S T E M
I N S I G H T S
F R O M
E V I D E N C E
INSPIRING AN INNOVATION MINDSET EMILY HUNT Source: The 'No Hands Pyramid' Activity, Pg. 37, 15-Minute STEM Book 2
It is hard to ignore the global demand for innovation.
Governments
are
To start with, let’s get one thing clear:
dedicating
departments to it, citing the acceleration of
Innovation is Different to Invention
innovation as central to promoting prosperity and growth. Innovation centres are popping up at
Invention is the creation of something new.
universities around the world to link academics
This is normally a tangible product or ‘thing’
with industry. Companies are also placing it at the
(think Alexander Graham Bell with the telephone
heart of their vision and mission statements.
or Thomas Edison with the lightbulb). It is
Innovation is the key to creating a better future.
important to remember that not all inventions are
Take some of the most pressing challenges facing
useful. While some go on to become innovations,
our world at the moment: the UN's Sustainable
revolutionising the way we live, others are of little
Development Goals. These goals are ambitious and
use and are quickly forgotten.
require
an
innovative
response,
drawing
Innovation
connects
the
dots
between
particularly on knowledge and expertise from the
inventions. It happens when someone improves
fields of science, technology, engineering and
upon or makes a significant contribution to
mathematics.
something that has already been invented. Take
This poses a challenge for us as educators: that
the invention of Apple’s iPhone. It wasn’t the first
of how to equip students with the relevant
phone to ever exist, nor was it the first device to
knowledge and skills necessary to be innovative
have a touchscreen. However, it was innovative in
thinkers, able to solve the complex problems of
the way that it blended phone and computer into
tomorrow’s world. Whilst we don’t know exactly
a palm-sized device. Innovation creates a process
what these problems will be, we do know that
or product that is useful, adds value to our lives
STEM
and is commercially successful.
projects
provide
meaningful
ways
for
students to identify problems and come up with creative
solutions.
This
is
the
very
basis
for
innovation. So, what should children know about innovation,
The two words are closely connected but they are not the same.
So, what else should children know about innovation?
and how should we teach it?
STEM|ED MAGAZINE
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