How to enhance Creativity and Innovation in Education

5 Focus areas to take note of

The growth, evolution and development of human society have been the result of innovation and creative thinking. As an intelligent species, we have been more solution-driven rather than adaptive. Thus human civilization has evolved in its social and economic development through varied phases from the agrarian, industrial, informational to the creative. In his book “The Competitive Advantage of Nations”, Michael Porter argues, “as nations develop, they progress through several stages in terms of their characteristic competitive advantages and modes of competing”, wherein he also stresses the innovation-driven stage as a distinct stage that drives this advantage.

A discourse on economic activity is incomplete without reference to innovations and the ecosystem for creativity and innovative thinking. This takes the discussion beyond the conventional means of production like land, labour and capital to talent and how talent can be developed. It also goes beyond to include an institutional framework required for promoting critical and creative thinking. The next wave of growth is completely dependent on such human capital.

The creative economy as defined in the report published by UNCTAD (2019) is “an evolving concept which builds on the interplay between human creativity and ideas and intellectual property, knowledge and technology”.

The World Economic Forum used the Three-T framework namely, to develop the Creativity Index of various nations. Technology, Talent and Tolerance. Technology explosion, new skill sets, multi-disciplinary thinking, and the need for empathy are catalyzing changes in India’s colonial education system. This is representative of an emergent socio-economic shift that requires strategies for democratizing access to opportunities and rewards.

Making education more contextual to the current ecosystem is necessary, as it raises some very critical questions. Should education just cater to industry jobs or should it create thought leaders rich in curiosity, empathy, values and with the thirst for life-long learning? Does India need to create mentor practitioners who provoke and catalyze learners to push…

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