21/8/2017 How To Foster More Creativity In 21st Century Education

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How To Foster More Creativity In 21st Century Education
How To Foster More Creativity In 21st C
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The Berlin School Of Creative Leadership , CONTRIBUTOR
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Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
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By Leonard Sommer

Our current education system is ill-prepared to educate the next

Active on LinkedIn generation of creative leaders. Developing every individuals creative
Never, Ever Take A Job Before Asking These potential will be one of the crucial value-creating factors for leading
Ten Questions
economies in the Imagination Age.

We live in a time where things are constantly changing and evolving.

Active on LinkedIn The old, established rules used by past generations to educate and
Lead With Your Values And Purpose To Find
A Career You Love
secure success are not suitable for the next generation who will thrive
in such an innovative time.

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21/8/2017 How To Foster More Creativity In 21st Century Education

The U.S.-author, Daniel H. Pink has declared the Information Age to

be over. In his view, the so-called Conceptual Age has long since
begun. Pink holds that as a result of the excess in spoiled consumer
societies, the relocation of global production to Asia, and
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automation, the economies of the U.S. and Europe can only generate
The Ten Qualities Of Outstanding Employees
the value they need in the 21st century through creative commodities
and ideas/innovation.

As such, Pink foresees a power shift between left-hemisphere leaders

and right-hemisphere leaders at the executive level. He believes that
focusing more strongly on developing right-hemisphere potential,
and corresponding values like intuition, creativity and empathy, is
essential, and thinks the time has come for talented people with
these attributes to take up leadership positions.

Unfortunately, traditional education gives little room for students to

develop their creativity and outside-of-the-box thinking beyond
predetermined, standardized boundaries. The next generation needs
to be prepared to tackle not only the known, but also the unknown
problems our world will face. Therefore, we must be forward
thinking about how we train and inspire our upcoming generation.

In the coming age, creative thinking and problem solving, as well as

teamwork, will be key traits for success. According to author Cathy
N. Davison, 65% of todays preschoolers will grow up to work in jobs
or pursue careers that dont yet exist.

Assuming the whole education system will need to make a radical

transition in many countries around the world, I have asked more
than 100 creatives and futurists in 35 countries, to inspire the
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21/8/2017 How To Foster More Creativity In 21st Century Education

development of an innovative framework for 21st century education.

As such, this research focuses on a new organizational design,
learning culture and role of the teacher as well as new teaching
methods and a new assessment model.

Additionally, the research found that the current secondary school

system is severely lacking in practices necessary to prepare the next
generation for the unexpected through creative, strategic thinking. In
their survey, 67.2% said they did not consider their countrys
education system future ready. Additionally, of those surveyed, a
staggering 84.8% believe that creativity plays a minor role or is
suppressed in schools. Obviously, the current education system,
whose model dates back to the industrial age, is ill-prepared to
educate and prepare the next generation of creative leaders.

The research project will come to an end at the workshop,

Classroom Thinktank at Cannes Lions Festival 2014, the worlds
largest annual awards show and festival for professionals in the
creative communications industry. A few of the ideas included in the
model are: creating an environment where creativity can bloom,
inspiring natural curiosity to grow resulting in more engaged
learning, incorporation of technology, redesigning the teachers role
as not only a conveyor of knowledge but also as a facilitator, allowing
students to discover what they enjoy and developing their individual
academic or artistic skills.

I will reveal the findings of this research, share my vision of a

Learning Resource Management Model, and welcome participants
to share their own opinion, creativity methods and principles to

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inspire concrete actions and approaches for the vision of a 21st

century education framework.

The workshop will take place on Friday, June 20, 2014, first at 11
a.m. and again at 2 p.m. at Palais des Festivals et des Congrs de
Cannes. Those at the Cannes Lions Festival, with a Delegate Pass,
can find more information on Facebook.

Leonard Sommer, co-founder of the German creative agency

SOMMER+SOMMER and EMBA graduate of The Berlin School of
Creative Leadership.

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