3 Ways Invention Education Boosts Engagement

When educators ensure their students feel free to express their ideas and enjoy agency in their own learning, research shows they can reduce disruptions, promote a greater sense of belonging and increase engagement in their classrooms.

Invention education – an approach that guides students to develop an innovative mindset and skills through the act of invention – is an effective way for educators to accomplish this. Read on to take a closer look at three ways invention education boosts engagement for students and teachers alike.

Getting Active With Hands-On Learning

At the core of invention education is the physical act of sketching, building, testing and improving invention prototypes. At Camp Invention^®, the K-6 invention education summer program from the National Inventors Hall of Fame^®, children take on high-energy challenges and turn their invention ideas into a reality using accessible, everyday materials. Putting students in control of exploring and experimenting with STEM concepts, the atmosphere created by this active approach is fun and exciting for educators as well as students.

Hands-on learning is effective for all grade levels because it can consistently engage students and help make their learning visible. Prioritizing experiential learning, a hands-on approach provides students with opportunities to directly interact with materials and tools, and leads them to feel more invested in the results of their work. Active, kinesthetic learning also is shown to improve retention, helping to make a lasting difference in students’ learning outcomes.

Teaming Up for Creative Collaboration

The National Inventors Hall of Fame’s approach to invention education places an emphasis on opportunities to collaborate. Whether they’re participating in Camp Invention in the summer, Club Invention^® afterschool or Invention Project^® in the classroom, children enjoy teaming up to take on creative challenges, and educators learn new ways to incorporate collaborative learning throughout the school year.

Through invention education, students and teachers see firsthand that one of the keys to effective collaboration is a group’s ability to listen to and show respect for others’ opinions. When given opportunities to practice teamwork, students find a sense of pride in supporting their teammates and are empowered to build essential life skills including responsible decision-making and self-awareness. Students practice communicating their ideas with clarity and focus, and they learn that gathering constructive feedback from others is a necessary step in producing the best outcomes.

Finding Value in Real-World Problem Solving

In contrast to passive learning strategies in which students must reach predetermined answers, invention education offers an open-ended approach to learning that challenges

students to solve authentic, real-world problems by developing their own unique ideas. This approach presents many opportunities for students as well as teachers to find joy in creativity and relevance in the topics they’re exploring.

At the National Inventors Hall of Fame, all invention education curricula are directly inspired and informed by the lessons and stories of Hall of Fame Inductees – real-life role models who help students to see the true impact of great ideas and inventions. These real, relatable stories keep children engaged as they develop their own inventive identities and explore career possibilities. By helping them to see how inventors have shaped our society and improved our everyday lives, invention education leads students to realize their own potential to make a difference in the world around them.

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