Sparking Creativity & Innovation

It’s an exciting time to be involved in education!

Emerging technologies are fundamentally impacting both the education sector and industry worldwide. We’re seeing universities creating new portfolio-based admissions pathways, companies removing degree requirements from their recruitment process, and innovative technologies changing how students can create, collaborate, and learn.

These trends and other global events have largely normalized the prevalence of 1:1 programs, digital portfolios, maker spaces and online schooling models and yet the challenge still remains. How do we continue to effectively leverage innovative ideas and emerging technologies to support the diverse needs of learners?

Generative AI stands out as a transformative technology that has the potential to redefine traditional pedagogical approaches. With its ability to generate human-like text and support creative thinking, this versatile technology can be utilized in a myriad of ways across K-12 contexts.

ISS provides leading-edge services to assist you in designing contemporary spaces, leading innovative practices, and co-creating with your community.

Designing Contemporary Learning Spaces

Agile Learning Spaces

While classrooms can be traditionally static, agile learning spaces are flexible and can be rapidly adapted to suit a range of learning needs. Whether you need room for whole group collaboration, independent inquiry, learning showcase or quiet reflection, ISS can assist in designing agile spaces that are adaptable to a multitude of learning experiences.

Innovative classroom design

“When DAIS decided to renovate some traditional classrooms to implement a Product and digital Design program we turned to ISS to help guide us through the process. ISS was able to use his knowledge and expertise to help us develop a flexible space that met our program needs. We were able to design a space that was aesthetically pleasing, inspired creativity and innovation, but yet was extremely practical and efficient in delivering our Design program.

ISS used a generative process with all stakeholders together to broaden our thinking but then worked with us to distill our ideas down to a specific plan. When our time was over we had a plan for our program that included a curriculum, required resources, furniture, and a plan to refurbish our facilities. ISS continued to work with us remotely as we crystallized our thinking and put it all into a functional plan.

Our Design space is now the creative and innovative hub of our school that has become the showcase of our school. It is easy to see the students’ energy level rise when they enter the Design Lab. We are extremely satisfied with the work that ISS did for DAIS and would highly recommend their work to any school considering building a lab from scratch or redesigning existing facilities.”

Blair Lee, Ed.D.

former Head of School, Dalian American International School

Maker Spaces

At their core, Maker spaces encourage experimental play and transdisciplinary learning that isn’t confined to a single subject or discipline. ISS has led the development of numerous maker spaces internationally and can assist with the design, fit-out and safe operation of your future maker space.

LEVEL 5 Innovation Hub

LEVEL 5 is an innovation hub for students, educators and your wider community that incorporates contemporary interior design, agile furniture and cutting-edge creative tools. Want to create a truly multipurpose facility that can support all learners and spark creativity across your wider community? Contact us about LEVEL 5 today!

“Visiting LEVEL 5 gave our team a new sense of how human-centered design and space can foster collaboration and learning.”
Cherie Wong

Experience & Community Development Lead, Li & Fung

“Every LEVEL 5 event I’ve been to has connected me to resources that push me to improve what I do and how I do it.”
Matt Kelsey

Director of Educational Technology, NCPA

“LEVEL 5 workshops are a transformational learning experience for anyone interested in developing innovative instructional approaches and programs in their school.”
Jake Dibbert

Middle School Principal, American School of Dubai

Leading Innovative Practices

Sparking innovation in schools is a multi-faceted endeavor. For a school to reimagine the future of learning they require not only a strong vision, strategic plan, activated community and professional learning, but also the technical infrastructure to enable it.

Leveraging Generative AI

Generative AI stands as a revolutionary tool that’s reshaping the learning landscape. Its capability to generate human-like text enables enhanced creativity, personalized learning experiences, and serves as a dynamic resource for teachers and students alike. ISS can guide your school in understanding, integrating, and effectively utilizing generative AI in a way that aligns with your strategic plan and supports your vision for future-ready learning.

Leading Change

Many schools are embracing contemporary pedagogies, innovative practices, emerging technologies and agile learning environments in an attempt to create more personalized learning pathways for students. So how do you ensure these initiatives are successful, sustained, and in line with your strategic direction? ISS can provide expert guidance in taking a comprehensive approach to leading innovation and change.

Embracing Contemporary Pedagogies

Technology is constantly evolving and providing new ways for students to connect, collaborate, create and share. When combined with contemporary pedagogies, teachers can create more personalized, authentic and challenging experiences for students.

Enabling Your Environment

When a school has a robust, thoughtfully planned and future proofed technical infrastructure great things can happen. Technology becomes invisible and learning can occur seamlessly across all grade levels and locations. ISS can guide your school in choosing and deploying the right devices, services and platforms for your context.

Activating Communities

Great ideas can come from anywhere — and anyone. International School Services’ online platform ISS CHALLENGES offers a seamless way for small or large teams to crowdsource, develop, and build great ideas aligned to their organization’s vision. Whether you’re developing your strategic plan, focusing on a new initiative, or seeking feedback from your wider community, ISS can create a customized design sprint that turns ideas into reality.

“Thank you for leading our first ISS CHALLENGE and for making it such a rich and dynamic experience. You showed how online PL should be designed and facilitated to optimise engagement and collaboration.”
Graham Watts

Deputy Executive Director, AISA

“Our ISS CHALLENGE allowed NESA to bring Design and Innovation to the next level. The process encouraged participants to collaborate across schools, iterate solutions to complex problems, crowd source feedback and prototype desirable solutions.”
Maddie Hewitt

Executive Director, NESA

“A nice balance between inspirational, conceptual, and practical. We are proud of our prototypes and excited to gather feedback”
Dr. Mark Hardeman

Director, IST

International school teachers in a professional development session

Creativity & Innovation PD Overview

As an educator your personal learning and growth knows no bounds. There is a constant flow of new ideas, concepts and innovations emerging with regards to teaching and learning and ISS provides a range of ways in which you can tap into these and explore your own creativity.

Join us for an eclectic mix of practical experiences covering contemporary learning environments, pedagogies, technologies and leadership that will help you stay at the leading edge of your profession.

#ISSedu – Join the Conversation

Educators from all around the world regularly share their practice, ideas, resources, projects and collaborations via the Twitter hashtag #ISSedu. Join the conversation today and you’ll be sure to meet new people and learn something new. It’s a fantastic way to grow your professional learning network!

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Resources

5 things you should probably know about your school network

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The 7 principles of agile space design

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Reimagining the d.school’s Periodic Table

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Let's Continue The Conversation