This document summarizes a workshop on empowering teachers to become hackers of their learning environments. The workshop introduces hacking as a way to optimize classrooms and experiences for students. Participants brainstorm hacks for different themes like project-based learning and building relationships. Through activities like observation, ideation, and prototyping, teachers practice a design process to address challenges in their classrooms. Case studies show how hacking improved engagement and facilitated the school's vision for learning. The workshop encourages teachers to view themselves as designers and take small actions to transform their environments and empower students.

1. HACK CLASS
shape your ecology, empower learning.
FACILITATED BY:

2. How can we empower
teachers to become
hackers of their learning
experiences and
environments?
• individuals
• collaborative cohorts / communities
• advocates

3. OUR
WORKSHOP
PROTOTYPE
BRAINSTORM
INTERPRET
DISCOVER
HELLOS! WHY HACK? LET’S HACK! DISCUSSION:
CASE STUDIES CREATING THE
ECOSYSTEM

4. WHA DOES HACK
T
MEAN TO YOU
WHA DO Y HOPE
T OU
TO GET OUT OF THIS
SESSION

5. WHO WE ARE

6. why... ...as a design firm do we want to
empower teachers as hackers?
mmunity
we lear n about co entions.
ign interv
need s from des these int
er
prototyp ventions act as
es of cha
nge.
we believe in empowering
teachers as problem solvers.

7. WHO WE ARE

8. Edutopia focuses on
evidenced-based
learning strategies
and teacher-tested
ideas. We provide
the research
materials and
collection of
practices to make
the case for hacks
to schools across
the country.

9. core
strategies
Comprehensive Teacher
Strategies Development
Project Based Technology
Learning Integration
Social Emotional Integrated
Learning Studies

10. HACK.

11. we embrace...
the spirit of a hacker.
the optimism of a designer.
the playfulness of a maker.

12. what ‘hacking’ teacher as designer
can do... environment as tool
empower.
align. transform.
teaching & learning prototype change
culture build a team
management engage community

13. mindset
problem
solving
open creative
optimistic reflective
storytelling resourceful
observant experimental

14. improvised
strategized
little
hack.
BIG
HACK.

15. reminder...
say yes to yourself.
grant imperfection.
yourself experimentation. failure.
permission. the process itself is
worth it.

16. reminder...
grab a buddy.
your network has skills,
you are connections,
not alone. resources, ingenuity to
make it happen.
there’s always your
online community.

17. process
discover interpret ideate create evolve share
understand identify patterns brainstorm prototype reflect advocate &
context & & opportunities solutions concepts & refine expand
users

18. CASE
STUDIES
...or adventures & misadventures in hacking and
what we learned along the way.

19. ROOSEVELT
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Urban, public middle school.
Math teacher, soccer coach, service learning leader, & explorer.
Four days to explore. One to prep. Two to hack.

20. ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How do we create a collaborative &
creative math classroom that embraces
failure as a learning opportunity?
How can we create
a safe, playful, and active class culture?

21. TRAILER
http://on.fb.me/remakeyourclass

22. PREP: WEEK OF:
• Teacher interview INSIGHT to IDEAS
• interviews
• Administrator interview • idea/solution session
• Scoping trip STUDENT WORKSHOP PLANNING, VOLUNTEERS, &
• Planning meetings SHOPPING
m t w th f s s m
}
REVEAL
HACK!
STRATEGY DAY
• ideas to strategies
DISCOVERY DAY
• tours
• observation
• insight/pattern session
PROCESS

23. teen tech bar & project
studio
teacher dj
dashboard & desk
room arrangement &
flow
HACKS
to environmental
HIGHLIGHT imagery & identity

25. SOLVE installation from pencils
custom story posters &
Mr. Mattice branding
simplified reference posters
writable walls
display student work
perimeter
project/tech cafe
whiteboards
teach from anywhere
project table storage
digital/analog teacher dashboard in
center of room
1/3 of tables on casters

26. Old teaching station

27. Teacher DJ Dashboard

28. Environmental imagery
& identity
story & action wall

29. Environmental imagery
& identity
Mr. Mattice poster refresh
MATH
RESPECT.
treat others the way you want to be
treated share don’t be
mean to others
follow your rules
don’t
be seated don’t
...the
elders
be awesome be yourself
the students of Mr. Mattice’s class.

30. Environmental imagery
& identity
playful signage & labeling

31. Importance of process:
observation to ideas to prototypes
Involvement of community and
students:
student engagement & enthusiasm fueled project
Scrappiness, resourcefulness, and
skill finding:
asking friends & looking beyond
What Prototype as advocate for
we change:
the power to start a dialogue in a school & with
learned... formal leadership

32. THE LOVETT
SCHOOL
Urban, private school.
English & American Studies teacher, culture maven, adventurer.
Mixed cohort of teacher-designer fellows.
School unrolling their “Vision for Learning.”

33. ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How do we transform classrooms and a
cohort of teachers into designer/hackers
that embody the vision for learning?

34. TIMELINE
catalyst! proof of concept / scale of one / expansion / integration
living research of vision / empowerment
a m j j a s o n d j f m a
}
SCHOOL
}
DESIGN THINKING
WORKSHOP
PHASE ONE PHASE TWO
One teacher. Cohort of teachers.
One class. Ecology of classes.
IKEA hack. Light design meets hack.
PROCESS

35. PHASE ONE

36. BENNETT/MR. SPANN
What is at the core of Bennett’s classroom:
• A balance between playfulness &
seriousness
• A commitment to an intriguing,
engaging, curious, stimulating classroom
• Relevance and media/cultural literacy
• First day: Plays up nervousness
• Favorite thing: The farewell talk

37. Aligning Mr. Spann’s goals
with school vision.

38. ZONES & DESIGN CONCEPTS
threshold
transition,
invitation, curation
hearth harkness studio
relationship, intimacy, meet, gather, kitchen production,
focus, discussion table collaboration,
flexibility, workshop
stage
reflection presentation,
windows, debate, storytelling, nook
grouping
viewing
multimedia, center, consumption

39. ZONES & DESIGN CONCEPTS
hearth threshold
relationship, transition,
intimacy, focus, invitation, curation
discussion
harkness reflection
meet, gather, windows, debate,
kitchen table grouping

40. ZONES & DESIGN CONCEPTS
studio stage
production, presentation,
collaboration, storytelling, nook
flexibility,
viewing
multimedia,
center,
consumption

41. GIVING
TEACHERS THE
TOOLS TO
REMIX.

42. Being able to write on the walls is a nice
addition to the classroom. It allows the entire
class to be writing on the "board" at the same
time...
It also takes away the "teacher standing
at a whiteboard" idea of classrooms
and teaching.
STUDENT SURVEY

43. It has helped me to understand that
there are many ways to learn and
many different settings that help
students learn.
STUDENT SURVEY

44. This new room makes it so the
class is never the same every time
we meet and, for me that is a
huge plus.
STUDENT SURVEY

45. I think the story studio allows kids to
think out of the box and more
creatively.
STUDENT SURVEY

46. STORY STUDIO BLOG

48. How does the design of the "story studio"...
Empower
multiple Facilitate
learning student
VERY styles involvement
MUCH 5 Energize
Energize Enhance
class Energize
teacher students class
4.61 content Fit class
4.52 4.48 4.45 Facilitate reflection
4.2 4.39
4.27 Facilitate
4.15
independent
3.82 work
3.4 3.55
MID
2.6
1.8
NOT AT
ALL
1

49. In addition to my observations about the physical space, I
found myself observing teachers in a different way.
...my new approach to teaching has me
asking questions and trying to see various
possibilities and hypotheticals rather than
observing everything at face value
MR. SPANN REFLECTION

50. How can we create learning
experiences and environments
that facilitate the development of
the Lovett learner?
What resources & access (tools, people, information)
do students need to support these experiences?

51. Vision for Learning
Critical Thinker
EXPERIENCES
The Lovett Effective Communicator
Student PEOPLE TOOLS
Rooted in
Character Creative Agent
ENVIRONMENTS
Independent &
self-directed
honesty • respect
responsibility • compassion
Purposeful Collaborator

52. Designing a cohort...

53. A cohort of hackers...
Co-processing Cross-Pollination Collaboration
a moment to step back mixing ideas and perspectives building together
reflection interdisciplinary making
introspection creativity brainstorming
consistency interactive
Critical support Experimentation
constructive collegiality permission to try
something new
critique
feedback new practices
innovation
tinkering
prototyping

54. A single class can act as a catalyst, but
a constructive community is crucial to
larger school change.
Hacks can spread and be thought of as
an ecosystem.
Simple planning tools can help
teachers choreograph use of space in
their classes.
Reflection and sharing is key to
What professional evolution.
we Measuring outcomes is tricky, but
learned... important

55. let’s
HACK.

56. our hack themes
Unleash
Cultivate
one project based
learning.
two Relationships.
Capture &
Rethink the
three teacher zone. four curate student
work.

57. Standard
Classroom.
25 student desks, 1 teacher desk, teacher wall, 1
window wall, 1 door, no closet, 1 row of built-in
bookshelves.
50-min class that meets 5x week. After school
meetings hosted in the classroom.
Maybe a 'blog' used on occasion; standard
academic situations.

58. DISCOVER. 6
MINUTES
What does our theme currently look like
in the standard classroom?
What do students/teachers want to do?
What barriers are there?
Where do I see promising examples?

59. INTERPRET 4
MINUTES
What patterns do we see?
What areas do we want to focus on?
Identify 2-4 “How might we” questions.

60. ideate
how 10
might MINUTES
cluster select
we... & build

61. ideation palette
prototype

62. Lay the
foundation
for big ideas.
Create structure, but leave room for flow.
Root your brainstorming in empathy.
Hone problem statements.
Create an immersive environment.
Gather a diverse team.
There will be time for iteration and critique.

63. ideate
1. Defer judgment.
2. Encourage wild ideas.
3. Build on the ideas of others.
4. Stay focused on the topic.
5. One conversation at a time.
6. Be visual.
7. Go for quantity.
FROM IDEO’S RULES FOR BRAINSTORMING.

64. create 5
MINUTES
a sketch
prototype.

65. share.

66. HACK CLASS
shape your ecology, empower learning.
FACILITATED BY:

67. TAKE THE PLEDGE.

68. Drop us a note. Share your story.
www.thethirdteacherplus.com
@thethirdteacher
Melanie Kahl Christian Long
mkahl@cannondesign.com clong@cannondesign.com
@melaniekahl @christianlong
www.edutopia.org
@edutopia
Lora Ma
lora.ma@edutopia.org
@loraeducation