About PI
We design and deliver equitable learning opportunities for all learners, preparing them to be innovative and ethical contributors to the future of education, their communities and a thriving civil society.
Principled Innovation is one of nine design aspirations that guides the ongoing evolution of ASU as a New American University. Practicing Principled Innovation at ASU ensures we place character and values at the center of decisions and actions.
The Principled Innovation Framework originated in the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation where it was co-created by faculty, staff, students, and community partners. A generous gift from the Kern Family Foundation in 2017 supported the development of the framework, tools and resources and the college’s efforts to integrate Principled Innovation into the systems of teacher and leader preparation. The Kern Family Foundation continues to support Principled Innovation through another investment to catalyze Principled Innovation across Arizona State University.
Our story
Year three | Navigating uncertainty
Due to COVID-19, the remaining spring sessions for the PI Staff Catalysts shifted and evolved to provide virtual learning sessions. Since this unforeseen challenge presented its own challenges and uncertainty, catalyst design projects adapted, transformed, and remain ongoing within the college. A closing session was held as a culmination of this inaugural experience to provide catalysts the chance to share takeaways, reflections, and feedback. Those details along with much more can be found in the year one report deck.
Years four and five | Commemorating the work
On October 24-25, 2022, the PI team hosted its Fall Convening at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ. The event was attended by MLFC staff, faculty and students, ASU partners, Kern Family Foundation partners and external partners focused on character work. This convening commemorated a culmination of six years of work around Principled Innovation to share our success and challenges in addition to looking towards the future.
Year one | Defining character
A retreat was hosted in October 2017 for the core planning team members to work alongside Larry Nucci, Marvin Berkowitz, and members of the Kern Family Foundation to continue discussions about the development of the MLFC definitions and framework for character education.
Year one | Exploring character through storytelling
Throughout our continuous exploration of character and what it means to us at the Teachers College, the theme of storytelling kept surfacing as a way to understand others’ experiences and situations with navigating the development of character. In May 2018, college faculty and staff were invited to a workshop to learn more about our initiative and “test” the new framework through storytelling.
Year one | Rethinking educator preparation
Key faculty and staff members participated in two one-week long discussions in May and June 2018 about rethinking the way educators are prepared using a lens of character education and intrapreneurship. Participants asked themselves questions about what educators of today and the future need to know and intentionally designing our curriculum to meet those student needs.
Year two | Engaging our students
Character Initiatives’ program coordinators presented to the TEL 101 Peer Leaders about the character work being completed at the college as well as facilitated an activity related to character to begin fostering a deeper understanding of our work and the character education framework.
Year two | Collaborating to advance character
In September 2018, the Character Initiatives Steering Committee had the opportunity to meet with visitors from Central College who were currently on a planning grant of their own to infuse character into their college. Meetings occurred throughout the day to share insights and discuss the character work between both colleges.
Year two | Context matters
The afternoon events on the first day of a three-day internal conference included a facilitated and interactive panel discussion for about 120 faculty and staff. The panel addressed the importance of context in work around character and made connections between the four character assets and the panel members’ individual work and research.
Year two | Sharing with partner districts
The following week of June 10-14, 2019, principals and lead teachers from partner school districts around the valley underwent a week long training that was framed around the idea of Principled Innovation. Participants were provided with both the condensed and shortened definition of Principled Innovation. Throughout the week as teams discussed models and what different aspects of the reimagined teacher prep program looked like, the reflection prompts included how the changes within the college reflected principled innovation.
Year three | Celebrating in community
The Principled Innovation Steering Committee met in December 2019 to connect and reflect on the celebrations and work of the past year and begin looking forward to intentionally connect the work happening throughout the college using the practices of Principled Innovation. This included facilitated experiences and activities from Ron Beghetto and the MLFC Design Initiatives team.
Year three | Leading towards the future
A collaborative event, Principled Innovation: Leadership for Today, Tomorrow, and the Future, hosted by both the Learning Futures and Principled Innovation teams was held in late February 2020 for educational leaders. Attendees represented ASU faculty and staff as well as aspiring and current leaders from 18 Arizona districts, charter schools, and the Arizona Department of Education.
Year three | Navigating uncertainty
Due to COVID-19, the remaining spring sessions for the PI Staff Catalysts shifted and evolved to provide virtual learning sessions. Since this unforeseen challenge presented its own challenges and uncertainty, catalyst design projects adapted, transformed, and remain ongoing within the college. A closing session was held as a culmination of this inaugural experience to provide catalysts the chance to share takeaways, reflections, and feedback. Those details along with much more can be found in the year one report deck.
Years four and five | Commemorating the work
On October 24-25, 2022, the PI team hosted its Fall Convening at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ. The event was attended by MLFC staff, faculty and students, ASU partners, Kern Family Foundation partners and external partners focused on character work. This convening commemorated a culmination of six years of work around Principled Innovation to share our success and challenges in addition to looking towards the future.
Year one | Defining character
A retreat was hosted in October 2017 for the core planning team members to work alongside Larry Nucci, Marvin Berkowitz, and members of the Kern Family Foundation to continue discussions about the development of the MLFC definitions and framework for character education.
Year one | Exploring character through storytelling
Throughout our continuous exploration of character and what it means to us at the Teachers College, the theme of storytelling kept surfacing as a way to understand others’ experiences and situations with navigating the development of character. In May 2018, college faculty and staff were invited to a workshop to learn more about our initiative and “test” the new framework through storytelling.
Year one | Rethinking educator preparation
Key faculty and staff members participated in two one-week long discussions in May and June 2018 about rethinking the way educators are prepared using a lens of character education and intrapreneurship. Participants asked themselves questions about what educators of today and the future need to know and intentionally designing our curriculum to meet those student needs.
Year two | Engaging our students
Character Initiatives’ program coordinators presented to the TEL 101 Peer Leaders about the character work being completed at the college as well as facilitated an activity related to character to begin fostering a deeper understanding of our work and the character education framework.
Year two | Collaborating to advance character
In September 2018, the Character Initiatives Steering Committee had the opportunity to meet with visitors from Central College who were currently on a planning grant of their own to infuse character into their college. Meetings occurred throughout the day to share insights and discuss the character work between both colleges.
Year two | Context matters
The afternoon events on the first day of a three-day internal conference included a facilitated and interactive panel discussion for about 120 faculty and staff. The panel addressed the importance of context in work around character and made connections between the four character assets and the panel members’ individual work and research.
Year two | Sharing with partner districts
The following week of June 10-14, 2019, principals and lead teachers from partner school districts around the valley underwent a week long training that was framed around the idea of Principled Innovation. Participants were provided with both the condensed and shortened definition of Principled Innovation. Throughout the week as teams discussed models and what different aspects of the reimagined teacher prep program looked like, the reflection prompts included how the changes within the college reflected principled innovation.
Year three | Celebrating in community
The Principled Innovation Steering Committee met in December 2019 to connect and reflect on the celebrations and work of the past year and begin looking forward to intentionally connect the work happening throughout the college using the practices of Principled Innovation. This included facilitated experiences and activities from Ron Beghetto and the MLFC Design Initiatives team.
Year three | Leading towards the future
A collaborative event, Principled Innovation: Leadership for Today, Tomorrow, and the Future, hosted by both the Learning Futures and Principled Innovation teams was held in late February 2020 for educational leaders. Attendees represented ASU faculty and staff as well as aspiring and current leaders from 18 Arizona districts, charter schools, and the Arizona Department of Education.
Year three | Navigating uncertainty
Due to COVID-19, the remaining spring sessions for the PI Staff Catalysts shifted and evolved to provide virtual learning sessions. Since this unforeseen challenge presented its own challenges and uncertainty, catalyst design projects adapted, transformed, and remain ongoing within the college. A closing session was held as a culmination of this inaugural experience to provide catalysts the chance to share takeaways, reflections, and feedback. Those details along with much more can be found in the year one report deck.
Years four and five | Commemorating the work
On October 24-25, 2022, the PI team hosted its Fall Convening at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ. The event was attended by MLFC staff, faculty and students, ASU partners, Kern Family Foundation partners and external partners focused on character work. This convening commemorated a culmination of six years of work around Principled Innovation to share our success and challenges in addition to looking towards the future.