While researching education systems in Asia, I had the opportunity to visit schools and universities in China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan.
What I observed was a shortage of creative thinking. While students in those education systems achieve some of the highest scores in the world in math and science, they have problems when it comes to “thinking outside the box.” This presents an opportunity for U.S. students, who score lower in math and science but tend to think more creatively.
Creativity is one of the most important skills in the global marketplace. It’s different than factory work and back-office work because it cannot be outsourced to another country. Students who develop their creative thinking skills are less at risk of losing jobs in the future.
This is not to say that knowledge in math and science is not important, because it is. However, knowledge alone is not enough. It must be combined with the ability to apply knowledge in new ways. As Einstein put it, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
Applying knowledge in new ways is how innovation occurs. Indeed, innovation is critical to any nation’s economic growth and national security.