11th Annual Innovation Institute

The bus to the Institute Innovation will begin boarding at 8:00 a.m. at the Westin Hotel. It will depart the Westin promptly at 8:15 a.m.

Sign in at the registration desk and collect your resource bag for the event. The conference organizers (Dr. Lisa Ockerman, Vice President of Academics and Strategic Initiatives, Jessie Metzger, Director of Educational and Technology Design and Upper School Dean of Faculty Services, and Dr. Wendy Swanson, Director of Faculty Learning and Recruitment Coordinator) will provide a welcome presentation and overview of Day 1 events for the Innovation Institute.

In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, student engagement remains one of the greatest challenges and persistent barriers to learning. Traditional instructional methods are increasingly being met with disengagement, especially in a world saturated with digital distractions. "Engagement Elevated" explores how the intersection immersive technology, such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), is revolutionizing the learning experience. These immersive tools allow educators to transport students beyond the classroom, offering hands-on learning opportunities in virtual worlds that foster curiosity and deep, meaningful engagement.

Immersive technologies provide learners with dynamic, interactive environments where abstract concepts become tangible, and theoretical lessons can be practiced and applied in real-world simulations. Whether it’s stepping inside a virtual ancient city during a history lesson or conducting a chemistry experiment in a safe, controlled virtual lab, virtual reality can create multi-sensory learning experiences that appeal to diverse learning styles. These innovations not only make learning more engaging but also improve retention, critical thinking, and collaboration - empowering students to take an active role in their education.

This presentation will dive into how schools can implement these cutting-edge technologies to transform their classrooms and elevate student learning outcomes. By embracing immersive technology, educators can unlock new levels of engagement that promote student success, preparing learners for the complex, technology-driven world of tomorrow.

In this immersive session, participants will explore the fundamentals of creating 3D objects using external design software and incorporating them into virtual reality experiences. Attendees will learn essential tools and techniques for designing, sculpting, and manipulating 3D models and how to import and optimize these creations for use in VR. Whether you are a beginner or looking to enhance your expertise, this workshop will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to design 3D objects outside of VR, load them into headsets, and bring your ideas to life in virtual spaces.

In this session, participants will merge creativity and mechanics as they dive into the world of wind-up toys. Beginning with a hands-on deconstruction process, attendees will carefully dismantle these devices, gaining insight into their inner workings by examining their gears, springs, and the different motions they produce.
Once participants understand the mechanics behind the toys, they will engage in rebuilding. Participants will be challenged to consider integrating mechanical movements into their creations. This session encourages attendees to think critically about repurposing components, fostering an environment of problem-solving and innovation. 
(Repeated Session 6)

Are you curious about how to differentiate artificial intelligence for our younger learners? This session introduces the basics of artificial intelligence in Lower School and the privacy concerns that elementary students face. The presenters will lead a conversation on the ages and stages in which students understand fake vs. real when using chatbots. Participants will test Curipod, Flint, Brisk, and more during the session. The presenters will share lesson progression and resources needed to utilize the best parts of artificial intelligence in the lower grades.

Discover essential team-building skills with a focus on social entrepreneurship! In this hands-on session, we’ll explore practical ways to overcome the top ten challenges project teams face, such as low engagement, trust deficits, and working in silos, through the lens of social entrepreneurship. Social ventures often face unique hurdles, including transparency and scalable solutions. Participants will experience innovative problem-solving techniques and gain tools to cultivate a collaborative team dynamic crucial for sustainable, impact-driven projects.
During this session, participants will:

• Identify and tackle common team challenges to foster open communication and accountability.
• Develop strategies for resilience and adaptability.
• Build skills to strengthen team morale and alignment, which is crucial for impactful social ventures.
• Leave with actionable methods to support collaboration and overcome common project barriers.

Whether your students are launching a startup or simply just working in teams, attendees will learn to overcome social and business challenges effectively—unlocking the potential for meaningful, lasting change.

All Innovation Institute attendees will receive a complimentary lunch with their registration. Please notify Meagan Obst (meagan.obst@pinecrest.edu) of any dietary restrictions.

Step into the vibrant world of miniature lights with our hands-on workshop!  Adding a light (or two) into a project can be a quick and easy way to add interest to a project, plus teach about electricity and alternative ways to create circuits. LEDs last a long time, are cost-effective, and are safe for students of all ages. Inspired by the latest maker trends, attendees will work with flexible EL wire to light up a mini neon sign during the session! 


During this engaging workshop, participants will:

• Gain practical skills in wiring, shaping, and securing materials.
• Learn how to determine the power requirements for any lights you want to add to a project.
• Learn how to integrate this project into STEAM lessons, fostering creativity and hands-on student learning.
• Walk away with a custom mini neon sign and inspiration for future classroom projects.

Whether you’re a maker novice or an experienced DIY enthusiast, this workshop is designed to light up your creativity and give you the tools to illuminate your teaching space. Get ready to glow!

Why is connecting to the curriculum important in teaching computational thinking and robotics? During this session, attendees will receive templates and charts to create hands-on lessons for elementary school students. Samples will include Intelino Smart Train, Pixel Art Sponge Cubes, Pixel Art Magnet Cubes, Sphero Indi, and more at our interactive testing table. Attendees will leave with the feeling that there are “doable” creative coding projects available at the elementary level. During this session, participants will receive a one-on-one consultation with experts on tool choices, time to play with various devices, and interact collaboratively with other educators. Participants will discuss learning goals for robotics at the elementary classroom level and be able to leave with takeaways they can use immediately when they get back to school.

Join us for a dynamic session designed to inspire teachers with ideas for enhancing student learning. Participants will explore a diverse array of favorite maker space projects and activities that span multiple academic disciplines, catering to students from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade. Engage in hands-on experiences with exciting tools such as a wind tube, tornado box, and an Archimedes screw. Participants will also be able to build and take home their own bristle-bot, root viewer, and more. This session is perfect for educators looking to discover innovative approaches to enrich their curriculum.

Discover the challenges and triumphs of implementing coding programs in schools and explore concrete tools for making coding tangible for students. This workshop highlights the importance of exposing students to coding early and the crucial role of creativity and building cross-curricular connections. Learn how teachers without a coding background can integrate coding into their curriculum, enhancing students' cognitive skills and preparing students for the future. Whether you are a seasoned coding professional or new to technology, this workshop will offer valuable insights and tools for making coding fun and approachable for all teachers and students.  

Are you curious about some great ways to use unplugged crafts to teach computer science? This session introduces the basics of physical computing through inputs and outputs. During the session, participants will build paper robots, construct paper computers, and handicraft inputs/outputs to understand the interior of computers. We will share lesson progression and resources needed for craft computing. 

Join us for an innovative maker-space session designed to explore the art and science of light box construction. This project enables students to express their learning in a visually compelling and memorable manner. Attendees will dive into hands-on activities that include using various cutting tools and assembling simple circuitry. As participants cut and layer materials, they will learn to manipulate light and shadow, crafting a scene that can tell a story or illustrate concepts from science, literature, history, or social studies. By the end of the session, attendees will have a striking lightbox to display in their classroom, serving as a centerpiece for discussion and inspiration.

Immersive technology offers interactive and immersive three-dimensional environments that extend learning beyond the physical classroom to engage students in an unprecedentedly imaginable way. During this session, participants will discover how the cutting-edge technology of Virtual Reality (VR) can seamlessly integrate into various subject areas to enhance student learning and engagement. Attendees will hear about our successes and challenges when implementing VR integration school-wide. During the hands-on workshop, participants will:

• Explore the VR tools and platform.
• Discuss best practices for integrating VR into lesson plans.
• Learn real examples of VR applications used for an array of learning subjects.

Immersive technology offers interactive and immersive three-dimensional environments that extend learning beyond the physical classroom to engage students in an unprecedentedly imaginable way. During this session, participants will discover how the cutting-edge technology of Virtual Reality (VR) can seamlessly integrate into various subject areas to enhance student learning and engagement. Attendees will hear about our successes and challenges when implementing VR integration school-wide. During the hands-on workshop, participants will:

• Explore the VR tools and platform.
• Discuss best practices for integrating VR into lesson plans.
• Learn real examples of VR applications used for an array of learning subjects.

During this session, attendees will learn about Pine Crest’s Schools commitment to social entrepreneurship. In May 2024, Pine Crest proudly expanded the EDGE Wing - Entrepreneurship Dedicated to Global Engagement - reflecting our mission to foster entrepreneurial thinking with a strong emphasis on global collaboration and impact for our pre-kindergarten through grade twelve students. This innovative hub is designed to spark creativity and innovation through cutting-edge technology to promote global collaboration and engagement. The dynamic space embodies our commitment to process over product, empathy-driven engineering, and experiential learning while cultivating critical thinking, communication, creativity, and future-focused innovation. During this session, attendees will learn about Pine Crest School’s pre-kindergarten through grade twelve social entrepreneurship curriculum. They will learn best practices for fostering intentional communities and collaborative teams among adults, essential for building life-impacting student experiences and programming. Most importantly, participants will hear from students enrolled in the three-year Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship Program as they describe their paths toward creating positive social change.