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All About TIDES
TIDES (Technology, Innovation, Design thinking and Entrepreneurship for Society) is a school-wide initiative that looks to empower Parker students to think, create, adapt and invent.
TIDES strives to impact the culture of the school in two ways. One is through the Integrated Learning and Information Sciences Department (ILIS), which brings library and technology education faculty, teachers, students and grade levels together in collaborative learning experiences. Students inquire, discover, invent and tinker together in the Kovler Family Library, the TIDES Garage and other creative spaces and classrooms throughout Parker.
The second way is through TIDES professional development experiences. The TIDES committee offers employees professional development opportunities, kicking off this year with workshops offering all faculty and staff a chance to gather and explore resources that focus on the tenets of TIDES. Half these sessions feature hands-on workshops for participants to explore a process or new technology. The other half are discussion groups, which involve sharing articles or videos on specific topics beforehand that participants meet to discuss, along with the connections to progressive education.
At Parker’s first pair of TIDES professional development gatherings this year, participants gathered in the Kovler Family Library before the school day began to immerse themselves in a design thinking exploration. Faculty and staff engaged in the five steps of the design thinking process while prototyping a new hat. After the school day, those interested in participating in the discussion group joined together in a classroom to discuss three articles exploring different ideas about the role technology plays in the lives and educational experiences of our students.
These initial gatherings were quite successful, and there will be more to share as the year progresses!
Resources from the Design Thinking Workshop
- Design Thinking Intro Video
- Design Thinking and the School Library
- Design Thinking in Pedagogy
- Design Thinking for Educators
Resources from the Technology Impact on Education Discussion Group
Francis W. Parker School educates students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society and global community.