Sharon Dvora
MFA Collaborative Design
PNCA Candidate 2013
An Innovations Lab
in a School of Education

How can design contribute to the transformation of
the American public education system?

MFA Collaborative Design
Design Ecologies
Systems Thinking
Cultural Entrepreneurship

Education needs to go back to school.

School&of&
Educa,on&
Southern&
Oregon&University&
“a distinctive campus that
sparks creativity, collaboration, and
adventure while connecting students
with community and careers.”

Design Thinking + Trans-Disciplinary Learning

Design Thinking + Trans-Disciplinary Learning
Trans-Disciplinary Learning
Collaborative & team-based, centered on real world engagement
with complex problems, issues or questions.
Innovations Lab
A space where dynamic methods are employed to accelerate
creative & collective thinking, catalyzing new adaptive strategies
& approaches to our educational system’s complex challenges.

“Design is the ability to imagine
that-which-does-not-yet-exist,
to make it appear in concrete form as
a new, purposeful addition to the real world.”
Harold Nelson, The Design Way

Design Thinking + Trans-Disciplinary Learning
 How can we design learning environments &
experiences that provide the optimal conditions
for students to thrive in the 21st century?

Design Thinking + Trans-Disciplinary Learning
 How can we design learning environments &
experiences that provide the optimal conditions
for students to thrive in the 21st century?
 How can the design process involve educators and
learners as integral stakeholders in imagining the
future of teaching & learning?

Inspirations from the Field of Education
 Early Learning Centers of Reggio Emilia
 Place based learning
 Project based learning

Influences from the Broader Field
 New Generation of Connected Learners
 New Practices of Knowledge Generation + Sharing
 Online Learning, Informal Learning
 Emerging Technologies: Individualized Learning

“Emphasize teaching, learning and
assessment for classroom teachers.”
Dean of School of Education at SOU!

Dean of School of Education at SOU!
“It weaves in the arts and creativity.
It addresses teaching and learning challenges.
It offers a project-based, trans-disciplinary approach.”

An!educa)onal!design!studio!for!launching!crea)ve!and!
responsive!educators!and!leaders.!

 Pedagogy
Design Thinking
Trans-Disciplinary or Project-Based Learning
Regional Engagement
Arts + Creativity Infused
Entrepreneurship in Education
Eco-literacy: designing for aliveness

 Curriculum
Foundations: Design Thinking for Educators
Pedagogy: Trans-Disciplinary Learning
Research: Design Research in Education
Leadership: Creative Leadership in Education
Diversity: Imagining the Future of Education
Assessment: Creative Learning and Assessment

 Place
StEm To
StE{A}MUpCoMiNg:
PrAcTiCuM OpPoRtUnItIeS
PrOfEsSiOnAl DeVeLoPmEnT
WoRkShOpS
Med CoUrSeWoRk
CReAtIvELEaDeRsHiP
HoMe AbOuT CrEaTiVe LeAdErShIp PrOfEsSiOnAl DeVeLoPmEnT PrAcTiCuM OpPoRtUnItIeS StEm To StE{A}M OrEgOn WrItInG PrOjEcT
zLAb
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 Community of Practice

 Community!of!Prac)ce!

 Community!of!Prac)ce!

 Community!of!Prac)ce!

ONLINE&
zLAB&
STUDIO&
zLAB&
PROFESSIONAL&
DEVELOPMENT&
GRADUATE&
COURSEWORK&
MEd&
CREATIVE&&
LEADERSHIP&
LEARNING&
LANDSCAPE&
STEM&to&
STE{A}M&
CREATIVE&
LEADERSHIP&
MASTERS&
An Innovations Lab in the School of Education
at Southern Oregon University
Flexible Delivery
Audience: Emerging + Experienced Educators
Target Initiatives
PRACTICUM&
OPPORTUNITIES&
REGIONAL&
CONSULTANCY&

Outcomes + Benefits
 Meeting the Needs of All Learners
 Educator Empowerment + Cultivating Student Voice
 Real World Engagement: Connecting School + Community
 Out-of-the-box Thinkers: Lifelong Passion for Learning
 Promote Scholarship + Research
 Equity + Sustainability: Economic + Social + Ecological

“There is no bolder act
than to challenge one’s own beliefs.”
Don Harker

“Create a movement. Engage in meaningful conversations about
changing the education landscape.”
“Consult with kids. Survey students about what they would like to
study, then design spaces that let them learn what they want to
learn.”
OWP/P Architects + VS Furniture + Bruce Mau, The Third Teacher

Next steps

Questions?