BioDreamMachine Exploring Nature's Solutions

"Registration for this workshop is now closed. 

We are pleased to announce the first workshop devoted to training educators how to teach biomimicry effectively. Participants will learn about the basics of biomimicry (tools, concepts, and methodologies) as well as how to integrate biomimicry into existing curricula. Participants will also spend some time developing biomimicry course materials that they can put to use immediately in their classrooms. We will use a combination of field experiences, presentations, and small group discussions and work sessions to accomplish the workshop's objectives.  

This workshop will immediately follow our annual Biomimicry Educators' Summit, to be held this year in San Francisco, CA. 

Who should attend: This workshop is primarily designed for university, secondary, and non-formal educators who are currently integrating biomimicry into their courses, or who are committed to doing so.

When: July 10-16, 2010 (participants should plan to arrive in San Francisco the afternoon of July 10 and depart late afternoon on July 16, at the earliest).

Where: Inverness Valley Inn, Inverness, California. A lush 15-acre valley nestled between Tomales Bay and Point Reyes National Seashore northwest of San Francisco is the setting for our first workshop dedicated exclusively to the needs of educators.

What you will learn:

• Core skills for fostering collaborative design work
• How to help your students understand biological function and abstract deep principles from biology
• Biological and ecological principles relevant to design
• How to go deeper: accessing and understanding biological literature
• Examples of the latest biomimicry case studies
• Design teaching tips from your peers

What you will do:

• Apply the biomimicry methodology to a mini-design challenge
• Practice using design lessons from life as an assessment tool
• Review and evaluate modules of our new Biology and Design curriculum
• Co-develop biomimicry course materials
• Assess opportunities and challenges within your institution

What you will take home: 

• New inspiration for bringing biomimicry to the classroom
• In-depth case studies to use as teaching tools 
• Biomimicry presentations, developed by the group
• Access to draft modules of our Biology and Design curriculum
• A list of tools and resources for additional exploration
• A new network of enthusiastic biomimicry educators to call on for advice and support

University professors, administrators, or PhD candidates who complete this training will also be eligible to become Biomimicry Fellows."