Design thinking — a dynamic and fluid iterative approach to problem solving has captured the imagination of educators and kids alike with its emphasis on the intuitive creativity we all remember from childhood. I wondered if our tiniest students, preschoolers
I am always on the lookout for examples of the creative process to inspire educational practices. And bingo (or slots in my case), I found it in Las Vegas at the Cirque du Soleil Michael Jackson ONE show. This breathtaking barrage
When I think about educational practices we should scale in 2015, I think about visual thinking and student learning. It is widely accepted that people have a better memory for images than words. Think about an icon or symbol and
“Often schools are teaching kids things they might never need to know again. We’re not teaching them how to be creative, or design, … or deal with unexpected situations. A lot of people are aware that we really need to
The majority of first generation and low-income students struggle to survive the transition from home to college because their experiences and social class backgrounds often leave them confused about the middle-class cultural norms that define university life. These students, especially
“The world in general disapproves of creativity,” wrote Isaac Asimov. In a 1959 letter to a team of scientists at MIT, the great science fiction writer advised his colleagues to prepare themselves for disapproval. Creative ideas would appear outlandish and
Here’s a mantra for reimagining 21st century philanthropy: we can’t solve today’s problems with yesterday’s logic. Although the basis of 20th century American philanthropy was citizen altruism, a combination of top down management and exclusive grant making made possible its achievements.
Thinking about creativity as a skill, not a mighty mystery, makes it accessible to all of us. Too many people still think of creativity as a mystery — the exclusive property of the very intellectually gifted or a bolt of
Soldiers, sailors and members of the air corps often used the catchphrase, “Kilroy was here,” accompanied by a doodle to commemorate a place they visited or a battle fought during World War II. This reminder of wartime exploits became a
Interest in women and girls and tangible actions to improve their lives continue to gain momentum. More and more people are speaking up for women and girls — and pursuing innovative ideas to enhance their economic security, education, health and
