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Democratizing Society's Innovative Capacity

Two needs are driving reform initiatives. One is the need to increase innovative capacity. Sustained knowledge advancement is seen as essential for progress of all kinds and for the solution of societal problems. Achieving this goal requires creating and initiating students and workers into a knowledge-creating culture. The other need is to raise levels of achievement and productivity. The traditional approach to meeting these twin needs is learn first, invent later. An inevitable consequence of this traditional approach is the exclusion of most students and workers from experiences needed for productive engagement in a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy. An alternative approach, exemplified by knowledge building, is invent first, learn in the process. This is an inclusive, democratizing approach, because it engages everyone in creative work with knowledge as both productive work and a means of learning.

Our goal is to explicate theoretical models, practices, and technological environments that allow innovation from the beginning. In addition to keynotes and research events, we will host a bold design experiment to demonstrate, in real time, initiation into a knowledge building community.

Who Should Attend the Summer Institute?

Individuals:
Teachers, managers, graduate students, researchers, health care professionals, administrators, policy makers—who have heard or read about knowledge building and who want to become better acquainted with knowledge building concepts and approaches.
Organizations:
Schools, ministries of education, universities, community organizations, businesses, health care organizations, etc.—already involved in or exploring the possibility of getting involved in introducing knowledge building into their organizations.

Call for Presentations and Tomorrow's Innovators Sessions

Date and Location:
August 8-11 2006
Institute for Knowledge Innovation and Technology
OISE/University of Toronto
252 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5S 1V6