via Cameron Moll)

MFA Products of Design

The School of Visual is starting a new MFA program called Product of Design and I am honored to be part of the faculty.

The application deadline for the new program is fast approaching, on January 15, 2012.

Learn more about the Program over at the department site or download the Interactive Department Brochure.

Pixel Perfect Vector Nudging

When nudging vector points, Photoshop exhibits some strange behaviour, linked to how far you’re currently zoomed in. At 100%, nudging using the arrow keys will move your vector point exactly 1 pixel. At 200%, nudging moves the point half a pixel. At 300%, it’ll move a third of a pixel.

Fantastic post on Pixel Perfect Vector Nudging in Photoshop.

(via @khoi)

Appracadabra Apps

My kids love the beautifully designed counting app by Appracadabra. What makes me happy is that we have it currently set to count in Swiss German.

But they can also learn to count in Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovakian, Spanish and Swedish.

Get it from the App Store.

A Free, Open, Curriculum for Web Education

WaSP InterACT is a community driven project that offers a free, open, curriculum for web education.

Schools that teach web design struggle to keep pace with our industry, and those just starting their curricula often set off in the wrong direction because the breadth and depth of our medium can be daunting.

The WaSP InterACT curriculum project seeks to ease the challenges schools around the world face as they prepare their students for careers on the Web.

WaSP InterACT is a living curriculum designed to change and keep pace with the fast moving industry. Its courses are divided into several tracks that provide students with a well rounded foundation in the many facets of the web design craft.

Get involved and contribute!

(picked up at BrooklynBeta, which I am currently attending)

Dear Great Teachers,

Our schools are facing some tough challenges right now. But, the way TBD sees it, there’s no better time to bring the spotlight back on those teachers that make our classrooms thrive.

They *just* launched ThanksForTeaching.Us, a 30 day campaign to share thanks for the unforgettable teachers that shaped our lives.

Take a minute to say thanks by recognizing one (or a bunch) of your favorite teachers and what they inspired you to do. I just added mine.

Two of my studiomates, Kevin and Yoko helped design and build the site. Studiomates represent!

The Future of Education

Creating the Future of Education and Work wants to help educators foster creativity and conceptual thinking in schools. The founders, Rita J. King and Joshua Fouts, created creatingthefuturetoday.com as a resource for teachers and parents with ideas that help foster imagination and teach kids to collaborate while problem solving.

(via GOOD / @archiculture)

The Kid Should See This

Parents, listen up: My friend Rion started a tumblr called The Kid Should See This. Being a mom of two, she feels as there’s just so much science, nature, music, arts, technology, storytelling and assorted good stuff out there that her kids (and maybe your kids) haven’t seen. It’s most likely not stuff that was made for them…

The Kid Should See This is a collection of off-the-grid-for-little-kids videos and other smart stuff collected by Rion and her three year old co-curator Dante.

Follow @thekidshouldsee on Twitter.

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is an educational website that, as its tagline puts it, aims to let anyone “learn almost anything—for free.” There’s currently a fantastic write-up about it over at Wired.

(via Amrit)

Cat’s Cradle

I used to play this excessively as a kid. Apparently it’s called Cat’s Cradle in English. (I can’t remember what we used to call it in Swiss-German.) My favorite part of the game always the passing it on to a friend, while continuing to play. Thanks for the flash-back, Mrs. Easton.

Skillshare

Skillshare just launched and I am excited for them. Skillshare’s mission is to flip the notion of traditional education on its head and democratize learning. They believe that anyone can be a teacher, and everyone has valuable knowledge and skills to share. I couldn’t agree more!

I think I might take this class on How To Make Chinese Dumplings or should I take Game Mechanics for Social Apps?