…education has entered the Innovation Age, where it’s not about what students know but what they can do with what they know. Teachers can prepare students to thrive in the Innovation Age by teaching them to think at three levels: what, so what, and now what. What is the basic concept? So what is its relevance and what is this related to? Constantly ask, “now what can I do with what I have learned to find solutions to unmet needs?”

So what does this mean for education?
We need to inspire smart, empathetic change.

Based on my research and growth we’re experiencing in my school District, looking for the “now what” means that educators embrace:

• empowerment through agency, so students are producers, not just consumers
• empathetic design thinking, since success is in the eye of the user
• a culture of learning together
• ’50 solutions’ mentality, instead of seeking the right one right answer
• systematic integration of technology to scaffold and build a repertoire
• iteration-friendly assessment, so students learn from mistakes and are willing to take risks
• 4Cs (collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking) to enhance innovation skills

Now what?
Find out more about what you can do to refresh Information Age classrooms to make them powerful Innovation Age learning environments. Welcome to Innovation Age Education where you’ll find companion resources to my newly published book Innovation Age Learning: Empowering Students by Empowering Teachers, published by ISTE.  You’ll also find published articles and interviews, academic projects, events, references, and a bit about me.