One of the goals of my research sabbatical is to determine what conditions are necessary to nurture innovation and creativity in our students, our classrooms, and our teachers. Before we can look ahead to what conditions are needed, we must first look back to see what conditions were needed to foster historical innovation.
Researchers Akcigit, Grigsby and Nicholas have been exploring the history of business innovation in the United States. Over the last century, America has been one of the most innovative nations on earth. These researchers look at the “golden age” of US innovation—the late 19th and early 20th centuries to “understand the environments that are most conducive to innovation” (Akcigit, et al., 2017). They also note that “innovation is getting harder and the pace of growth is slowing down” (Akcigit, et al., 2017). The two questions that are pertinent to my study are these: (1) what caused initial innovation and (2) what has changed to inhibit innovation.
Here are some of the observations they made about historical innovation in America: innovation flourish when there were:
In the US, innovators themselves were “highly educated” and pursued “profit and financial returns” (Akcigit, et al., 2017).
The map below shows innovative hotspots in the US (circa 1940). The research of Akcigit, et al. also addresses issues of race, gender, religion and economic inequality, which are also key factors in innovation (as well as many other areas of 20th century American history).
Researchers Akcigit, Grigsby and Nicholas have been exploring the history of business innovation in the United States. Over the last century, America has been one of the most innovative nations on earth. These researchers look at the “golden age” of US innovation—the late 19th and early 20th centuries to “understand the environments that are most conducive to innovation” (Akcigit, et al., 2017). They also note that “innovation is getting harder and the pace of growth is slowing down” (Akcigit, et al., 2017). The two questions that are pertinent to my study are these: (1) what caused initial innovation and (2) what has changed to inhibit innovation.
Here are some of the observations they made about historical innovation in America: innovation flourish when there were:
- “densely populated area where people could interact with one another”
- strong “capital markets to finance innovation”
- “access to well-connected markets”
- “places that were economically and socially open to disruptive new ideas”
- “highly competitive”
In the US, innovators themselves were “highly educated” and pursued “profit and financial returns” (Akcigit, et al., 2017).
The map below shows innovative hotspots in the US (circa 1940). The research of Akcigit, et al. also addresses issues of race, gender, religion and economic inequality, which are also key factors in innovation (as well as many other areas of 20th century American history).
How might this historical data apply to educators?
How might these findings apply to elementary and secondary educational contexts? Learning how to collaborate and learn from and with each other (cp. “people could interact with one another”). We must foster students’ and educators’ openness to change and disruption; we must teach business savvy, marketing and finance management as well as make sustainable funding available for innovative projects. We must also ensure there is real competition. This last point is perhaps the hardest pill to swallow. Education has moved away from competition due to well-meaning (albeit at times misguided) egalitarian, anti-elitism and self-esteem agendas. Jessical Riddell writes, however, that “for students to fare better, they need to fail better” (Riddell, 2017). Competition means there will be some who succeed and some who fail. Competition means that some ideas will be better than other ideas. It means we need to empower our students to strive for excellence, and to keep striving until they create something excellent. Fostering innovation must be coupled with achieving excellence; why would we create something new (i.e., innovate) if we were content with 'good enough'?
Akcigit, U., Grigsby, J., & Nicholas, T. (2017, March 06). When America Was Most Innovative, and Why. Retrieved April 20, 2017, from https://hbr.org/2017/03/when-america-was-most-innovative-and-why
Riddell, J. (2017, April 11). Building resilience into the classroom. Retrieved April 19, 2017, from http://www.universityaffairs.ca/opinion/adventures-in-academe/building-resilience-classroom/
Akcigit, U., Grigsby, J., & Nicholas, T. (2017, March 06). When America Was Most Innovative, and Why. Retrieved April 20, 2017, from https://hbr.org/2017/03/when-america-was-most-innovative-and-why
Riddell, J. (2017, April 11). Building resilience into the classroom. Retrieved April 19, 2017, from http://www.universityaffairs.ca/opinion/adventures-in-academe/building-resilience-classroom/
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