What do you do if student learning lacks creativity and innovation?

The best way to help students understand how to apply creativity and innovation is with use cases adapted to the field of the subject. Being able to see/evaluate firsthand real life scenarios from top companies during lessons with the guidance of a SME will add great value to the learning experience.

Educational neuroscience suggests that engaging and hands-on experiences, such as project-based learning, can deepen understanding and encourage creative thinking by activating multiple brain areas involved in problem-solving and innovation. Give your students the task of creating a new product or method. Project-based learning is ideal for allowing creative students to come up with applicable innovations.

If student learning lacks creativity and innovation, it's essential to introduce teaching strategies and activities that foster these skills. Implement project-based learning, where students tackle real-world problems and develop creative solutions collaboratively. Encourage divergent thinking through brainstorming sessions and open-ended questions. Incorporate activities like role-playing, design challenges, and creative writing prompts to stimulate imagination. Offer opportunities for self-expression through art, music, or multimedia projects. Providing constructive feedback and celebrating creative efforts can also nurture a culture of innovation in the classroom.

Think outside the box! Too often, people feel restricted by "the box" (the computer screen). Not every moment of every online learning experience has to involve somebody talking at somebody. It's okay to have 5 minutes of quiet time or tasks/challenges to complete before reconvening again. One of the best experiences I had with an online course was with The Museum of Natural History in NYC. Those courses challenged us to explore the world outside our door. They were relevant and engaging.

Put your students at the driving seat of their assignments. This will not only open the floor for Creativity, it will also prepare them for their careers (where autonomy and creative thinking are both highly valued when recruiting). Share guidelines, bring up problems/situations to solve, let the magic happen and provide proactive feedback to ensure the best results of a continuous improvement process.

To address a lack of creativity and innovation in student learning, providing choice and autonomy is key. Offer students opportunities to select topics, projects, or learning pathways that align with their interests and strengths. Incorporate flexible learning environments where students can work independently or collaboratively based on their preferences. Allow for various modes of expression and assessment, such as presentations, multimedia projects, or written reflections, empowering students to showcase their creativity in diverse ways. By giving students agency over their learning, they are more likely to engage actively and explore innovative approaches.

Integrating field related tools in the learning environment to submit assignments/projects can be indeed very helpful for students to innovate during their tracks. Using rubrics to evaluate your students becomes crucial for a controlled experience (we want students to think out of the box but not out of the subject) Also, rubrics are a great way to provide students with a clear orientation about what we expect from their work and how they will be evaluated. Yet another tip - linking rubric criteria with outcomes is also key to measure performance over the course.

Integrating technology and media into the learning process can invigorate student engagement and foster creativity. Incorporate multimedia presentations, interactive simulations, and educational apps to make lessons dynamic and interactive. Encourage students to utilize digital tools for research, collaboration, and content creation. Implementing flipped classroom models or virtual field trips allows students to explore diverse perspectives and resources beyond traditional textbooks. By leveraging technology and media, educators can create immersive learning experiences that inspire innovation and critical thinking among students.

A falta de criatividade e inova??o no aprendizado dos alunos pode ser um problema frustrante para educadores. Felizmente, existem diversas estratégias que podem ser implementadas para estimular a criatividade e a inova??o na sala de aula…

Including gamification tools in a learning track is a fantastic way to promote creativity and innovation by rewarding your students when applying correctly these concepts. Consider granting your students with badges, developing a good storytelling strategy and including a leaderboard to leverage a healthy and open competition between your students while they have fun learning.

In our experience - the use of forums in the virtual campus is another great way to sprout creativity. Allow your students to share their ideas and consider giving extra points to the best contributors.