Igniting the Future: Key Takeaways from KCI’s AI Working Session
The Krause Center for Innovation (KCI) recently hosted educators and thought leaders from across the Bay Area for our second working session of the Silicon Valley Artificial Intelligence Project. Focused on “AI for the 25-26 School Year: How to Prepare Your Students and Educators,” the day proved to be a dynamic exploration of the evolving…
KCI Makerspace Coordinator Program a Hit
Over fifty people are on track to receive their Makerspace Coordinator Certificates after the KCI held three, week-long intensives this summer. The Certificate marks the completion of 18 units of coursework, and is one of only two in California that is state approved. Participants hailed from all over California and came from many diverse backgrounds,…
The New MERIT Program 2.0
The MERIT program launched with a new name this year: Making Education Relevant through Innovative Teaching. A total of 42 educators from all over the Bay Area, California, and beyond (coming from as far away as Hawaii and El Salvador) gathered together at KCI for a two-week summer intensive in July. This marked the beginning…
Microsoft Supports CS Program & Workshops
For the last three years, KCI’s Computer Science Crash Course for Educators has been a hit with educators who want to learn more about how to integrate CS into their curriculum and classrooms. And last September, the State Board of Education adopted California’s first-ever computer science standards. Although not mandatory, these standards are expected to…
Popular FAME Program Expands to East Bay
KCI is extending the reach of its math professional learning program, FAME (Faculty Academy for Mathematics Excellence), for middle and high school teachers. After nine years of recruiting teachers from Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, FAME will take place in Alameda at Saint Philip Nerit Catholic School with the intent of reaching more teachers…
New KCI Makerspace Initiative: Corporate Team Building
KCI was fortunate to receive a two-year grant from the state chancellor’s office through the California Community Colleges Maker Initiative. The grant is coming to an end, and KCI is actively pursuing ways to fund the makerspace moving forward. Luckily, KCI has an advisory board with creative members, and at the winter meeting, the idea…
CIO Program: A New Breed of Education Execs
KCI kicked off its first Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) program in summer 2018. Seventeen educators from across the state participated in this 27-unit program that trains educators to fill a real need at the school district level—a new breed of cabinet-level educational leaders who are also sufficiently trained in IT infrastructure. With appropriately trained leaders,…
Two Makerspace Coordinator Cohorts Graduate
Makerspaces are rapidly being implemented by schools, school districts, libraries, and community centers throughout the Bay Area, creating a need for trained staff to plan, implement, and run these spaces. KCI founded its own makerspace in 2017 and shortly after launched a new state-approved certificate—Makerspace Coordinator. This 10-month, 18-unit program is designed for people who…
KCI Computer Science Programs Serve Critical Role
A strong demand for computer science (CS) professional development exists in the Bay Area. Parents are requesting that schools offer CS courses, but few teachers are appropriately trained to teach CS. Even though California has not completed its computer science standards for education, it’s clear that teachers are interested in how they can integrate CS…
Upping the Ante in Math PD
KCI doubled down on math professional development this summer. Not only was the FAME (Faculty Academy for Mathematics Excellence) program for middle and high school teachers offered for the ninth year, but KCI also launched EMPowered, a new math PD program specifically for 4th and 5th grade teachers. FAME is a blended program that consists…
Makerspace Certificate Program Provides Training for New Career Path
Makerspaces are popping up across the educational spectrum, at schools, libraries, and youth centers. The Maker Movement has revitalized an interest in hands-on projects and the use of various tools for designing and prototyping. Once-empty school shops and computer labs are being reborn as makerspaces, and the curriculum is gender-neutral so girls and boys have…