Innovation Lab @ Forest Lake Academy

The Innovation Lab at Forest Lake Academy educates students to serve as leaders in the Fourth Industrial Revolution – which according to the World Economic Forum is the fusion of digital technologies, materials science and biology. The lab provides both formal and informal educational experiences that cultivate within the participants the STEMCIE (STEM + Computing, Invention and Entrepreneurship) competencies (STEM Identity, STEM Resilience and STEM Foundation) needed to conduct STEM research, launch startups that develop innovative solutions to real word problems and to successfully pursue an academic STEM career at the post-secondary level.

The formal track is composed of four semesters of innovation and robotics courses that lay the foundation for the students to be innovative:

• Robotics 1: Foundations of Mechatronics
• Robotics 2: Biomechatronics Design (Computer Aided Design)
• Robotics 3: Human Computer Interface Design
• Innovation Lab
• Applied Robotics

The informal track provides the students with the opportunity to pursue areas of interest/passion in the form interest groups. A group is composed of an advisor, mentor/subject matter expert and one or more students. A personalized competency-based curriculum is used to deliver the content that is needed to develop each groups project. Each group is provided the support that is needed to launch a startup, conduct STEM research or participate in social innovation. The Innovation Lab is composed of the following curriculum:

• Design Thinking
• The Lean Startup Method
• SCRUM Agile Project Management
• Business Canvas Model
• Technical Writing
• Subject Matter Content

The lab currently supports the following interest groups:

• Product Design Group
• Applied Robotics Group
• Biomechatronics Group
• Brain Control Interface (Biosensing) Group
• App Development Group
• Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Group

The lab has established partnerships with STEM organizations and professionals that provide the students with access to cutting edge technology and mentorships that provide the students with authentic learning experiences. The lab has developed products/solutions for a few Central Florida organizations. Students have gone on to become leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs in the STEM fields.