Innovation-a-thon

Sophie Poisel | Innovation Leader K – 6

Innovation-a-thon report

Emanuel School is dedicated to providing experiences that foster the development of skills and dispositions that will benefit our students now and in the future. Our major Primary fundraiser for 2018 focused on developing the dispositions associated with innovative thinking. We are excited to announce that Years K-6 students raised $6987.25, which will be very generously matched by the JCA.

As you may remember, the Innovation-a-thon involved K-6 students developing solutions to challenges associated with population increase, urbanisation and the environment. Each grade was offered a provocation to respond to which connected to a concept they had investigated in 2018. Students worked in teams to develop their ideas and collaboratively built a sustainable future city that was showcased at the Innovation Festival. Details of the focus for each grade can be found here. Year 2 students reflected on their experiences creating the future of sound stating, collaboration as a key to their success and realising that “things don’t always go as you want them”. They also reflected on the key dispositions they demonstrated during the a-thon and ones they would like to develop further.

Prior to the Innovation-a-thon, students were encouraged to use their Innovator’s Notebook to document their ideas, concepts they learn more about and the dispositions they demonstrate. Inspiration was offered for K-2 students and 3-6 students that included books, podcasts and making opportunities. Here are some highlights of our students building sensitivity to design, finding opportunities for innovation by looking closely and exploring how systems work and how people interact with them. This included finding opportunity to make improvements to the design of park toilets, coffee machines, doors and compost bins, and reflecting on the inventions of others.