Preamble #IMMOOC Creating and Empowering an "Innovator's Mindset"

After a long dormancy, a renewal (of sorts) is in the making here. It is not like I wasn't learning every day nor was my photography put aside, but the sharing piece was definitely amiss. I missed it, but was relieved of the pressure I created for myself. A focus for the next six weeks will be on my commitment to the #IMMOCC as related to George Couros' The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent and Lead a Culture of Creativity. 

So on a day where our memories recount the unthinkable loss of 9/11, I reflect on the core values that impact the reason for living, the basis for my career, and the guiding forces for day-to-day decisions. A rarity to take the time to dig deep - and though, I will, it won't necessarily be truly expressed in my words - nor my image - but it will be imprinted and shared to some degree. My core values:

• Lifelong learning (yes, a cliche, but I'm still a believer) creates positive change and with change, there is growth (despite the challenges). Without change/growth, we stagnate and eventually wither away.
• Connections - not just the relationships one counts with regards to family, friends and acquaintances, but connections with 
• people (virtual and face-to-face, including those spontaneous ones that etch an emotion in our hearts),
• nature/environment (a true spiritual one that underscores the cycle of life and the respectful interdependency required for survival)
• content/ideas/art (for lack of better words - being inspired by connected concepts that propel one's thinking)
• history (our culture and heritage, our past and our learnings from the past)
• ourselves (yes!)
• Authenticity - I am guilty of using silence to avoid genuine interaction (often confused with my introversion) but I strive to create honest situations that are devoid of "niceties" for the sake of being nice. There is a certain amount of conflict for me here as I want to acknowledge those who need the external feedback, but I want to do so with integrity and that is sometimes difficult. 

Creative Commons licensed photo credit to colemama on Flickr

Why is innovation so crucial in education? How will it impact our students and ourselves long term?

Innovation is change and it is crucial in ALL phases of life - a fundamental ingredient to describe 'living'! Without it, are we really living? It is not only essential for short term, but for long range as the change process is cyclical - how do we learn from it? And, just as important (maybe more so), is the institution of education itself in need of innovation - perhaps, the act of learning is a better focus and yet, innovation, education, learning, students and my core values are all intertwined.