2024 Innovation Rally to Promote Collaborative Approaches to Problem Solving

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The Office of Innovation for Education, a research and outreach unit of the College of Education and Health Professions, routinely brings educators together to pursue improved student-centered learning practices.

The 2024 Innovation Rally, the ninth since the Office of Innovation for Education launched the annual rallies in 2015, will take place in Jonesboro from June 3-5. Those interested in attending can currently register at the official Innovation Rally website.

This year's rally will feature individuals, teams and organizations coming together to look outside conventional boundaries and instead work towards more collaborative approaches to solving problems.

"Collaboration and pushing people's thinking — that's how we work at our office. It is critical to innovating and learning. When people come together to problem-solve and plan, they each bring a particular perspective to the work," said Denise Airola, director of the Office of Innovation for Education. "Collaboration helps increase our flexibility in thinking and ignite new and different ideas."

"Through collaboration, we can push each other to think from multiple perspectives that might otherwise not be available to us and develop relationships and connections that add richness to our professional networks and serve us well beyond the rally event," she added.

During breakout groups throughout the three-day rally, participants will concentrate on four key areas to help promote innovation: flexible thinking, different ideas, collaborative problem-solving and lasting connections.

Several keynote speakers from various education, technology and innovation backgrounds will deliver strategies and concepts that connect with the rally's theme of "Collaborate to Innovate." The Office of Innovation for Education will also bring back its TED-Ed Student Talks, which debuted at last year's rally following the organization's approval as a TED-Ed Student Talks partner in 2022.

The winners of the second annual Trailblazer Awards will also be announced. This award recognizes an educator who is "blazing the trail" to transform teaching and learning across the state.

With the help of the College of Education and Health Professions' WE CARE funding, current students from the college will be able to attend the rally for free.

By connecting educators in networks across Arkansas and the country, the Office of Innovation for Education is able to provide valuable resources that help meet the needs of learners. The OIE was established in 2013 to support innovation in Arkansas schools and is funded by the Arkansas Department of Education.

To learn more about projects and resources, visit the official OIE website.