This course is designed for current and emerging creators, disruptors, doers and change makers. We will explore the beliefs, mindsets, tools & dispositions of creatives across industries. We will apply design thinking processes & principles throughout the course and make iterative connections between theory and practice. This course is designed to draw the connection between and among innovative school leadership, culture, deeper learning, and equity.

We will interrogate “innovation” and explore concrete observable behaviors, processes, and conditions that support individual, collective and organizational capacity to move forward. We will also explore the natural immunities to change and how to navigate them. We will learn how to equitably support all learners, both student and adult learners.

Our intention is to give you multiple opportunities to use design thinking, so that you might feel confident in deploying the process in a “sprint” or a “marathon.” As such, you will engage in empathy mapping, defining (need finding), ideating, prototyping and iterating. This will include: field work, mindfulness activities, interactions with experts, reading & writing, dialogue & discussion, analysis, synthesis, and creation. Most importantly, we hope you enjoy the journey and courageously imagine ways to build greater equity in your context by leading innovation.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What is innovation and why should I care?

Why does who I am matter in leading innovation in schools?

How might we begin to create a school-wide culture of innovation?