Exciting news for CoLab, the education community, and me personally! I have been accepted into the Google Innovator program VIA24. This virtual cohort brings together passionate educators from around the globe to tackle pressing issues in education.

With 6 years of experience in education, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges that teachers face, particularly when it comes to collaboration and working within silos. So much so, that I left classroom teaching to dedicate each day to solving this problem.

But Google’s VIA24 isn't just about finding solutions. It's about falling in love with the problem itself. Joining this cohort means that I get to dive deeper into the collaboration issue in education and work to better understand why this problem exists in the first place, how it impacts all key stakeholders (teachers, students, community members), what’s being done about it already, and how to go about addressing it using technology and Google tools.

From its inception to its launch, CoLab has undergone continuous iterations and improvements based on research, beta testing, user feedback, key partnerships, mentor advice, business accelerators, and good old-fashioned blood, sweat, and tears. Not just from myself, but from a team of AWESOME people (learn more here). I am so proud of where we have gotten to thus far and we are just getting started.

This opportunity is very much about CoLab's future. Imagine a collaboration platform fueled by a reflective team. Imagine insights from educators worldwide. Imagine features built on the collective brilliance of veteran teachers and Google experts. That's the power of VIA24 feeding into CoLab's mission.

In just the first day, I have already met the wonderful program leaders Andrew Caffrey and Les McBeth, Google team members Kim Lane Clark and Jennie Magiera, our small working team, and coach Cris Turple. I also met an affinity partner who is working on building community capacity and said hello to innovators from around the world! My favourite part was completing the world’s fastest design sprint with my partner from the UK! 

We can't wait to see how this journey shapes CoLab and brings us closer to a truly connected educational ecosystem. Stay tuned for updates on my quest to break down classroom walls with the Google Innovator program!