Scholastic Innovation Lab’s Community Manager Jazmine Alcon shares more about the program and how educators can apply.
Calling all educators! This April, we are excited to announce that the Scholastic Innovation Lab is opening applications for the program. At the Scholastic Innovation Lab, we believe that by working hand in hand with educators and students, we can shape the future of education.
As the Innovation Lab’s Community Manager, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformation that occurs when educators and students participate in co-designing equitable and inclusive education solutions. That’s why we have built a vibrant community of over 770 members who share their skills, expertise, and viewpoints with our team! Since the Innovation Lab has launched, we’ve worked with over 65 students in co-design sessions, held over 25 design workshops with educators across the country, and conducted more than 50 one-on-one interview sessions. Our community members bring their unique lived experiences and enthusiasm to each conversation.
One of the education solutions that our community members have brought to life is Ready4Reading, a supplemental phonics program for students K-3. Educators and students were actively involved in each step of the program’s development so we could truly uncover and understand their needs.
Leaders of the Scholastic Innovation Lab reflect on how the program has impacted classrooms, teacher and student experience, and the power of co-design:
Wook Jin Jung, VP of Design and User Experience says: “We wanted to ensure that we are creating a solution that really helps educators and learners’ journeys. We engaged with teachers in the early stage and got their voices to structure the overall Ready4Reading experience. This took several rounds between us and users and finally we nailed down the solutions with confidence.”
Dan Shindell, Director of Digital Product Development says: "Their input and insights have helped us to identify the most important digital tools and content to build for Ready4Reading. This has been especially true when it comes to developing our interactive teaching activities, which teachers use to engage students in phonics concepts and skills.”
Tom Martinez, Senior Art Director says: "The deeply personal insights we receive from our Lab partners are invaluable. Without their help, we wouldn’t be able to develop solutions that truly address the realities occurring in classrooms everywhere."
Ready4Reading is just one of the many services and programs that you can have an impact on as a member of the Innovation Lab. If you have big ideas, want to share your voice, and are looking to be a part of a bright community of Innovators, join the Scholastic Innovation Lab! Together, we can ideate, create, test, and discover the possible innovations of tomorrow. I can’t wait to have you as a part of our community!
To learn more and keep up with the news about the many educational initiatives at Scholastic, follow @ScholasticEd on Twitter!
