What if every student learned to think like an inventor? What if educators had a powerful way to inspire all students to engage in their own learning? What if young people were prepared to meet the demands of jobs that don’t yet exist?
InventEd is an initiative launched by The Lemelson Foundation to unite a network of K–12 educators, nonprofit leaders, researchers, government agencies, funders, and others who are advancing the field of invention education, a pedagogical approach focused on empathy and collaborative problem solving that results in novel solutions by integrating the process of invention into teaching and learning.
Invention education often encompasses computational thinking, entrepreneurship, the maker mindset, human-centered design, and design thinking. It includes application of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education principles, as well as creative practices and processes common to the arts and humanities.
The Invention Education Framework lays out a comprehensive set of principles organized around six tenets—Context, Empathy, Problem Solving, Continuous Learning, Iteration, and Sustainable Innovation—that support the growth of invention education within formal and informal learning environments from K–12 through higher education. The framework can be downloaded for free and shared.
Participants in the InventEd Network connect throughout the year to learn from one another, share resources and progress, collectively identify and solve problems that advance the field, and increase engagement and understanding of invention education. The network also promotes collaboration and learning through joint projects and discussion forums.
Currently there is no cost associated with participation in the InventEd Network. Online and in-person events are open to stakeholders across the education sector who are interested in advancing the field of invention education and discussing the larger issues facing the education sector.