Challenges and Evidence that Matter for Solutions: Implications for Invention Education Programs

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Saturday 9:45 am
  In Poster Session: Amplifying Participants' Perspectives to Enhance Learning Environments

Abstract

This interview study examines the challenges PreK-12 and community college educators face across US and evidence they consider essential for adopting invention education (IvE) in formal school settings. As a transdisciplinary pedagogical approach, IvE develops curiosity, creativity, inventiveness, and problem-solving skills, which are critical skills for preparing learners to address complex societal challenges. Guided by ethnographic principles, we conducted 189 interviews, of which we analyzed 128 transcripts. We identified key challenges, including resource scarcity, systemic constraints, and interpersonal connections, and evidence needed to justify IvE integration, including logistics, interpersonal and intrapersonal conditions for student success, and student outcomes. Our study offers insights into supporting wider adoption of IvE in formal school settings, particularly in under-resourced and underserved communities.

Authors

• Tamara Galoyan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Audra Skukauskaite, University of Central Florida

• Stephanie Couch, Massachusetts Institute of Technology