Designing anything begins with a thoughtful ideation process – a time for reflection, inspiration, and collaboration. When the school envisioned a space where students could experiment and explore with technology, my colleagues and I knew we needed to start with a fundamental question: Why? Why create this space, and what do we hope it will accomplish?
The Ideation Process
To answer the "why", our small team met weekly in the space that would become our Innovation Lab. Each of us shared research to help guided our discussions, including the following insights:
- "With the emergence of the maker movement, research has identified that adopting this approach in schools can have a significant impact on student learning and development (Hughes, 2017; NMC Horizon Report, 2015; Small, 2014; Curos, 2015)." (Greenwood, Innovation Lab Executive Summary, 2018)
This evidence, coupled with Greenwood's commitment to progressive learning (greenwoodcollege.org, 2018), led us to this purpose statement:
- "The Innovation Lab will further the school’s mission (greenwoodcollege.org, 2018) by challenging and inspiring students to safely take risks in exploring big ideas and develop skills used in the real world. For this reason, the lab will be more than a space full of technology or resources.” (Greenwood, Innovation Lab Executive Summary, 2018)
How the Innovation Lab Supports Student Success
Our next step was envisioning what kind of learner the Innovation Lab would serve. George Couros's Innovator's Mindset resonated strongly with our school's values:
"[As] leaders in education, our job is not to control those whom we serve but to unleash their talent. If innovation is going to be a priority in education, we need to create a culture where trust is the norm.” (Couros, 2015)
The Innovator's Mindset became our guide for how the space would work:
- Innovator’s Mindset: 8 Characteristics (Couros, 2015)
- Empathetic
- Problem Finders AND Problem Solvers
- Risk Takers
- Networked
- Observant
- Creators
- Resilient
- Reflective
What the Students Wanted
With a clear 'why' and a framework for how it would function, we invited students to weigh in. Their insights addressed the practical:
- How would students use the space to plan together?
- How would students access the various tools in the space?
- How would students document and share their ideas?
Students were clear about what they wanted: flexible spaces for planning and sharing, a variety of tools, and a safe environment for trying new ideas and iterating projects over time.
The Result
As Aristotle would put it, just like collaborating and building on each others ideas, the space is more than the sum of its parts. The Innovation Lab is a space built on intention, guided by research, designed to ignite🔥student innovation.
Five years later, and the lab is going strong. Teachers and students have taken ownership of the space, which proves Greenwood's commitment to putting students first in decision-making and driving their own success. This shows that starting with "why" and thoughtfully aligning technology with the school's mission pays off in the long run.
References
Couros, G. (2015). The innovator’s mindset: empower learning, unleash talent, and lead a culture of creativity. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting. Greenwoodcollege.org. (2018). Academics | Greenwood College School. [online] Available at: https://www.greenwoodcollege.org/page/learning--growing/academics [Accessed 25 Sep. 2018]. Hughes, Janet. (2017). What Works? Research Into Practice. Research Monograph, Government of Ontario, 2017. Vol. 68. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/meaningful_making.html NMC Horizon Report 2015 K-12 Edition. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nmc.org/publication/nmc-horizon-report-2015-k-12-edition/ [Accessed 25 Sep. 2018] Small, Ruth V. (2014). The Motivational and Information Needs of Young Innovators: Stimulating Student Creativity and Inventive Thinking. School Library Research, 17, School Library Research, 2014, Vol.17. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslpubsandjournals/slr/vol17/SLR_MotivationalNeeds_V17.pdf National Research Council. (n.d.). Education for life and work: Guide for practitioners. Retreived from https://www.nap.edu/resource/13398/dbasse_084153.pdf [Accessed 25 Sep. 2018]
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