“Schools must create a culture of co-designing where they want to get to.” - Jennifer Groff PhD

 

A Quick Summary

The “Where’s Your Head At” hosts chat with Jennifer Groff, PhD is an educational researcher, designer, and engineer, whose work focuses on redesigning learning environments and education systems. In this show, we discuss a range of educational issues with Jennifer and hear her thoughts as to what she believes will be essential for schools to thrive in the future.

 

Show notes

In this episode…

Introduction of Jennifer Groff (3.50)

What is the latest work that Jennifer has been doing at the International School of Brussels? (6.15)

Jennifer’s career so far and how she got started (7.30)

Jennifer’s assessment of international education today (9.45)

What is Jennifer’s hope for education in the next 10 to 20 years? (12.20)

Have the barriers and frustrations faced by teachers in the past been removed today? (13.40)

What are some easy wins for school leaders today? (15.10)

How do you help schools make strategic choices? (16.50)

Jennifer’s advice for schools who want to do everything (21.05)

Would Jennifer change anything about her career? (24.25)

Were there specific moments, or individuals, who helped Jennifer in her career? (26.05)

Biographies/books/models which Jennifer has used for her leadership (27.50)

How to contact Fidelis (30.30)

 

Bio 

Jennifer Groff PhD 

Jennifer Groff, PhD is an educational researcher, designer, and engineer, whose work focuses on redesigning learning environments and education systems. She is the founder of Learning Futures Global, which supports organizations around the world to design and implement modern learning, and their future-focused learning strategy. 

Innovation Fellow at WISE (Qatar Foundation), Chief Learning Officer for Lumiar Education, a network of innovative schools, and co-founded the international NGO the Center for Curriculum Redesign, Fulbright Scholar (UK) while serving as the Technology SME on the OECD Innovative Learning Environments project. 

MIT PhD from the MIT Media Lab. 

A former K-12 educator, Jennifer was named one of 12 Microsoft Innovative Teacher Leaders in 2005, and one of the Top 100 Influencers in Ed Tech (2017-18). 

Jen has also been working with James MacDonald and the team in Brussels over the past year.

 

Links 

• Jennifer’s Website - https://drjennifergroff.com/
• Embedding Innovation Labs in Schools as a Vehicle for Transformation in Education - https://www.wise-qatar.org/app/uploads/2021/10/wise-report-rr.1.2021-web-version-low-resolution.pdf 
• Innovation Labs in Education - http://learningfutures.global/innovation-labs