Digital Academy: Quest 

Quest is offered online only.

Quest sessions are held on Mondays and Fridays, 4:00-6:00 pm CST over three, six, or nine-week blocks. Students will spend most of their time working on the project outside our meeting sessions.

Yes. Since Quest projects are self-directed, students are expected to work on the project on their own time outside of workshops. At Monday Quest meetings, the group shares our working plans; during Friday Quest meetings, students share their progress and ask for feedback. Students can upload their work to the Figjam page and chat on the dedicated Discord Server throughout the week.

Typically, no. Our goal is to give students the ability to gain confidence over time as they respond to the challenges. There is quite a bit of support from students and mentors throughout workshops, which feels like partnering. Depending on the situation, a mentor may allow for limited partnerships to form.

Digital Academy uses creative technologies and community as a bridge to Social Emotional Learning (SEL) development. All DA programs assume that the student can work with some level of independence in a group setting with roaming support by IOB staff including IOB Creative Technologists, Mentors, and/or Special Educators.

Students who need one-to-one support may find other IOB programs – such as Foundation Workshops – a better fit. Please contact the IOB Team (connect@islandsofbrilliance.org) if you have specific questions regarding the support your student may need.

Students get a badge ring when they enter DA Programming with slots for earning badges. These badges indicate each student's level of engagement and are not representative of any rank. Each person on a self-directed Quest gets a uniquely designed badge created by the IOB Creative Technologist Team which is awarded to the student after the Quest's completion.

No. DA sessions are not recorded. Attendance is critical to success. However, IOB understands sometimes unexpected circumstances and calendar conflicts arise. IOB will work with families where possible.

Since Quest is the pinnacle of Digital Academy, students accepted into this program are treated with the respect they've earned to operate at this level. If students know they will miss a Quest session, their entire Quest will be extended to accommodate the missed session(s). Students in Quest who do not call, do not show up, or do not have a credible reason for their absence will lose that session.

Families and students can contact chris@islandsofbrilliance.org to get started. Chris and our IOB team will determine if Quest is the right fit for you.

Chris Willey, the Director of Technology at IOB, is the main person behind all Digital Academy programming. Please email chris@islandsofbrilliance.org with questions.