Response to "Creating Innovators" by Tony Wagner

CREATING INNOVATORS (by Tony Wagner)

Over the summer (2012) I had the opportunity to read Creating Innovators, by Tony Wagner. I recommend his book. Although Wagner is a Harvard professor he writes in such a way that the reader is engaged and wants to learn more about his subjects through their stories.

Essentially, Wagner presents several individuals from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds who have “succeeded” through innovative ideas. He provides the common themes, such as allowing time to play, along with supportive parents and school leaders. With regards to playing I especially appreciate his position that children need time for creative play, learning to solve the “boredom” problem without television and video games. (he isn’t against video games, but that creative play opportunity allows the creative part of he mind to develop) Below is from p.42.

Childhood Play

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Childhood Passion

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Adult Purpose

Motivating learners of all ages demands empowering them. (p.52) Giving people the freedom to explore and make errors will ultimately lead to a culture of innovation, teamwork, and interdisciplinary problem solving. (p.57) This last idea strikes a chord with me. It requires that we as educators give learners the opportunity to apply knowledge in a variety of real world contexts. We need to guide them through solving problems on their own, in contexts outside of the classroom and textbook. I’m envisioning a simulation activity I gave to Grade 9 East Asia Studies students. We turned our school’s main field into a Silk Road map. They worked in pairs to trade along the route. There was a set of rules they had to play by, but by trading along the route while still protecting your home-base business, they acquired new knowledge about the nature of the Silk Route – by actually trading! This was a game, and the information I could elicit from students was rich and thoughtful.

Collaboration is another theme. Providing opportunities to collaborate with peers, adults in the school, and people in the community. Project-based collaboration gives students a goal to achieve together and requires discussion, debate, compromise, and skills such as active listening. Working together to identify problems (p.105) and challenges helps us flesh out solutions and develop new ideas. The yearbook class I lead is a great example. (I say “lead” because the students make the truly important decisions) One of the challenges is to compromise on content, style/ layout, and even on what roles each person takes. My approach to this is to allow students to explore new ideas. Wagner notes how some students fell they “need permission to try new ideas”. (p.110) I think this is more common in schools than we think. Another problem I see isn’t really with lessons that lack creativity, but learners not intrinsically motivated – learners who don’t want to innovate, but rather want to study and regurgitate facts and methods in order to “get an A”. (and into university) Thus our challenge as educators is to have students develop a desire to create and innovate.

Another interesting idea from Wagner suggests that rather than develop lessons plans, we “design learning experiences”. (p.162-163) This makes me think of the flipped classroom, a more recent approach to teaching and learning. How recent I’m not really certain – many of us were challenging students to do the digging and ask the questions before the catch phrase “flipped classroom” caught on. Social networking and online collaboration being so easy, as well as access to information (in the “have” countries and schools), has paved the way for the “flipped classroom” to spear it’s reach.

I should probably study some of what the experts say on the FC.

I do find I’m using some of Wagner’s vocabulary. One phrases is learners “developing competencies”, not simply skills. (p.175) The idea is that we may have basic computer skills, but are we competent using a computer in a variety of contexts. (let alone troubleshooting)

One thing I had trouble with Creating Innovators was the limited dialogue on how to assist teachers in this task of “creating innovator”. Wagner does acknowledge the problem with universities and colleges changing at glacial speed, as well as the problem of resource limitations. Educators need more professional development time, guidance, and have to be taken to task to innovate and develop as professionals. We also need more free-flowing time with students; not constrained by time and external examinations.

I think when it comes to creativity, student and teacher, demands perseverance. Giving up early on in the process can’t be a factor, and we should appreciate finding out why we failed and how we can improve.