2. THE PROBLEM
There is a profound disconnect between what and how students
are taught in schools today, versus what the world demands of
them and what motivates them to think and perform innovatively.
VS.
3. WHY?
Traditional schooling with its emphasis Open online courseware succeeds in
on knowledge transmission and preparation for providing access to content but fails to engage learners
high-stakes tests leaves little room for hands-on in ways that promote active, creative learning and
learning, creative collaboration, and real-world innovative thinking.
problem solving.
4. THE SOLUTION:
Breaker will create a generation of change agents designing
environmentally and economically sustainable solutions.
5. THE BREAKER PROCESS
1 VISIONARY
poses a
CHALLENGE
2
TEAM of
interdisciplinary
18-24 year-olds spend
three
months Designing a service
or product solution
with
help
from
3 DESIGN
professionals
and supported by
4 game-changing
COMPANIES
6. CASE STUDY
Breaker’s Urban Agribusiness Challenge | NYC March- May 2012
1 2 3 4 5
DESIGN
PROCESS +
ENTREPRENEURIAL
TOOLKIT
Kenyatta James He receives a He begins a He receives He becomes the
a community call to action by hands-on learning feedback and co-founder of Farm
organizer, HS drop Majora Carter process to develop guidance from Blocks, a portable,
out. Finds Breaker to design an a commercially Breaker’s network modular raised bed
through Uncollege affordable, viable solution: of design and growing system.
group on scalable product business experts.
Facebook. Applies or service for RESEARCH
to the UrbanAg Urban SYNTHESIZE
Challenge. Joins Agribusiness.
the NYC-based IDEATE
team. BUILD
TEST
EVALUATE
REFLECT
TWEAK
7. BREAKER PROJECTS + PRODUCTS
Future of MOBO
O
the Book
Challenge
May-August 2011
Urban
Agribusiness
Challenge
January-April 2012
Tech for Civic
Engagement
Challenge
May-August 2012
8. BREAKER 2.0
Building on the success of three Breaker challenges, we’re
expanding to additional sites through a blended learning platform
that combines curated content organized around specific challenges
and supported by Breaker-trained facilitators in local, hands-on,
collaborative teams.
Online content + local collaborative teamwork = blended learning
9. BREAKER 2.0
Part 1: Online
Industry
Entrepreneur
Expert
Visionary Designer
Weekly curated Live video chat Ongoing Q&A
content across with one of Forum
four consistent the four weekly
sectors experts
10. BREAKER 2.0
Part 2: Offline
Interdisciplinary Housed within an Breaker-trained
teams, by incubator, facilitators
application, accelerator, or
organized around co-working space
a specific
challenge in
an emerging
industry
11. WHY WE’RE DIFFERENT
Proven ability to attract world-class experts
Clay Shirky, author Robert Winslow, QLabs
Jake Barton, Local Projects Mike Brown, AOL Ventures
Bart Haney, fuseproject Brandy Fowler, Doblin/Monitor
Tom Uglow, Google Creative Lab Cobie Everdell, frog design
Ryan Jacoby, IDEO Liz Burlow, Burlix Studios
Dickson Despommier, author Charlie Melcher, Melcher Media
Ross Martin, MTV Jeremey Heimans, Purpose
Britta Riley, Window Farms and many others...
Proven ability to assemble diverse teams of young talent and
facilitate collaboration across differences
Eighteen year-old gap year student
meets third-year interior design student
meets Morgan Stanley trainee
meets slam poet...
12. COMPETITORS
Open Design Youth Incubators/
Courseware Programs Empowerment Entrepreneurship
SKILLSHARE D.SCHOOL AT STANFORD FUTURE PROJECT UNREASONABLE
INSTITUTE
COURSERA DSI AT SVA BOLD ACADEMY
TECHSTARS BOSTON
UDACITY DESIGN FOR AMERICA
Generic skill-building STARTUP SCHOOL
and networking orgs
Local, offline meetups Serve matriculated FOUNDER LABS
with a focus on the
are study groups not students only.
individual above group THIEL FELLOWS
action groups.
collaborations.
Attract self-identified
startup types. Overlook a
more diverse talent pool to
feed the startup ecosystem.
Business solutions, not
necessarily social solutions.
13. SUCCESS
1: Adoption of the Model
The NYC team trains facilitators to lead projects in their respective cities using the blended learning platform.
As facilitators become more adept, they use the Breaker platform to create their own challenges and, once
approved, begin leading additional sites in that challenge area.
Lisbon Kiev
Amman
Dubai
Amsterdam
New
Delhi
London
Hometeam
NYC Doha
Moscow
Lima Los
Angeles
Providence
Brasília
San Diego
Caracas Detroit
Santiago
14. SUCCESS
2: Participants of Breaker create a portfolio of evidence
demonstrating their competency across eight domains. A Breaker
Masters Certificate signifies to employers candidates equipped with
essential skills for the 21st century marketplace.
collaboration across networks accessing and analyzing information
a bias toward action and experimentation effective oral and written communication
agility and adaptability curiosity and imagination
critical thinking and problem solving associative or integrative thinking
16. THREE YEAR PLAN
Year One Year Two Year Three
SOLIDIFY EXPANSION SOLIDIFY PARTNERSHIPS STRENGTHEN BREAKER BRAND
• Disseminate Manual • Expand recruitment effort for • Breaker recognized as the
participants and facilitators go-to program for social-
• Virtually train 4 facilitators in
4 cities (already identified) • Add 10 new project sites entrepreneurship education
globally • Breaker portfolios integrated
• Offer a 3+ day NYC-based
training supplement • Continue facilitator training into professional networking
sites. Industries recognize
• Establish relationships with • Announce annual Breaker Breaker certification.
local incubators product competition: 10k award
• Add 20 new project sites
• Build digital platform • 210+ students served locally globally
• Capture and curate content • 100,000+ served via online • Convene the Breaker alumni
for one 12 week challenge content network with other social
(topic TBD) • 1/3 of resulting products form entrepreneurship networks
• Launch Breaker Programs in companies • New challenge developed and
4 cities • Capture and curate content in uploaded by first facilitator
• 1/4 resulting products form a new challenge area • HQ releases third challenge
companies • Develop a facilitator resource/ • 510 students served locally
• 60 students served locally social hub
• 250,000+ students served via
online content
17. WHAT WE NEED
Build the digital Gather the digital Build partnerships
platform assets with Experts
Disseminate the Train the Breaker Set up
Breaker Manual facilitators infrastructure
