In Spark!Lab, kids, families, and groups can engage in the invention process, develop their own ideas, and solve problems in individual and unique ways. Since establishing the lab in 2008, our staff has worked with more than a million young people and experimented with different ways to support their ability to innovate. Along with the Center’s scholarly research, these experiences have taught us a lot about what can foster—and hinder—innovative thinking and have helped us develop a toolkit of strategies for nurturing creativity.
In "How to Develop Innovators: A Toolkit from the Smithsonian," originally published in The Independent School Magazine blog from the National Association of Independent Schools, I review four key lessons we’ve learned and offer practical tips for applying them to other learning environments.
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