Inventiveness–the bridge between inventions and innovations–gives students license to use their creative imagination. And today’s classrooms need more of it.
During ISTE 2018, educational technologist Kathy Schrock presented a variety of tools and strategies to help boost inventiveness in the classroom.
Invention is the creation of a product or the introduction of a process for the first time, while innovation occurs if someone improves on an existing product or process. The link between those two, Schrock said, is inventiveness–the ability to brainstorm, to be flexible, to elaborate, and to see original ideas come to fruition.
A few questions can pinpoint whether a classroom is conducive to creativity and inventiveness:
1. The classroom’s physical environment offers flexible resources
2. The classroom’s learning climate has students actively participating in discussions, allows for collaboration, and values different points of view
3. Students are engaged, seek different viewpoints, take risks, reflect on learning, and have time to think creatively and develop ideas
