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An enormous number of adults are keen to continue the learning experience well after they've left their college or university, but the thought of going back to the boring classroom fills them with dread.

We want to learn, but desire to do it in a new way and perhaps learn some stuff that's a lot closer to self-help books than academia.

Sadly, the adult education world has been pretty much a void when it comes to interesting experiences, there's plenty of opportunity, but nothing that comes across as arresting.

The School of Life is an attempt to change that. With its storefront, savvy branding and its openness to embrace the desire for people to network and learn interesting stuff in the process.

They have such treats as a two-day tour of Heathrow Airport with Alan De Botton for 295 pounds and conversational dinners where you get to meet new people and learn the art of conversation at the same time.


My guess is there will be a race to see if School of Life can open up a New York outpost before it gets copied by some enterprising Americans.

The Telegraph has a story here
Monocle has a film here

Posted by Ed Cotton Educational establishments sometimes find it difficult to bring creativity to their marketing and branding efforts.

Given the increasing desire for everyone to learn a little creativity, I thought it was worth taking a look at the exploits of The Crucible, an institution designed just to do that.

Located in Oakland, The Crucible is a 30,000 sq ft plus space where you can learn how to make stuff, specifically-, welding, blacksmithing, foundry & mold making, glass, jewelry, neon & light, kinetics, machine shop, stone, woodworking, paper works, fire performance and ceramics.

Founded in 1999, for the past seven years its organized a Fire Arts Festival as a fund-raiser. Thousands of people pay $45 a head, some even more, to experience first hand the thrill of fire sculptures and performance.

It’s a great way to raise money, but it’s also a brand experience. You get to see, touch, smell and even taste The Crucible brand first hand.

It’s living, breathing, creative, interesting, edgy and exciting.

How would you create a Cruciblelike experience for your educational institution?

What would Harvard's look like?

What would Cal-Berkeley do?

What about MIT?

VCU-Adcenter?

Here are some shorts from the last day of the Crucible’s Fire Arts Festival.
 
Created with Paul's flickrSLiDR.

Posted by Ed Cotton