GAZeL Launches Innovative Learning Collaborative
On September 28, 2015 GAZeL, launched the Arizona Innovative Learning Collaborative at our Forum on Innovative Learning 2015 and Beyond: Challenges, Opportunities, Technologies and Strategies. The Forum was convened in cooperation with other business, education and community organizations.
Why The Collaborative?
Innovative Learning and new technologies will transform teaching and learning and
enable a new generation of education and workforce development solutions in Arizona
enable a new generation of education and workforce development solutions in Arizona
Innovative Ideas and New Technologies Transforming Education
While issues such as funding, politics, testing, and legislation tend to dominate the education agenda in Arizona, innovative ideas and new technologies from blended learning, digital curriculum, innovative learning spaces, to mobile learning, individualized self paced learning, competency and outcome based education, flipped classrooms, adaptive learning models, Innovation Labs and Maker Spaces, 3D printing, coding, project based learning, robotics, game based learning and virtual lab experiences, are transforming teaching and learning, workplace training, and the way we do business!more.
Need For Collaboration
While there is amazing innovation taking place in education, we need to see greater collaboration among our education innovators in libraries, business, government, education and community organizatons.
While issues such as funding, politics, testing, and legislation tend to dominate the education agenda in Arizona, innovative ideas and new technologies from blended learning, digital curriculum, innovative learning spaces, to mobile learning, individualized self paced learning, competency and outcome based education, flipped classrooms, adaptive learning models, Innovation Labs and Maker Spaces, 3D printing, coding, project based learning, robotics, game based learning and virtual lab experiences, are transforming teaching and learning, workplace training, and the way we do business!more.
Need For Collaboration
While there is amazing innovation taking place in education, we need to see greater collaboration among our education innovators in libraries, business, government, education and community organizatons.
Collaborative Goals - Innovation, Technology, Collaboration
The Collaborative will engage the Arizona community in developing Action Plans and Communities Of Interest to:
Create A Culture of Education Innovation ...
that promotes and supports adoption of innovative ideas and new technologies that will transform teaching and learning and enable a new generation of education and workforce development solutions in Arizona. Innovation and technology must be infused in all Arizona discussions about education reform.
Develop opportunities for collaboration ...
among learning innovators in education, libraries, business, government, and community organizations to cooperate on initiatives that will support adoption of new and innovative strategies and technologies.
Create A Culture of Education Innovation ...
that promotes and supports adoption of innovative ideas and new technologies that will transform teaching and learning and enable a new generation of education and workforce development solutions in Arizona. Innovation and technology must be infused in all Arizona discussions about education reform.
Develop opportunities for collaboration ...
among learning innovators in education, libraries, business, government, and community organizations to cooperate on initiatives that will support adoption of new and innovative strategies and technologies.
We are not about politics, policy, and issues such as funding and testing!
We will be about innovation, technology, and collaboration!
We will be about innovation, technology, and collaboration!
Who Should Get Involved In The Collaborative?
Anyone who cares about the future of education in Arizona and wants to learn about, and participate in Creating a Culture of Education Innovation that will transform teaching and learning in Arizona.
Unlike many organizations that focus on a particular sector, the Collaborative will engage providers and consumers of innovative learning including innovators and administrators from libraries, K-12 education, charter schools, public and private colleges and universities, and community colleges. You will find interested people from the business community, elected officials, government agencies, nonprofit community schools and organizations, Innovative Learning and related enterprises, education advocates, parents, homeschoolers, students, and technology and innovative learning nonprofit organizations..
We Are Off and Running
The collaborative is being developed by GAZeL, the Greater Arizona eLearning Association, in cooperation with other education, business, government, and community organizations. Here are some of the organizations already participating in the Collaborative: University of Arizona, ASU, Pima Community College, University of Advancing Technology, West-MEC, Arizona Department of Education, Arizona Technology In Education Association, Arizona Telemedicine Program, Arizona Business and Education Coalition, the Game CoLab, Center for the Future of Arizona, Arizona State Library, for profit companies and more.
Unlike many organizations that focus on a particular sector, the Collaborative will engage providers and consumers of innovative learning including innovators and administrators from libraries, K-12 education, charter schools, public and private colleges and universities, and community colleges. You will find interested people from the business community, elected officials, government agencies, nonprofit community schools and organizations, Innovative Learning and related enterprises, education advocates, parents, homeschoolers, students, and technology and innovative learning nonprofit organizations..
We Are Off and Running
The collaborative is being developed by GAZeL, the Greater Arizona eLearning Association, in cooperation with other education, business, government, and community organizations. Here are some of the organizations already participating in the Collaborative: University of Arizona, ASU, Pima Community College, University of Advancing Technology, West-MEC, Arizona Department of Education, Arizona Technology In Education Association, Arizona Telemedicine Program, Arizona Business and Education Coalition, the Game CoLab, Center for the Future of Arizona, Arizona State Library, for profit companies and more.
Collaborative Activities
Activities May Include
- Communities of Interest Teams, and Action Plans
- AfterHours Networking
- Conferences, Forums, Workshops, Webinars
- Arizona Innovative Learning Forums
- GAZeL website as portal, event calendar and resource directory
- Newsletters/email updates
- Encouraging and providing access to Innovative Learning research in Arizona
- More
Communities Of Interest - Imagine What We Can Do If We Collaborate!
We will be creating Teams/Communities of Interest to network, share ideas and resources, exchange best practices, pursue joint funding opportunities, develop mutual professional development strategies, pursue and share research opportunities and cooperate in other initiatives that will support adoption of innovative strategies and technologies. Initially the Teams/Communities of Interest will include:
- Gamified Virtual Laboratory Simulations
- Games In Education and The Workplace
- Collaborative Professional Development
- Innovative Learning Conference: Creating A Culture Of Education Innovation: Strategic Planning for Innovation, Technology and Collaboration for our Arizona K-12 Schools, Universities, Community Colleges, Libraries and Community Organizations
- Open Education Resources Network
- Makerspaces Network
- State and Local Innovative Learning Plans
- Partnership with Pima Community College STEM Innovation Challenge
Collaborative Organization and Structure
GAZeL, the Greater Arizona eLearning Association. will convene and support the coordination of the Collaborative. Leadership includes:
- The GAZeL Board Of Directors
- Local Community Collaboratives/Coordinating Committees
- Communities of Interest Teams
Arizona's Learning Innovators mixin-it-up in a Community Near You!
Regional Collaboratives and Networking
The Collaborative will develop Regional Collaboratives in Tucson, Phoenix, and other regions in Arizona, with Local Champions and Leadership Teams, in sync with the statewide Collaborative.
We will also host networking events (monthly or bimonthly) in those regions simultaneously, same day and time, all connected with live video conference links. The Agenda for the Networking events are simple, site host introductions, brief innovative learning presentations originating from one or more locations, and time on the agenda for announcements or requests for help. And, of course, refreshments, and networking, networking and more networking. This will enable education innovators in business, government, education & nonprofit organizations to network and collaborate in their local communities but be a part of the statewide Collaborative.
Tentative Locations:
The Collaborative will develop Regional Collaboratives in Tucson, Phoenix, and other regions in Arizona, with Local Champions and Leadership Teams, in sync with the statewide Collaborative.
We will also host networking events (monthly or bimonthly) in those regions simultaneously, same day and time, all connected with live video conference links. The Agenda for the Networking events are simple, site host introductions, brief innovative learning presentations originating from one or more locations, and time on the agenda for announcements or requests for help. And, of course, refreshments, and networking, networking and more networking. This will enable education innovators in business, government, education & nonprofit organizations to network and collaborate in their local communities but be a part of the statewide Collaborative.
Tentative Locations:
- Skysong in Scottsdale
- Pima Community College In Tucson
- Other sites TBD
Collaborative Online Community
We are developing an Innovative Learning Collaborative online Community to communicate, collaborate, share information, post files, and coordinate the Teams/Communities Of Interest. An invitation is required to join the online community. Contact us if you are interested interested and we will send an invite.