Don’t let tech skills hold you back from teaching innovation in the classroom!

Teachers! You don’t need to be a tech wizard to cast your spell on innovation in the classroom!

As educators, it’s easy to believe we need to be tech savvy in order to teach innovation. But the truth is, you don’t.

Innovation is not about the tools you use, it’s about the mindset you bring to the table. Innovation is about thinking differently, solving problems in new and creative ways, and being open to trying new things. It’s not about the latest and greatest tech gadget, it’s about the thought process and problem solving skills that you bring to your teaching.

One approach to innovative teaching is design thinking. Design thinking is a human-centered approach to problem solving. It encourages us to empathise with our students, define the problem, come up with potential solutions, and test them out. You don’t need technology to do this. In fact, sometimes using technology can get in the way of the creative process.

One technique that can be used in the classroom to teach design thinking is paper prototyping. Have your students create a prototype of their solution using just paper and markers. This low-tech approach allows them to focus on the idea and the problem they are trying to solve, rather than getting bogged down by the technology.

Another approach to innovation is the Lean Startup method. The Lean Startup encourages entrepreneurs to validate their ideas before investing time and resources into them. This approach can also be applied in the classroom. Have your students come up with a problem they want to solve and then validate their solution by talking to potential customers (in this case, their classmates). Again, technology is not necessary for this process.

Applying technology blindly to solve problems often results in more problems. Just because technology is available, doesn’t mean it’s the best solution. By focusing on the thought process and problem solving skills, we are teaching our students how to be innovative, not just how to use technology.

So, let’s encourage ourselves and each other to teach innovation and teach innovatively. Let’s focus on the mindset and the process, and not just the tools. And most importantly, let’s have fun and enjoy the process! Innovation is not just about technology, it’s about being creative, thinking differently, and solving problems in new and exciting ways.