Course 1: Introduction to the Innovation Economy

The innovation economy has changed the language of everyday work and exchange. It's also put powerful tools into the hands of ordinary people.

Speaking the language of the this economy grows ever more complex. Business ideas meld with artistic terms, entire new fields of technology emerge every couple years, economics basics get muddled amongst the new fads.

By choosing modules (pathways), students will advance rapidly in a general understanding of business basics, micro-economics, entrepreneurship, and emerging practical technology.


Playlists
Local (Columbus) Networking Opportunities
Play & Learn With New Tech Online
Design, Products, Process
Getting Help
Finding New Learning Options
The Innovation Economy isn't just about technologies and tools, though. It's also about, well, the economy. Business. Leadership. Playlists for these should be included, too.

Of course, XP's and playlists developed by other orgs will fit in the coursework:

And some we're working on:

People, Passion, Production, and Purpose

Above all, this course will be designed to connect teens with people outside their school: other teens with similar interests, professionals practicing in the topics under study, special-expertise teachers in other schools, and community organizations and members who can help with more general mentorship and needs.


Who is this course for?

Since course modules can vary for each learner, the course can fit a wide range of interests and abilities:
- Recently a young woman graduated from high school, interested in a career of social entrepreneurship, but had no idea what to major in. IIE will give teens language to explore knowldege domains, and to sample some of the learning that they might pursue in college.
- A young gentleman is in his senior year, interested in tech, but still rather unsure if college is the right move for him and his family. IIE will give him some of the language and tools to perhaps get a year or two of work in before committing to a next phase.

When the Language of Priviledge is "Git-R-Done"

The Poop-Scooping Robot

In order to tie a number of entrepreneurial and technical concepts, we'll introduce early a realistic challenge: robots that will take on that nastiest of challenges, cleaning up after the dogs.

The PSR will serve as a default product line as we learn to practice many entrepreneurial skills. Yet it's only a default. Teens may choose a more personally compelling product line to susbstitute in many of the excercises.

If you doubt the difficulty of this challenge, make sure you've read Jesse Newton's Tragedy of the Roomba and the Dog Mess, and thereafter, Roomba's and Hackaday's response to the challenge.

Can You Work with Other Teens to Design Your Own Class?

Yes.

See the High School of the Future course page, or try these XP's:

Also, explore Ohio's Crefit Flexibility option, and ask your guidance counselor or teacher about .

Long-range Goals

Could a course like this be a valid substitute for Year 3 Math / Algebra II?

We think it could, and that doing it this way will help build wide-spread support for such an approach.

Not every version of the course would meet this standard. Yet building a course with equivalent rigor and more relevance for many teens is doable.