The core intention of the program “Design Thinking for Education: How to Raise Future Innovators” was to bring innovation to Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools

SAN MATEO, CA, UNITED STATES, December 15, 2014 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC), known for organizing educational events and executive trainings for local and international clients, has completed one more program in innovation, this time for top educators from Kazakhstan. A one week comprehensive training on Design Thinking in K-12 education took place in Silicon Valley from November, 28 to December, 7.

The program was organized for CEO, school heads and executives of a network of the top innovative schools from Kazakhstan, named for and supported by the current president Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The course was tailored as a combination of lectures and company visits and started with an introduction to the concept of design thinking and its development and application in K-12, by Scott Underwood, former storyteller at IDEO and co-founder of Innovationship LLC.

The introduction was followed by visits to Stanford’s innovation centers, including the “cradle” of design thinking D.School, and IDEO.org - an IDEO spinoff working with human-centered design as it applies to school education worldwide.

Other company visits included meetings with Dr. Wayne Grant, Director of User Experience at Intel for Education, Marc Ramos, Global Lead and David Chen, International Program Manager at Google for Education, Aimee Gardner, author of award-winning innovation programs for school students at Computer History Museum.

Seminars by Dr. Milton Chen of Edutopia, Dr. Mark Silver and Bill Selak of Hillbrook School, Dr. Jeanne Elliott of Bayside STEM Academy and Anne Stevens of STEM to STEAM Design Studios at Northwestern University, focused on how to transform the classroom using design-thinking and the roles of students, teachers and leaders in promoting design thinking and implementing creativity in education.

Some other thought-provoking seminars on how to integrate design-thinking into extra curricular activities, were delivered by Glen Tripp, CEO and founder of Galileo Learning, Kim Mesa, founder of Art & Design Thinking Camp and Libby Falk, founder of IDEAco and its design thinking programs for talented youth City X Project, Exponential Youth Camp and ChangeSpaces.

Having learned all the theory around design-thinking and K-12 innovation, the program participants had a chance to challenge their own ability to innovate by participating in interactive practical workshops led by Dr. Maureen Carroll, Director of Stanford’s RedLab and founder of Lime Design, Prof. Jonathan Littman, co-author of IDEO’s “Ten Faces of Innovation” and Guido Kovalskys, Lecturer at D.School and founder of NearPod.

A broader picture of K-12 education transformation currently taking place in the US was introduced by Brian Greenberg, CEO and Caitrin Wright, partner at Silicon Schools Fund, Tony Wan and Mary Jo Madda of EdSurge and Elena Sanina of Aspire Public Schools.

“SVIC once again proved to be a bridge between innovation centers of the United States and other countries. Executive trainings and business trips that we organize for our overseas partners are a great way to foster innovation all over the world.” - the president of Silicon Valley Innovation Center Andrey Kunov said.

About NIS
Autonomous Educational Organization "Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools” (NIS) is a network of innovative public schools in Kazakhstan for gifted students of age 12 to 18. The NIS network aims to educate the future intellectual leaders of the country, introduce modern forms of governance in the field of education, and development of the academic freedom and autonomy necessary to implement innovative educational programs and research projects.
http://nis.edu.kz/en/

About SVIC
Silicon Valley Innovation Center is advancing and fostering innovation through executive programs, seminars, workshops and business representation in Silicon Valley. These programs facilitate open exchange of ideas that encourage business growth through innovation.
http://www.svicenter.com/

Anastasia Vestfal
Silicon Valley Innovation Center
16502740214
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