GAZeL Innovative Learning Collaborative Roadmap 2016

Innovative Learning
Collaborative Roadmap For 2016
I am Dr. William Bercu,
Chair Greater Arizona
eLearning Association.
I am Steve Peters
Coordinator, Greater
Arizona eLearning
Association
Please join us
On behalf of the GAZeL Board we invite you to engage in our initiatives to create the Arizona Innovative
Learning Collaborative. Our focus for 2016 and beyond is on education innovation, technology and
collaboration. We are committed to outcomes, impact, benefits, and opportunities for Arizona.
GAZeL 2016 and Beyond - eLearning to Innovative Learning
You may know GAZeL as a nonprofit organization Connecting Arizona’s eLearning Community. Maybe you
have attended a GAZeL eLearning CEO Breakfast or networking event, had lunch with us at a GAZeL
eLearning Forum, attended the GAZeL eLearning Summit, or engaged in our discussions about eLearning
research in Arizona.
In 2015 the Board made an important decision. While events are great, we want to focus on initiatives that
will have impact and promote and support adoption of innovative ideas and new technologies to create
effective education and workforce development solutions for our state and our communities.
On September 28, 2015 GAZeL, in cooperation with other business, education and community
organizations, convened the Forum on Innovative Learning 2015 and Beyond: Challenges, Opportunities,
Technologies and Strategies. The Forum launched the Arizona Innovative Learning Collaborative.

Why The Forum and Collaborative
Innovation, Technology and Collaboration
Issues such as funding, politics, testing, and
legislation tend to dominate the education
agenda in Arizona. While these are all important
issues, let’s talk innovation, technology and
collaboration. Innovative ideas and new
technologies can transform education, workplace
training, and the way we do business.
Arizona needs to create a Culture Of Education
Innovation that will promote and support
adoption of these innovative ideas and new
technologies to create effective education and
workforce development solutions for our state
and our communities.
And, while there is amazing innovation taking
place in education in Arizona, we need to see
greater collaboration among our education
innovators in business, government, and
education. It is time to collaborate, share, and
create a Culture of Education Innovation in
Arizona.
Collaboration - Imagine What We Can Do Together
Imagine what we can accomplish if innovators in all those sectors in Arizona collaborate to:
share ideas and resources
exchange best practices
pursue joint funding opportunities
develop mutual professional development strategies
pursue and share research opportunities,
engage in other cooperative initiatives that will support adoption of new and innovative strategies
and technologies

Examples and opportunities for Arizona
The Learning Accelerator
Two Partners with The Learning Accelerator
(TLA) attended and presented at the September
Forum. TLA is a non-profit organization
mobilizing more than $100 million to
transform K-12 education by accelerating the
implementation of high-quality blended learning
in school districts and states across the U.S.
they are implementing strategies to Create a
Culture Of Education Innovation. They were very
impressed with the Forum and the Collaborative
we are developing and would like to continue to
be engaged in Arizona. If GAZeL takes the lead in
developing the Collaborative we may be able to
bring millions of dollars to Arizona.
They are also supporting the development of
models for state and district collaboratives, and
Labster the award-winning Danish Virtual Laboratory
Simulation Education Group.
A Scientific Collaboration Specialist with Labster
the award-winning Danish Virtual Laboratory
Simulation Education Group, came from Denmark
to attend the September 28 Forum. He spoke
about how Virtual Laboratory Simulations can
dramatically enhance student learning when used
to compliment or even replace traditional
teaching methods. An independent University
research study showed a 76 % increase in
learning outcomes by using Labster’s gamified
laboratory simulation, compared to traditional
teaching, and a 101% increase when used in
combination, suggesting an untapped potential
for increasing the skills of science students and
graduates. Imagine how Arizona could transform
Science and STEM Education through Gamified
Virtual Laboratory Simulations, especially in
rural communities that do not have access to labs
at colleges and universities.
He also spoke about Labster’s partnerships,
grant co-financing and Virtual Laboratories
for High Schools, Colleges and Universities.
We know that ASU, U of A, Pima Community
College, Tucson Unified School District Peoria
School District and others are interested in
adopting this technology in Arizona. How can we
facilitate collaboration among these, and other
organizations. So let’s collaborate on this and
make it happen for Arizona.

What Is Innovative Learning?
eLearning technologies and services such as
online learning, powerful computers, mobile
devices, virtual reality, amazing desktop and
mobile apps, high speed Internet, the cloud,
virtual reality, smart boards, gamification, virtual
labs and collaborative technologies are all
changing the face of education and the workplace.
education, flipped classrooms, adaptive learning
models, Maker Spaces, 3d printing, coding,
project based learning, robotics and more.
These new ideas and technologies can transform
education, workplace training and the way we do
business.
But eLearning is just the beginning. Innovative
Learning is so much more.
Innovative Learning also embraces new ideas and
technologies such as blended learning, innovative
learning spaces, individualized self paced
learning, competency and outcome based
The Collaborative representing K-12 and higher
education, business, government, and nonprofit
organizations is about promoting innovation,
technology and collaboration.
What Does This Mean For GAZeL - A New Vision and Mission
While GAZeL will remain committed to
eLearning, in February 2016 the Board officially
adopted a Roadmap for GAZeL’s future with a
new vision and mission that will focus on
Innovative Learning and development of the
Collaborative. The focus is on education
innovation, technology and collaboration. We are
committed to outcomes, impact, benefits, and
opportunities for Arizona.
We are on a mission to Connect Arizona's
Innovative Learning Community, provide indepth
resources and opportunities for industry
members and practitioners to collaborate,
exchange ideas and work together on issues for
the common good such education, workforce
development and research.
Our commitment is to:
Create a Culture of Education Innovation that promotes and supports adoption of innovative learning
ideas and new technologies and services in business, government, education and community
organizations as effective tools for education, training and conducting business on a local and global
level, and that will transform education, corporate training, workforce development and business
processes in Arizona
Provide opportunities for collaboration among enterprises providing innovative learning
technologies and services, and innovative learning institutional leaders and practitioners
representing education, business, government, and nonprofit organizations to collaborate, network ,
share ideas and resources, exchange best practices, pursue joint funding opportunities, develop
mutual professional development strategies, pursue and share research opportunities and engage in
other cooperative initiatives that will support adoption of new and innovative strategies and
technologies

Support Arizona Innovative Learning enterprises to become worldwide industry leaders in creating
and providing Innovative Learning technologies and services, and increasing their share of revenues
in the growing global Innovative Learning market
Support Innovative Learning consumers and practitioners in finding resources and implementing
Innovative Learning projects to effectively address the needs of their organization and constituents
Educate and advocate with public policy makers on Innovative Learning issues
About The Collaborative
What Makes this Collaborative Unique?
Unlike many organizations that focus on a
particular sector, the Collaborative will connect
people across the matrix of disciplines and topics
including public and private colleges and
universities, community colleges, K-12 education,
and business, government, and nonprofit
organizations.
Here are some of the organizations already
participating in the Collaborative:
University of Arizona, ASU, Pima Community
College, DeVry University, University of
Advancing Technology, ITT Tech, Arizona
Department of Education, Arizona Technology In
Education Association, Arizona Telemedicine
Program, Arizona Business and Education
Coalition, the Game CoLab, Center for the Future
of Arizona, Tucson Unified School District,
Arizona State Library, for profit companies and
more.
Teams/Communities of Interest
While the collaborative is under development, based upon our work the past few month priorities for 2016
tentatively include creating Teams/Communities of Interest to promote and support:
Gamified Virtual Laboratory Simulations
Games In Education and The Workplace
Collaborative Professional Development
Creating a Culture of Education Innovation
Blended Learning In Arizona’s schools
Business and Industry (maybe)
Others TBD

These Teams/Communities of Interest will provide opportunities to
Collaborate
Network
Exchange best practices
Pursue joint projects and funding opportunities
Develop mutual professional development strategies
Pursue and share research opportunities
Present Webinars Conferences, Forums, Workshops and Networking events
Gamified Virtual Laboratory Simulations
The GAZeL Arizona Innovative Learning
Collaborative will create a Team/Community of
Interest that will facilitate collaboration and
coordination to promote and support the use and
adoption of Gamified Virtual Laboratory
Simulations to enhance Science and STEM
Education in Schools, Colleges, Universities,
Government and Business (see Labster, the
Games In Education and The Workplace:
The GAZeL Arizona Innovative Learning
Collaborative will create a Team/Community of
Interest that will promote and support the
development of the games industry in Arizona
and the use and adoption of Game Based
Learning for Education and The Workplace that
will enable schools, businesses and organizations
to more effectively educate, engage, and interact
with students, and with employees and
customers
Games are going mainstream in education,
eLearning, training, STEM Education, marketing,
innovation, and lots more, in industries from
retail and military to technology. The
Entertainment Software Association estimates
that 70 percent of major employers use
interactive software and games for training.
Research firm Gartner projects that by 2014, 70
percent of 2,000 global organizations will use
gamified applications. The gamification market is
forecast to hit $5 billion annually by 2018,
according to Markets and Markets. According to
Danish Virtual Laboratory Simulation Education
Group info above). We know that ASU, U of A,
Pima Community College, Tucson Unified School
District Peoria School District and others are
interested in adopting this technology in Arizona.
How can we facilitate collaboration among these,
and other organizations
Massive Incorporated, a creator of dynamic video
game advertisements, the market for video game
advertising will reach $1 billion by 2014. Millions
in government and foundation funding is being
invested to research the impact of games in
education such as DARPA, the US Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency that invested
$12 million in games research for STEM and
military training. Then there is ASU Center for
Games And Impact, and the Games Learning and
Assessment Lab.
How can we create a network to support
adoption of games in Arizona business,
government and education and support the
development of the games industry in Arizona?
Then there are a number of educational
institutions in Arizona training game developers
such as DeVry, ASU, U of A, and University Of
Advancing Technology. ITT and more, but there is
little coordination among these institutions and
no online directory of educational opportunities
in Arizona.

Collaborative Professional Development
The GAZeL Arizona Innovative Learning
Collaborative will create a Professional
Development Team/Community of Interest that
will facilitate development of collaborative
professional development opportunities for
innovative learning practitioners and innovators
in education, business, government, and
nonprofit organizations.
K-12 schools, community colleges and
Universities are all struggling to train faculty in
Creating a Culture of Education Innovation
Create a Community of Interest that will promote
and support the development of A Culture Of
Education Innovation that promotes and
supports adoption of innovative ideas and new
technologies that can transform teaching and
learning in Arizona.
Issues such as funding, politics, testing, and
legislation tend to dominate the education
agenda in Arizona. While these are all important
issues, innovative ideas and new technologies are
transforming education, workplace training, and
the way we do business. Arizona needs to create
the effective use and adoption of technology for
teaching and learning. Many of the schools,
organizations and institutions are working
independently on professional development. For
now there is no unified collaborative effort across
universities, community colleges and K-12. There
are a number of organizations providing
professional development but there is no unified
plan and little coordination among these entities.
a Culture Of Education Innovation that will
promote and support adoption of these
innovative ideas and technologies to create
effective education and workforce development
solutions for our state and our communities. And,
while there is amazing innovation taking place in
Arizona we need to see greater collaboration
among our education innovators in business,
government, and education. It is time to
collaborate, share, and create a Culture of
Education Innovation in Arizona. Let’s talk
innovation, technology and collaboration.
Blended Learning:
Create a Community of Interest that will promote
and support the development of a state strategy
to enable effective implementation of blended
learning solutions for all Arizona’s’ K-12 schools,
Community Colleges and Universities. Integration
of technology and implementation of blended
learning in K-12, Universities and community
colleges is an essential strategy to promote
innovative learning in schools and the workplace.
Issues such as vision, plans, curriculum,
resources and training all need to be addressed
(see The Learning Accelerator info above). Hey,
let’s get our act together on that. They were very
impressed with the Forum and the Collaborative
we are developing and would like to continue to
be engaged in Arizona. If GAZeL takes the lead in
developing the Collaborative we may be able to
bring millions of dollars to Arizona.

Business and Industry Needs
(Maybe if needs not addressed by other groups):
Create a Community of Interest that will address
the needs of companies, in addition to education,
to adopt and/or provide innovative learning
technologies and services
Spontaneous Communities of Interest
Allowing Collaborative participants to develop
new Projects/Communities of Interest
spontaneously if they are willing to
coordinate/facilitate/provide leadership
What’s the Plan For the Arizona
Innovative Learning Collaborative?
What are some of the activities we will be doing?
Developing Innovative Learning
Collaborative Communities of
Interest/Action Teams, and Action Plans, to
address the above priorities
Collaborating with other organizations to
develop policies and strategies to facilitate
deployment of Broadband to rural Arizona
communities
Developing the Innovative Learning online
community
Facilitating AfterHours Networking
experiences engaging consumers and
providers of Innovative Learning
technologies and services. These events will
be hosted simultaneously in Tucson,
Phoenix, and maybe other communities,
and linked by video conference
Presenting Arizona Innovative Learning
Forums featuring Innovative Learning
technology demonstrations or topics of
importance to the Arizona Innovative
Learning community
Engaging in legislative and policy advocacy
on behalf of the industry and education
Developing the GAZeL website as Arizona’s
Innovative Learning portal and event
calendar
Providing Newsletters/email updates
announcing RFPs and other business
opportunities, and highlighting events,
industry updates, latest and greatest
Innovative Learning technologies, and
other topics of importance to the
Innovative Learning community
Promoting engagement, advocacy and
strategic relationships with other business,
technology and education organizations
Encouraging and providing access to
Innovative Learning research in Arizona

Networking and Online Community
Using the Ryver Team Management and Collaboration platform to support an online Innovative
Learning Community for communication and management of the Collaborative and the
Communities of Interest. We will use Ryver to share information, collaborate and coordinate
Teams/Communities Of Interest, post files, etc. Hopefully this will be more effective than
exchanging lots of emails.
Developing Regional Collaboratives and Leadership Teams in Tucson, Phoenix and other regions
around the state in sync with the statewide Collaborative. This will enable education innovators in
business, government, education & nonprofit organizations in local communities to network and
collaborate but be a part of the statewide Collaborative. Local Champions and Leadership
Teams will be recruited.
Arizona's Learning Innovators mixin-it-up in a community near you! Our plans include hosting
monthly/bimonthly AfterHours Innovative Learning networking events for consumers and
providers of innovative learning technologies and services. Networking will take place
simultaneously, same day and time in Tucson, Phoenix, and other sites in the state, all connected
with live video conference links. The Agenda is simple, site host introductions, brief innovative
learning presentations (Ignite Presentations) originating from one or more locations, and time
on the agenda for announcements or requests for help. And, of course, refreshments, and
networking, networking and more networking. We will use dedicated sites in each community for
6 months to a year, on the same day each month. Suggested Locations: Pima Community College In
Tucson (Site TBD) and SkySong Innovation Center in Scottsdale
Promoting engagement, advocacy and strategic relationships with other business, technology and
education organizations
Encouraging and providing access to Innovative Learning research in Arizona
Sharing industry knowledge, such as white papers and forums
Web Site and Email Updates (Newsletter)
Developing the GAZeL website as the Arizona Innovative Learning portal and calendar of events
Providing at least 6 bi-monthly innovative learning email updates (newsletters) announcing
RFPs and other business opportunities, and highlighting events, latest and greatest Innovative
Learning technologies and services, and other topics of importance to the Arizona Innovative
Learning community
Innovative Learning webinars, conferences, meet-ups/forums
Presenting Innovative Learning webinars, conferences, meet-ups/forums , etc featuring networking,
Innovative Learning technology demonstrations or topics of importance to the Arizona Innovative
Learning community

Trade shows/expos, educational events, and product
demonstrations
Participating in trade shows/expos, educational events, and product demonstrations for business and
professional development, and networking.
Planning, promotion, exhibit table - Phoenix INTERFACE Conference - June 17, 2016, Westin
Kierland Resort. Presented by Face To Face Events Inc.– Member of INTERFACE- Advisory
Committee
Planning, promotion, exhibit table - Tucson TECHJUNCTION Expo and Conference March 16th,
2016 | Tucson Convention Center presented by Face To Face Events Inc. in collaboration with the
Arizona Technology Council – Member Planning Committee
Exhibit Table - Arizona Technology Summit presented by Machaon Corporation - September 14th
2016, Phoenix Convention Center
Promotion and exhibit table - Digital Curriculum Tactics Discussion presented by The Learning
Counsel February 17, 2016 in Phoenix
Promotion and exhibit Table - The Eller College of Management 22nd annual Eller Career
Showcase at the University of Arizona February 18th 2016
eLearning & Innovative Learning Planning and Advisory
Committee’s
Advocate and participate for Innovative Learning and technology with other education and nonprofit
organizations.
Participation on eLearning/technology/innovative learning Planning and Advisory Committee’s
TUSD Technology Oversight Committee (Chair Instructional Technology Subcommittee)
Arizona Technology Council Education and Workforce Committee
ITT Tech Tucson Campus IT Advisory Committee
Coordinating the Tucson Innovative Learning Maker Space Group including:, Pima Community
College; Xerocraft; Job Path; The Gregory School; Beyond Horizons Space Consulting; Greater
Arizona eLearning Association; The Physics Factory; City High School; U of A STEM Learning
Center, Sonoran Schools.
University Of Arizona Innovative Learning Collaborative
STEM organizations
Engaging in statewide initiatives such as collaborating with the Arizona Telecommunications and
Information Council, and other organizations, to develop policies and strategies to facilitate
deployment of Broadband to rural Arizona communities
Advocacy
Engaging in legislative and policy advocacy on behalf of the industry, education and innovative
learning

Collaboration Development
Coordinating the Arizona Innovative Learning Collaborative
Develop Leadership Team, Collaboration Action Plan including Collaboration management and
coordination
Identify Champions/Facilitators, and develop and support Team/ Communities of Interest Action
Plans
Gamified Virtual Laboratory Simulations
Games In Education and The Workplace
Collaborative Professional Development
Creating a Culture of Education Innovation
Blended Learning
Business and Industry (maybe)
Develop CRM and Communications Infrastructure
Develop funding plan
Initially create web pages on GAZeL site and explore need for separate Collaborative web site in the
future
Identify and invite other individuals and organizations to participate
Host bi-monthly networking events in Tucson, Phoenix, maybe Yuma, and other
Planning Forums/conferences
Using the Ryver Team Management and Collaboration platform to support an online community for
communication, and management of the Collaborative and the Communities of Interest
Reconnect with the Learning Accelerator and Labster
Connect with the Arizona Department of Education and the Governor’s Office

Funding and Resources
GAZeL will develop multiple funding sources including:
Grants
Corporate Sponsorships
Event Sponsorships
In-kind Donations
Membership?
Collaborative Organization and Structure
For now there are no plans for a formal structure, bylaws or other policies and procedures. Initially
GAZeL will convene and support the coordination of the Collaborative. The Collaborative will include
the following:
GAZeL, the GAZeL Board Of Directors and GAZeL Coordinator
Statewide Collaborative Leadership Team: A Collaborative Leadership Team representing
business, government, education and nonprofit organizations to define the purpose of the
Collaborative, define structure, provide leadership, set priorities, and determine next steps, future
events in conjunction with the Task groups/Communities of Interest
Regional Collaboratives and Leadership Teams: Regional collaboratives will be developed in
Tucson, Phoenix and other regions around the state in sync with the statewide Collaborative. This
will enable education innovators in business, government, education & nonprofit organizations in
local communities to network and collaborate but be a part of the statewide Collaborative. Local
Champions and Leadership Teams will be recruited.
Communities of Interest
Steve Peters, GAZeL Coordinator
Contact
520-321-1309
gazel@gazel.org