Invigorate your teaching at this three-day event

Re-engage students through invention education by tapping into their own passions and interests.

  • IvE allows for inclusivity in STEM
  • IvE works across disciplines (transdisciplinary)
  • Build confidence and computational literacy
  • Engage students in their local communities through problem solving
  • Enhance social skills through teamwork and collaboration

Meet expert speakers, educators, and colleagues who will share activities and techniques that enable students from all walks of life to develop confidence in their ability to engage in STEM. You will experience activities that:

  • Support the engagement of students from diverse backgrounds in STEM learning
  • Develop students’ capacities to think and act as inventors
  • Develop hands-on skills needed for creative problem solving
  • Promote entrepreneurial mindsets

No matter your level of experience with Invention Education, you’ll benefit from the range of activities and events at this unique PD Workshop.

Special Highlights:

Welcome Address

Cynthia Breazeal

MIT Dean for Digital Learning/Professor of Media Arts and Sciences

Dr. Breazeal is a pioneer of social robotics and human-robot interaction.  Her work balances technical innovation in AI, UX design, and understanding the psychology of engagement to design personified AI technologies that promote human flourishing and personal growth.  Her recent work focuses on the theme of "living with AI" and understanding the long-term impact of social robots that can build relationships and provide personalized support as helpful companions in daily life. Her research group actively investigates social robots applied to education, pediatrics, health and wellness, and aging. As part of this mission, her group also develops design justice frameworks for human-robot interaction and inclusive AI literacy education for under-served K12 students.

Meet our high school InvenTeams® at EurekaFest!

Students at EurekaFest

Attendees will have unlimited access to LMIT’s EurekaFest where you'll get to see the power of IvE come alive. At this culminating event for InvenTeams (the 8 recipients of LMIT’s grant awards) you will hear the students describe in real time their process and results, and showcase their invention prototypes. 

Sessions and workshops that energize and bring excitement to the classroom

Our evidence-based model, backed by published research and case studies gives you the tools to evolve your teaching and facilitation of K-14 student learning. You’ll hear from expert speakers, educators, and colleagues about activities and techniques that help diverse student populations develop confidence in their ability to engage in STEM. You will participate in small group workshops to develop skills tailored to your interests. 

Special Sessions
Invention Education: What and Why

This overview explores the true power and promise of Invention Education as seen through the eyes—and results—of educators and students.

Invention Process Sprint

Ready • Set • Go! You’ll be on the path to invention in this fun (and often hilarious) workshop that takes participants through the invention process. This workshop is led by former InvenTeam teacher and LMIT Invention Fellow, Doug Scott, along with LMIT’s Invention Education Officer, Leigh Estabrooks.

Scaling Invention Education Efforts 

You’ve developed an Invention Ed program at your school. Now what? Hear from others how they took an initial program and deployed it throughout different disciplines in their school and/or college.

Panel discussion: From Idea to Invention 

Experts from various programs outline the process and possibilities involved in not just taking an idea from a twinkle in one’s eye to a marketable product, but the importance of protecting your idea at every step along the way.
 

Tailored Workshops
K-8
  • Light Up Your Classsroom with Light Up Kicks (New Curriculum)

  • Little Inventors, Big Ideas: Bring Innovation to Your Classroom with Invention Adventures (New Curriculum)

  • Inventive Minds, Protected Creations: Intellectual Property Knowledge for Elementary and Middle School Inventors

All grades
  • From Idea to Impact: The Power of Invention in STEM Learning

  • ELA Enters IvE: Invention Education is Transdisciplinary

  • Preparing for the Future: Creating CS Pathways for the next generation of Inventors

High School/Community College
  •  Implementing Capstone: One Class's Journey (High School)

  • Hands-on with the Invention Process Curriculum (High School & Community College)

  • Building Partnerships for Strong IvE Pathways Curriculum (High School & Community College)

  • Building courses with the Invention and Inclusive Innovation (i3) Content Library Curriculum (Community College)

Join a Community of Educators and Inventors
  • Meet and work with thought leaders in education as well as our Invention Education Fellows—educators who have extensive experience incorporating invention education into the classroom. Click here to meet the Fellows. 

Antonio leading a group session

 

 

 

 

 

Folks at workshop table

 

Woman in workshop

 Click here to register by March 22 & save 20%!
$1,500 

(after March 22, $1,875)

Who Should Attend?

  • Administrators
  • Superintendents 
  • Educators at all levels 
  • Community College Administrators and Faculty 
  • After-school Professionals 
  • Library Professionals
  • Museum Professionals

We encourage participation by teams consisting of both administrators and educators committed to creating pathways to invention for students. 

Invention is transdisciplinary, so educators from all disciplines are invited to attend. 

Attendees participating in activities

Register Early and Save 20%

Register by March 22 and we'll knock 20% off $1,875—you'll pay $1,500.
(Includes breakfast, lunch and all materials. Does not include travel and lodging.)

Register early as space is limited.
Note that you have until May 8, 2024 to cancel your reservation and receive a full refund.

Partner in Invention Education (PiE) members may attend free of charge.
(Silver PiE members may send up to three attendees. Gold PiE members may send an unlimited number of attendees.)

What Will You Gain?

Administrators and educators with varying levels of experience (new to invention education, experienced, and community college level) will develop the capacity to help students learn to think and act as inventors. There will be large group sessions for all, and smaller sessions broken out by IvE theme or grade span.   
 
Participants will gain: 

  • Approaches to engaging students from diverse backgrounds in STEM learning 
  • Ways to develop students' capacities to think and act as inventors 
  • Hands-on activities that will help students become creative problem solvers 
  • Best practices for strengthening STEM, entrepreneurship, and enrichment programming 
Participants will receive a certificate for attending that includes 20 participation hours. 

The Lemelson-MIT Program is an approved professional development provider by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Attendees in classroom

Get Your Students on the Pathway to Invention

It's never too early, or too late, to start!

At the PD Workshop, you'll see first hand how invention education helps K-14 administrators and educators address the federal STEM education strategic plan by offering programs that will: 

  • Excite and inspire students and educators
  • Engage students where disciplines converge
  • Build computational literacy
  • Support students' engagement in their local communities.
  • Empower educators with tools and strategies
See Violet's Invention Convention presentation. She won an Industry Award at the National Invention Convention!

The Power of Invention Education

The secret is revealed!
Hear from teachers and students how invention education unlocks a passion for learning.

We look forward to seeing you at PD!

Early Bird: Register by March 22 and save 20% off, you'll pay $1,500. ($1,875 after March 22)
(Does not include travel and lodging.)