Category: Planning
Programming: Summation Using Video
For the SP YCISL program, we went to a finale dinner. Before we sat down to dinner, I had the students take my video camera and record each other [important feature is that I did not do the video recording so that they weren’t directly talking to me – hopefully, their statements were spontaneous] make a short statement about (a) what they liked most about the workshop, and (b) what they liked most about the whole trip. They also had to state their name and which school they were from – for future reference. I plan to make this available to them in the near future. This is firstly, good feedback for me; it also pushes them to recall and set a memory before the moment has passed and become fuzzy; lastly and perhaps foremost in usefulness, it can be used as a discussion point when we meet in the future to see if they have acted on the lesson – and I have a way to recall name with face.
Lesson Framework: Unfamiliar, Out of the Comfort Zone, Think Out of the Box
Most of the workshop content should be aligned or sourced from familiar ground (eg, something you can do at your school) in order to fuel creativity and drive innovation, but there is also benefit to incorporating some thinking and experience from new and unfamiliar realms (but still from the appropriate age context). I was thinking about the Redesign Quick Challenge guideline I drafted around a beverage taste test concept. This comes from my exposure to flavor chemistry and the taste tests that are part of the research I observed at UC Davis. I also am incorporating the focus group method that I observed at Handspring. This demonstrates that incidental experiences can contribute to new ideas.
Two other well known phrases associated with working in unfamiliar settings are “Out of the Comfort Zone” and “Think Out of the Box.” These phrases can be described in more consequential terms: what is the point of being out of the comfort zone, or thinking out of the box?
The Three Main Ideas
I stumbled through making a video of myself introducing the YCISL program. It took about 4 hours to create 3 minutes of usable video. I only now realize the significance of the bloopers clips we get to see.
Anyway, this video outlined three main ideas behind the program workshops:
1. Stanford serves as a neutral ground and clean slate which frees them from their everyday constraints and allows them to build on their ideas organically.
2. Creativity is an innate resource which we can utilize to generate innovation. The ability to be successful and adept at innovation should be viewed as leadership. Creativity, innovation and leadership comprise the program’s skeletal framework.
3. Youth leadership objectives can be differentiated into age stages. These objectives are different from those for adults (professionals) – as opposed to youth.
Preliminary Timeline for 2011 Program
[Edited out prospective schools – 4/27/11]
[This program is no longer current but maintained for planning future programs 4/27/11]
Brochure Design Complete ~November 15, 2010
Beijing Office Open for Enquiries ~November 20, 2010
Preliminary Program Rollout ~December 1, 2010
Web Page Rollout ~January 1, 2011
Application Deadline ~February 8, 2011
Chaperone Confirmation ~February 15, 2011
Reserve Facilities at Stanford ~March 1, 2011
Confirm speakers and site visits ~March 5, 2011
Admission Decision ~March 8, 2011
Acceptance of Offer ~by March 22, 2011
Deposit Due ~by March 22, 2011 (with acceptance)
Visa Application ~March 29, 2011
Send Welcome Letter ~April 5, 2011
Content Drafts Submitted ~April 16, 2011
Content Drafts Reviewed ~by April 23, 2011
Balance due ~May 1, 2011
Welcome Presentation (in China) ~May 2, 2011
Content Finalized & Documents Sent to Printer ~May 31, 2011
Pre-Orientation (in China) ~June 28, 2011
Departure to US ~ June 29, 2011
[Stanford Summer Session begins June 20, 2011]
Wednesday June 29, 2011 Arrival
Thursday June 30, 2011 Day 1: Orientation & Ice-breakers
Friday July 1, 2011 Day 2: Creativity & Idea Development
Saturday July 2, 2011 Day 3: Teamwork
Sunday July 3, 2011 Day 4: Computer History & Youth Leadership
Monday July 4 2011 Day 5: Free day (Stanford holiday)
Tuesday July 5, 2011 Day 6: Sustainability & Jasper Ridge
Wednesday July 6, 2011 Day 7: Open Forum & Demo Day
Thursday July 7, 2011 Day 8: Photo Blog (recount) & Wrap-up
Friday July 8, 2011 Day 9: Free day (SF Giants Baseball vs NYM)
Saturday July 9, 2011 Day 10: Departure day
Planning: What To Provide Each Student
Workmat (to define work area). Wipes (for cleanup). Whiteboard and whiteboard markers. Art paper for drawing exercises. Crayons. Notepad. Pens (not pencils), toolbox, scissors, string, tape, paper, cardstock, tissue, dental floss, glue, ice cream sticks, paper clips
