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Home Summer Institutes Innovation by Design

Innovation by Design:
Intensive Projects in Classroom Technology

July 17-20, 2012
Cambridge, MA

Create a custom, research-based plan of action for change.

Cost: $2,275

The Summer Institute is for:

PreK-12 teachers, curriculum specialists, and administrators
Higher education professors
Curriculum Developers

From July 17-20, 2012, Learning & the Brain will offer a Summer Institute in the heart of Harvard Square.

Participants will work in teams on projects of their own choosing, moving through an iterative process of problem definition, evidence gathering, research, program design and formative evaluation. Technology will be embedded as part of the process and, as is appropriate, as part of the proposed program design. Participants will explore and tap the latest cognitive and behavioral research to guide their projects. The institute is designed to be an intense, hands-on workshop with group projects and therefore is limited to 35 participants.

You Will Create a:

Statement of an educational problem of your choice
Vision of measurable success
Research statement supporting a theory of learning and behavior change
Theory of Action derived from the research
Program Proposal with outline for iterative development and implementation

You Will Learn:

A process of research-based innovative design in education
Strategies for incorporating research into practice
Ways to leverage technology to support cognitive development, behavior change, and motivation
Mechanisms for personalizing learning with technology
How to tap research and expertise outside your knowledge base to promote innovative thinking
In-depth about the problem focus for your project

Format

The institute is structured around tackling specific educational problems of the participants choosing. You are encouraged to come in teams of 2 to 3 with a shared interest, which will form the basis for problem definition and project work. Individual participants will be paired with projects of common interest. The institute is structured into 6 half-day workshops each with its own deliverable designed to move your project forward. Each workshop includes lecture, reflection, and deliverable development. Deliverables will be posted on a wiki for sharing and review among the participants. Full participation is expected among all participants. Full-time participation and preparation are expected throughout the Institute.

About the Institute

This Learning & the Brain Summer Institute will be led by Dr. David Dockterman and assisted by Maria Flanagan. The program is designed to help individuals and school teams develop the knowledge, skills and strategies necessary to implement new educational technologies in the classroom. The program offers participants an intensive professional development experience, drawing on the work of Dr. Dockterman. This course is designed for educators with no prior background in educational technology. Particpants should bring their own laptop or tablet.

Meals, lodging and course materials are provided.

About Dr. David Dockterman

David Dockterman earned his EdD from Harvard University and is now an Adjunct Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His project-based course in the Technology, Innovation, and Education department guides students in the use of cutting edge research for innovative instructional design with technology. Dockterman draws on research across domains, from cognitive neuroscience to behavioral economics to evolutionary biology, to broaden thinking and possibilities.

Dr. Dockterman is also one of the founders of Tom Snyder Productions, a leading developer and publisher of educational technology that is now part of Scholastic Education, where Dockterman serves as Chief Architect, Learning Sciences. He has guided the development of scores of award-winning educational software programs, including Decisions, Decisions, TimeLiner, FASTT Math, and Fraction Nation. He also co-created and co-wrote Science Court, an animated science program that was part of ABC's Saturday morning lineup for kids

Before joining Tom Snyder Productions, Dockterman taught high-school social studies. He has dedicated himself to supporting classroom teaching and the successful integration of technology into schools. "Dock" enjoys family time and community volunteer work.

About Maria Flanagan

Maria Flanagan, Ed.M., is an experienced designer and producer of educational technology programs. She has led the development of programs for a wide variety of learning needs in math, science, and language arts. Maria has created several innovative and effective programs published by Scholastic and Tom Snyder Productions, such as Fraction Nation, GO Solve Word Problems, and Rainforest Researchers.

Maria has a master's degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education and has recently been a teaching fellow for David Dockterman's Innovation by Design course.

Professional Development Credit

This program provides a total of 22 hours toward professional development credit for various professionals. For types of credit offered, or to find out about additional engaged hours toward professional development credit, call Learning & the Brain Conference at 781-449-4010 ext. 101. Note: Credits are not provided by Harvard University.

Accommodations

Interaction between faculty and participants outside the classroom is an integral part of the Institute. To foster this total immersion learning environment, participants are housed in their own rooms at the Harvard Square Hotel in Cambridge, MA. The hotel is located in Harvard Square and a short walk to the Harvard Faculty Club, the site of the workshop. All facilities are ADA compliant. If you are interested in making your own accommodations off-campus, please call us at 781-449-4010 x 101 for a reduced rate.