14 Jun Crowdsourcing to Drive Innovation

Student’s deserve a learning environment that is safe, respectful and nurturing to all types of learners. As science and technological developments keep driving innovation within both the classroom and education as a whole, it’s important that we don’t forget about the students and their passions. Teaching students from a young age to be lifelong learners and to recognize that they will be the leaders and changemakers of tomorrow is vital to the next generation. We must find ways to drive purposeful and sustainable change in the classrooms, schools and communities.

One way to ensure our students are getting the opportunity and education they deserve is by integrating school boards and communities through crowdsourcing. Implementing collaboration in classrooms for coming up with unique solutions to problems, is beneficial to the appropriate stakeholders; school boards, students and businesses. Furthermore, leaders in this approach to education, include the Minnetonka School Board, in Minnesota, has seen the launch of various programs over the past six years. They host an “idea pipeline” which at any given time will have 50 programs waiting to be launched. Parents, staff, students, teachers and community leaders are encouraged to participate and offer their expertise in specific areas to help accelerate ideas and increase the innovation attitude.

At Prepr, we believe in the power and significance of collaboration. We aim to create a network of students, teachers, entrepreneurs, innovators and businesses. Here’s how implementing a Prepr Lab at your school can help drive innovation within your community:

We offer a platform for businesses to sponsor challenges, students to showcase their skills, and a framework for teachers. The PIE® book contains essential lessons on project management, innovation, entrepreneurship as it was co-created by teachers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs and visionaries from around the world. It is an interdisciplinary problem-solving framework to get students thinking about entrepreneurship, innovation and to allow them to solve real-world problems.

We encourage students to test their ideas, fail often and fail forward. Schools should be conducive to their student’s creativity and allow them a space where they are comfortable with the process of innovation. We hope Prepr can help your school build a new type of learning environment. Bringing together more students, staff, administration, businesses, and municipalities to all mutually benefit from collaborating and solving real-world problems.