In the book Out Of Our Minds, Ken Robinson makes and thoroughly supports the argument that creativity, and the subsequent innovation that is spawns, is fundamentally hindered by our educational system. Robinson refers to septic focus of education and the fundamental problem and develops the following four points to effectively support this position:
- For historical reasons, education is preoccupied with academic ability. This is based on the deep seated assumptions in Western culture about intelligence.
- Academic ability promotes particular forms of intellectual activity. They are important, but they are very far from being the whole of human intelligence.
- The results have been beneficial in many areas and disastrous in many others. There is a tragic narrowing of intelligence, divisions between arts and sciences, and a profound waste of creative capacity. Very many people leave education never realizing their real intellectual capacities.
- In the new world economies, this waste of human resources is potentially disastrous. The abilities that are now most needed are being left to waste despite the massive expansion of education and the pressure to raise standards. Organizations and communities are paying the price.
Robinson isn’t just critical of the system–he provides many worthy recommendations. Most of these recommendations take into account the following three priorities:
Identifying – providing systemically for the identification and development of creative strengths and abilities of all individuals in the organization.
Facilitating – providing for the conditions with the organization as a whole through which creative processes are actively supported and encouraged.
Employing – harnessing creative outcomes to the core objectives of the organization.
Clearly, we have a long way to go.
