Fostering Innovative Thinking: What Does It Mean? Why Do It? How?

I am going to shift gears today. The last few posts about what business might mean when citing creativity and innovation as 21st century skills are certainly not definitive, but they will be my framework for researching more about the business/economic perspective in the innovation conversation.

I plan to begin exploring three additional threads on fostering innovative thinking (which includes creativity):

1) Fostering Innovative Thinking: What Does It Mean? In addition to defining creativity and innovation from the perspective of various business sectors, what other perspectives on creativity and innovation are important and need to be heard as we discuss those two 21st century skills? I will explore what governors and legislators, opinion leaders in education, creative people in the arts and a wide variety of other realms, researchers, and parents and citizens who have not been part of the conversation are saying and doing around the issue of creativity and innovation as 21st century schools.

2) Fostering Innovative Thinking: Why Do We Do It? I will look critically at the claim that schools need to develop creative, innovative thinkers, as well as at the rationales of others. I also will question my own assertion that learning in the arts is an essential component of developing creative, innovative thinking and other 21st century skills.

3) Fostering Innovative Thinking: How Do We Do It? What must be done to meet future needs for creative, innovative thinkers? This discussion will center on classrooms, schools, and education reform. But it also will venture into all of the segments of society listed above. I will explore the ideas of those who write and speak about creativity and the new idea of "innovation literacy." I will synthesize research and suggested strategies from a variety of sources, as well as offer any creative ideas that might occur to me.