Rekindling Imagination in Education: An Imperative for the Future

This session addresses rekindling imagination within the K–Grey life-long learning education pipeline, a critical imperative to envision the future, and to create the knowledge to make these visions a reality through innovation in every sector and dimension of society. As education becomes more standardized, generations of learners are being precluded from exposure to creative, holistic, transdisciplinary, and global thinking, all critical in the creation of future vision states. Currently, imagination is stifled from most public K-12 education programs across the nation by omission and direct action; universities do not fare any better. For example, divergent thinking in the classroom has become an unwelcome daydreaming pastime, perceived as keeping students from focusing on the more important task of learning facts. Consequently, we need to plan, design, and implement courses that encourage future theories study, and promote projects in which students are rewarded for envisioning the future and creating new knowledge.

Who should attend: This session is intended for anyone involved in any aspect of the creation of human intellectual capital, particularly anyone with an interest on the future: from educators to practitioners in any field or discipline; from parents to students at any level; and from policy makers to advocates for education change. The focus is on presenting the challenge and offering solutions to those challenges, whether in the classroom at any level, or within any type of public or private organization.

What you’ll learn: Participants in this session will learn: (1) the context and drivers of imagination as a core component of creativity, innovation, design, and entrepreneurship; (2) why we need to rekindle imagination within the complete K–Grey life-long learning education pipeline; (3) what we need to do to reach this goal; (4) how individuals, schools, universities, and public and private organizations can do so; and (5) available resources for individuals, schools, universities, and public and private organizations to achieve the what through the how.

How this new knowledge can be applied: Participants in this session will be able to apply the knowledge gained in this session through exposure to (1) general strategies to rekindle imagination within the complete K–Grey life-long learning education pipeline; (2) examples of tactical objectives in support of some of these general strategies; (3) examples of operational plans of action in support of some of these tactical objectives; and (4) examples of best practices and lessons learned in any of these areas.

Rodney Hill, professor, Department of Architecture, Texas A&M University, currently holds the Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence, College Station, Texas.

Jorge A. Vanegas, dean, College of Architecture at Texas A&M University, director, Center for Housing and Urban Development, College Station, Texas

key words: imagination, creativity, creating knowledge

issue areas: Learning and Education, Social and Cultural Trends