TESTIMONIALS – Innovation Lab

Dialogues on What Matters–NOVA Lab and the Future of Education

When I first imagined what today is NOVA Lab, my vision was based on years of reading and collecting of research, both quantitative and qualitative, in the fields of Project and Design-Based Learning. (Here’s a document, recently updated but by no means complete that captures a good deal of that research.) When the class launchedContinue reading “Dialogues on What Matters–NOVA Lab and the Future of Education”

“Well,How Did I Get Here?*” Or … Thank You.

I am not an entrepreneur. I do not own a business. Serial startups are not my thing. I am however, entrepreneurially minded. After almost 25 years of living, breathing, and evolving my understandings of creativity–from self-expressive to problem solving to problem finding and the applied creativity of design–I’ve come to enjoy the risks of startingContinue reading ““Well,How Did I Get Here?*” Or … Thank You.”

Measure Less, Learn More: Unrulr and The Celebration of Communities of Learning

How giving students the power to document learning in the moment leads to more authentic, deeper learning.

Rhizomes, Design Thinking, and Learning

This week has been a true learning curve for me. And I say that after 26 years in the classroom. I still have much to learn. We began the week by finishing up our design sprint using the Extraordinaires Design Studio. Students completed a run-through of the Design Thinking (DT) cycle and sketched a potentialContinue reading “Rhizomes, Design Thinking, and Learning”

NOVA Lab–Procedural Info: Grading

Many of you know that I have been shifting, slowly and imperfectly, from using grades (a habit born of . . . oh . . . a lifetime of being graded, earning grades, needing the approval of others, and, of course, “giving grades.” For years I played that game, and I was (am) GOOD atContinue reading “NOVA Lab–Procedural Info: Grading”

Testimonial #2

Another letter, though from the same author as testimonial #1, about the impact of the type of learning students experience(d) in Design Lab/NOVA Lab. Dear Mr. Heidt, I hope you’re doing well! And that you remember me! I had an opportunity a couple weeks ago that reminded me of your class…so much so to theContinue reading “Testimonial #2”

Design Thinking for College Admissions

I received the letter below from one of the counselors at my HS today. As a recap, I piloted a Design Thinking and Open Source Learning class last year for 13 students. For several reasons it didn’t fill up enough this year, but with the endorsement below, I’m hoping to be off and running likeContinue reading “Design Thinking for College Admissions”