The Florida Conference Innovation Lab @ Forest Lake Academy
STEM Research. Social Innovation. Entrepreneurship. Cultivating Innovators.
About Us
Founded in 2017, the Florida Conference Innovation Lab (FCIL) is a Competency-Based "School-Within-A-School" magnet program operated by the Florida Conference Office of Education. It educates students to serve as leaders in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The lab provides both formal and informal educational experiences that cultivate within the participants the STEMCI2E (STEM + Computing, Invention, Industrial Design and Entrepreneurship) competencies (STEM Identity, STEM Resilience and STEM Foundation) needed to conduct authentic STEM research, solve social problems and launch Fourth Industrial Revolution startups.Our Approach
We utilize Personalized Competency-Based Education to educate students by developing a customized curriculum based upon the student's passion or interest. This is achieved by:- Creating a Student-Centered Learning Environment
- Supporting Student Agency and Voice
- Developing Real-World Connections
Vision
To empower all students to own their learning, shape their dreams, and realize the destiny that God has for their lives.Curriculum
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
