Several faculty, staff, students, and alumni from the University of Michigan-Flint School of Education and Human Services will join an international group of educators at Florida Keys Community College March 2-5 for the Institute for Innovation in Education’s (iiE) March Gathering.

Participants connected with UM-Flint will join professionals from various industries, academic institutions, and organizations, seeking insight about current educational innovations and ideas to enhance their own projects. The event will feature the world’s first underwater keynote speech, delivered live from the Atlantic Ocean by Florida Keys Community College professor Bill Irwin.

Exchanging creative ideas to enhance professional development is central to the event. A public symposium and “un-conference,” where attendees determine the topic of the conference sessions, will provide information about emerging innovative projects and opportunities to meet potential collaborators. A project team work day will provide time for more networking opportunities.

Amanda Dawes, who graduated from UM-Flint with an MA in Educational Technology in 2010 and is currently Dean of Technology Integration at Donna Klein Jewish Academy in Florida, will be serving on a panel discussing “Imagination, Solidarity, and the Future of the Planet,” together with participants hailing from as far away as British Columbia and the Congo. She will also lead a workshop that uses digital tools, apps and programs to explore the history of the Keys.

“The iiE gatherings are amazing places for idea sharing and development, as well as inspiration,” Dawes said. “In March, I look forward to learning with others and having the opportunity to see education through different ‘lenses’.”

Dawes has been working on several projects in the field. She will be presenting at the University of Michigan’s 4T Virtual Conference and is also facilitating senior students’ participation in U-M’s Arab Israeli Conflict Simulation project.

“The iiE strives to make a conscious effort to cross disciplinary and professional and institutional boundaries,” said UM-Flint associate professor Jeff Kupperman. “We bring people together who have common goals but might not otherwise meet. We want to inspire and help people move forward with their work.”

Kupperman and iiE program associate Pagan Poggione (who earned an MA in Educational Technology from UM-Flint in 2012) have been working with Hilary Parmentier, a faculty member in English at Florida Keys Community College, since last year to plan the event.

Parmentier is also a UM-Flint alumna, having a BA in secondary education in English and history and master’s degrees in education and English. She and UM-Flint SEHS Dean Bob Barnett will be presenting “Micro-centers, Un-centers, and Centrifuges: Re-inventing the Writing Center for Your Changing World.”

“The iiE Conference is a great opportunity for educators and students to share innovative ideas,” Parmentier said. “It is unlike any other conference because we have so many different opportunities to share information with people from all over the world.”

The iiE consists of a diverse global network of innovative professionals who collaborate on research and development projects involving interactive learning with technology. For more information, visit iie.icsmich.org.