Invent - To think out or produce a new device or process - something that is needed or a better way of doing things.
Humans are set apart from animals by their imagination. Some animals can run faster, some can fly higher , and some are stronger than humans. But only humans have been able to exercise their imaginations to reshape their environments and overcome their physical limitations. From earliest history, people have been looking for ways to make work easier. We have used our creativity to find thousands of ways to improve our existence. We have come a long way since our ancestor's first inventions. We now live in a technologically advanced society and have become so accustomed to continual scientific and technological advances that we take a lot of inventions for granted.
Who are the inventors? Most inventors have extensive knowledge combined with creative abilities and special personal characteristics; however, it would seem that everyone possesses this inventive spirit. From a youngster's playful attempts to use objects in new ways to the adult's efforts to solve everyday problems, we see the inventive mind analyzing situations and thinking of new ways to accomplish the task at hand or to simplify our work.
We all invent. Most inventions are only attempts to help ourselves - to solve the problem facing us at that particular instant. Some inventions, on the other hand, are more noteworthy and dramatically affect civilization. Regardless of the significance of the invention, the process is similar. And this inventive process can be learned. People can be taught to be more aware of problems that need solutions, to be more creative in posing solutions, and to be meticulous about testing ideas.
Some of the concepts that will be presented in this unit:
*Characteristics and abilities of inventors
*All developments build on previous ones
*Techniques for creative thinking
*How inventions influence our lives
*What inventions are most worthwhile
*How inventors are influenced by society and the state of technology
*Where ideas come from
*Inventions are a result of problems that need to be solved
*Defining and understanding creativity
*Defining and understanding innovation
*Defining and understanding inquiry
Who are the inventors? Most inventors have extensive knowledge combined with creative abilities and special personal characteristics; however, it would seem that everyone possesses this inventive spirit. From a youngster's playful attempts to use objects in new ways to the adult's efforts to solve everyday problems, we see the inventive mind analyzing situations and thinking of new ways to accomplish the task at hand or to simplify our work.
We all invent. Most inventions are only attempts to help ourselves - to solve the problem facing us at that particular instant. Some inventions, on the other hand, are more noteworthy and dramatically affect civilization. Regardless of the significance of the invention, the process is similar. And this inventive process can be learned. People can be taught to be more aware of problems that need solutions, to be more creative in posing solutions, and to be meticulous about testing ideas.
Some of the concepts that will be presented in this unit:
*Characteristics and abilities of inventors
*All developments build on previous ones
*Techniques for creative thinking
*How inventions influence our lives
*What inventions are most worthwhile
*How inventors are influenced by society and the state of technology
*Where ideas come from
*Inventions are a result of problems that need to be solved
*Defining and understanding creativity
*Defining and understanding innovation
*Defining and understanding inquiry