4. The 18-Month Innovation Garden Cycle

The Innovation Garden operates on an 18-month cycle designed to provide continuity, predictable engagement, and a clear pathway from early idea exploration to full conference contribution. This rhythm anchors the Garden’s activities, ensures year-round momentum, and supports both practitioners and organizers in planning their work across seasons. 

 The cycle is composed of five phases , each with a distinct purpose and set of activities. 

 

 4.1 Tilling the Soil (March–August) 

 This preparatory phase strengthens the foundation for the coming Garden year. 

 Focus: 

 

 

 Refresh templates, workflows, and design patterns 

 

 

 Update forms and submission processes 

 

 

 Recruit program leads, volunteers, and community stewards 

 

 

 Prepare Garden Pod spaces and Guided Adventure offerings 

 

 

 Align directions with the Searchlight trend scan 

 

 

 Coordinate with the Knowledge Tree and conference organizers 

 

 

 This phase sets the conditions for a successful and well-supported cycle. 

 

 4.2 Germination (September–October) 

 The Garden year formally begins with early opportunities for participation and light experimentation. 

 Focus: 

 

 

 Opening Walkthroughs in Frame VR 

 

 

 First Garden Pods and seed projects 

 

 

 Initial Guided Virtual Adventures 

 

 

 Orientation sessions for newcomers 

 

 

 Early design conversations and informal prototyping 

 

 

 This phase sparks momentum and invites broad engagement. 

 

 4.3 iLRNovember Bloom (November) 

 Following submission of Academic papers & proposals for the coming annual conference, November is the Garden’s most active and visible period—its annual “super bloom.” The iLEAD community activates during this month!  

 Focus: 

 

 

 Weekly Walkthroughs and multi-platform Guided Adventures 

 

 

 Toolshed Sessions demonstrating workflows and techniques 

 

 

 Maker Panels featuring practitioners’ design processes 

 

 

 Proposal Clinics supporting contributors preparing iLEAD submissions 

 

 

 Showcases and discussions across the Virtual Campus 

 

 

 This month generates an intense, supportive burst of activity that helps contributors develop strong, well-prepared ideas. 

 

 4.4 Cultivation (December–April) 

 This is the steady, sustained work of refining contributions and building capabilities. 

 Focus: 

 

 

 Deepening skills through ongoing workshops and explorations 

 

 

 Advancing Pods, prototypes, and curricular integrations 

 

 

 Preparing and revising conference submissions 

 

 

 Peer-supported iteration and reflection 

 

 

 Continued Guided Adventures and Garden interactions 

 

 

 This phase translates early sparks of creativity into polished and evidence-informed contributions. 

 

 4.5 Harvest (May–June) 

 The cycle culminates in the integration of Garden work into the annual hybrid iLRN conference. 

 Focus: 

 

 

 Innovation Garden District on the Virtual Campus 

 

 

 iLEAD workshops, demos, and practitioner sessions 

 

 

 Pod showcases and cross-platform demonstrations 

 

 

 Preparation for Repository submission and Knowledge Tree integration 

 

 

 Community reflections and celebration of contributions 

 

 

 The Harvest phase ensures that Garden outputs become part of iLRN’s formal scholarly and community record. 

 

 4.6 How the Cycle Supports Contributors 

 The 18-month rhythm is designed to provide: 

 

 

 Predictable, supportive opportunities for engagement 

 

 

 Clear pathways from early idea to conference-ready contribution 

 

 

 Multiple entry points for newcomers 

 

 

 A steady cadence of skill-building and design exploration 

 

 

 Integration with iLRN’s scholarly, practitioner, and foresight functions 

 

 

 This cycle sustains the Garden as a dynamic, inclusive, and evidence-informed practice ecosystem.