For the past few weeks I have been examining the wicked problem of making innovation the learning ethic in schools with my classmates Brandy and Julie. We knew it would not be easy, it is a wicked problem after all, but we found ourselves pushing our thinking constantly. Teasing out exactly why it was wicked was our first problem. Through infographics, which you can see below, we began to tackle the issue. We found time, resources, support, and this idea of embracing uncertainty were challenges to innovation in the classroom.
The more we thought though, the more we realized: what truly made this problem wicked was that we needed to be innovative to teach innovation so that schools could produce students who could innovate. That is some circular reasoning if I have ever seen it!
Our solution: problem-based learning (PBL). We realized though, PBL on it's own is not enough. Simply having students solve problems would not help them to become innovators. Students would need to be exposed to ill-structured problems (complex problems) and more than that, they would have to learn to collaborate. Technology is also an important part of PBL. Students would need to learn how to use technology as a learning and problem-solving tool to be successful. So just like our problem, our solution was multi-faceted. To make innovation the learning ethic in classrooms, PBL should be embraced with a focus on collaboration and the use of technology as a learning tool.
Please take a look at our final policy recommendation here and let us know what you think! How do you encourage students to be innovative?