Google for Education Certified Innovator Program is now accepting applications from creative minds in education who empower students, teachers, and administrators. The deadline for submission of application is Friday, September 21st 2018.
True change is driven by innovative leaders. Become a Certified Innovator and join a community of more than 1,500 passionate educators in over 50 countries who are designing creative solutions to the world’s toughest challenges in education.
The Google for Education Certified Innovator program is a 12-month professional development experience — including mentorship, online learning activities, and a face-to-face Innovation Academy focused on helping new Innovators launch a transformative project. After these 12 months, Innovators stay engaged with ongoing innovation projects and special opportunities from Google for Education to advocate for transformative technologies and practices.
Who Should Join Google for Education Certified Innovator Program.
Candidates for the Google for Education Certified Innovator program are selected based on their professional experience, their passion for teaching and learning, their innovative use of technology in school settings, their potential to impact other educators, and their desire to tackle some of the biggest challenges in education. They are ambassadors for change who empower other educators and students through a thriving innovation culture within their own classrooms, schools and organizations.
Innovation occurs at all levels in the school system, so we welcome applicants from all roles: classroom teachers to superintendents. As participants in a community of educators working together to improve schools, Innovators will transform the organizations they’re serving, advocate for change, and grow their own capacity as thought leaders.
“Leadership requires innovation, we must push ourselves to think differently to design the education system to best meet the needs of our students. The Google Innovation Academy gives you the strategies, network, and coaching to confidently and successfully be an innovative leader.”
-Jason Markey, Google Certified Innovator and Principal, Leyden High School, Franklin Park, IL
What Will I Create?
Innovation Projects are the tools through which Innovators implement and measure their impact. Although the mission and outcomes of each Innovation Project will vary from person to person, here are some principles that will guide development:
- Have a mission that matters: Your mission should be something you care about and has the potential to touch many lives
- Think big, but start small: No matter how ambitious the plan is, you have to start somewhere
- Iterate and fail fast: We’re not looking for perfection, we’re looking for continual innovation
- Share everything: Encourage discussion, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas
- Spark with imagination, fuel with data: Use data to backup your insights or help you pivot directions
All projects should drive change in education, impact educators and students, and be documented for other educators to follow.
Check out the Innovation Project Directory for examples of projects that our Innovators are currently working on.
Google for Education Certified Innovator Program Benefits.
| Program Benefits | |
|---|---|
| Certified Innovator digital badge + pin |  |
| Visibility in the Google for Education Directory | |
| Monthly learning and development resources | |
| Membership in a collaborative community of Innovators | |
| Exclusive looks at new Google for Education launches | |
| Serve as product ambassadors in focus groups | |
| Online showcase of your Innovation Project | |
How to Join Google for Education Certified Innovator Program.
Our application process is designed for you to show off the things that make you an innovative educator. While the program is about much more than our products, having a solid background in how to integrate Google for Education technologies in the classroom is an important starting point for inspiring transformative change. Take the Advanced course and Google Certified Educator Level 2 exam prior to applying.
Innovation Projects
During the application process, we invite you to share your history of innovation at your school or district and a challenge you’re facing in a compelling way through a 90-second YouTube Challenge Video. If you are selected to participate in the Innovator Program and attend the Innovation Academy, you will have an opportunity to meet with a global cohort of other educators and collaborate together on solutions towards solving that challenge in an innovative way.
We will be looking for innovators who want to innovate across all elements of our transformation framework, including Vision, Culture, Technology, Funding and Sustainability, Community Engagement, Learning, and Professional Development.
| Membership Application Steps | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. Google Certified Educator Level 2 |  | |
| 2. Innovation Video | | |
| 3. Apply | | |
Program Activities
More than just a one-time event, the Google for Education Certified Innovator program will provide you with 12 months of ongoing support for an Innovation Project that you’re passionate about, a 3-day Google for Education Innovation Academy at a Google office, rich programming and ongoing opportunities for growth and collaboration, and access to a global community of other innovators.
| 1. Attend a Google for Education Innovation Academy* | |
| 2. Design and launch an Innovation Project | |
| 3. Participate in ongoing learning and development opportunities | |
| 4. Contribute to the Innovator group and in other edtech communities | |
| 5. Present completed Innovation Projects in a final blog and showcase | |
*Financial assistance may be available.
Apply Before: 21st September, 2018.
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