The 9th National Creative and Inventive Thinking Skills Conference gave students, teachers, and mentors a chance to network with inventors, creators, and with each other. These are some of the many programs and products presented at the conference.

Along with American creativity and inventiveness, the [United States'] labor force of scientists and engineers has declined over the last two decades, while Japan's and Germany's have doubled. The [US] could face a shortage of as many as 560,000 science and engineering professionals by the year 2010. Government Executive March, 1990

New Horizons' Spring, 1989 newsletter (On the Beam, Vol. IX, No. 3) reported on the development of Project XL, an educational outreach program of the U.S. Department of Patents and Trademarks . It was begun after Patent Office officials noticed that the number of patent applications was beginning to decline. Educational research had also begun to show that creativity and imagination were essential to scientific and technological development, and that the "3R's" of the basic school curriculum needed the addition of a big "T" for "Thinking"in order to stimulate the development of problem-solving skills necessary in young people

In response to these concerns, the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), began working in concert with other Federal agencies, corporations, and associations to bring into national focus a number of grassroots programs promoting thinking skills instruction. The project has grown and now offers a number of programs, materials and opportunities for students and teachers designed to develop the inventor in every child through:

• Designing national and regional workshops which "teach teachers to teach creative thinking."
• Creating special teaching materials and lecture kits which stress the importance of creativity and problem-solving skills.
• Partnering with the National Inventive Thinking Association and other private and public organizations to promote the teaching of creative thinking, problem-solving skills and the inventing process, throughout America's public and private schools.
• Encouraging professionals to support and promote Project XL in their local communities by sponsoring teachers to attend conferences and workshops, participating in the development of school programs and offering assistance in providing creative thinking materials to local area schools.

Project XL has developed a number of materials for classroom use. Most are available for free or at a nominal charge. For information call 1.800.243-6877.

• Educational Videos:

Project XL: A Quest for Excellence


Highlights Project XL and its goal of encouraging inventive thinking among America's youth.

From Dreams to Reality: A Tribute to Minority Inventors


Award-winning video designed to inspire young audiences through the experiences of minority inventors.

• Publications:

  Inventive Thinking Curriculum Project
  

  Available in English and Spanish.

  Black Innovators in Technology: Inspiring an New Generation

  Inventive Thinking Resources Directory

And while we're on the subject:

The Ladas & Perry Patent Information Website offers everything you want to know about patents, protecting your invention, international implications, intellectual property.

© November 1995 New Horizons for Learning
http://www.newhorizons.org
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