Human nature is not a machine to be built after a model set to do exactly the work prescribed for it, but a tree which must grow and develop itself on all sides, it is only the cultivation of individuality that contributes to well developed human beings.
Sasha Barab is a Professor in Learning Sciences, IST and Cognitive Science at Indiana University. He also holds the Barbara Jacobs Chair of Education and Technology, and is the Director of the Center for Research on Learning and Technology. His research has resulted in numerous grants, dozens of academic articles, and multiple chapters in edited books, which investigate knowing and learning in its material, social, and cultural context.
His research has resulted in numerous grants, dozens of academic articles, and multiple chapters in edited books, which investigate knowing and learning in its material, social, and cultural context. His current work involves the research and development of rich learning environments, frequently with the aid of technology, that are designed to assist children in developing their sense of purpose as individuals, as members of their communities, and as knowledgeable citizens of the world.
Central to this work has been a focus on the understanding the value of transactive play, referring to a state of engagement that involves projection into the role of a character who, engaged in a partly fictional problem context, must apply conceptual understandings to make sense of and, ultimately, transform the context. As one example, the Quest Atlantis project is a learning and teaching project that leverages strategies used in the commercial gaming environment to develop a 3D multi-user environment to immerse children, ages 9-12, in educational tasks.
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