Closer than Monet's gardens and a place for creative inspiration ...

 

While a visit to the Claude Monet House and Gardens in Giverny (France) has been on my wish list for a long time, we have a North American scenic rival at the Butchart Gardens near Victoria, British Columbia - a boating or ferry opportunity from Seattle or Bellingham, Washington ... or from Vancouver, BC. 

The famous sunken garden (top center photo) was originally the limestone quarry for the Butchart family business, but after the limestone was extracted in the early 20th century, Jennie Butchart began a transformation of the area that now attracts more than 1 million visitors a year.

There are water lilies to paint and rest by, as you might find in Giverny, as well as nicely placed benches and scenic spots for creative inspiration of any kind.  A peak at the bay?  Resting under a canopy of roses?  Or, maybe you'd like to ride the carousel?  Finding beautiful places is a great way to begin creating the 3 preconditions for innovation!  (http://www.caronsart.com/about.html).

For more information about the Butchart Gardens:
http://www.butchartgardens.com/

What is Integrative Learning?

... just returned from the AAC&U (Association of American Colleges and Universities) conference at Loyola University in Chicago to learn more about Integrative Learning and Signature Works through their annual institute.  For those of us interested in creativity, entrepreneurial mindset/behaviors and 21st century workforce skills, the AAC&U has many tools for us to use with students and within our communities.

What is integrative learning?  Here's the AAC&U vision:

Integrative learning is an understanding and a disposition that a student builds across the curriculum and cocurriculum, from making simple connections among ideas and experiences to synthesizing and transferring learning to new, complex situations within and beyond the campus.

If you would like to consider the controversy of "assessing" creativity, take a look at the AAC&U creative thinking rubric:

Link to AAC&U Creative Thinking Rubric