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Creativity crisis was the cover story of Newsweek in July, dealing with the downturn of American society’s creativity. Although the intelligence index of young people has in general risen for 10 point in one generation (varied environment does give boost to children’s intellect), the creative ability of US children in the age group from kinder garden up to sixth grade is in clear decent. Ibidem the achievements of a person are three times more affected by the level of creativeness in childhood than if IQ. This is a significant result of the work of scientists in University of Indiana.

Generally the creativity means the ability of an individual to instantiate connection between different subject fields and come up with original ideas and solutions for problems. Also to define a problem requires wise creativity. Most children are born creative – the environment, including parents and schools can either evolve or supress it.

I have no knowledge of studies on the growth or decent of creativity of children in Estonia. The results of our education are good, but at the same time the studies of pupils interests and delight in learning show low result. This refers to the out of date teaching methods, from which proceeds the boredom of learning. Interest of youngster to learn in science lessons is low and their understanding of this field is mechanical. Almost non-existent are the connections between teaching different subjects and the presentation theoretical. Teachers are intimidated by the new technologies, as they are afraid to succumb in this field to the pupils. It is a paradox that the incorporating of pupils in the development of teaching process is in Estonia twice lower than in other states. So it is a vicious circle.

Certainly we do have good schools, forward-looking directors, teachers and fun lessons. We also do have the technological possibilities to take a new, content changing leap in the whole process of general education – to get our second ‘Tiger leap’ towards information society. 

To achieve the dream the Estonian technology and educational experts have been labouring half a year to get between covers the road maps of the content-rich usage of IT in education.

While the Tiger Leap Programme, started by Toomas Hendrik Ilvese and Jaak Aaviksoo, named by Kaarel Tarand and declared by President Lennart Meri on 21st of February 1996, brought computers and internet into school, the freshly publicised proposals take technology deeper into learning-teaching process. By the valuation of experts the technology makes possible to solve many challenges facing education today.

What is the tangible use of the second leap of the Tiger?

Technology enables to develop the materials and methods of learning which do take in account the pupils individuality, the learning pace and interests. For instance today there exist the means to make the lessons of the best Estonian chemistry teacher available to everyone in Estonia. Hence the difference in availability to get the best education due to pupil’s place of residence or economic situation lessens. The availability of good education and the best teacher improves, the difference in the levels of schools lessens. The technology enriches the teaching process with sound, video and other multimedia possibilities. The learning process will be more effective, interactive and fun. The connection between different subjects will be better and more related to real life. Why not to shoot the coming autumn in the nature class and use the changes recorded through statistics programme in math? Alas today the computer in school is mainly used for writing and showing slides.     

Technological solutions will ease also the work of directors and teachers – prior is better informed to make decisions, the latter has less routine work and more time for pupils and self-education.

The roadmap produced by experts is a sequence of unavoidable steps that need to be made to make noticeable change happen. For instance on the state’s level it is necessary to name e clear leader, who will be responsible for the whole result in introducing technological solutions into educational process. The fragmented responsibilities do net get the result necessary. 

For one the proposal was made to establish the teachers innovation fund to support the presenting and implementation of new ideas, the usage of new teaching methods, the organising the adequate individual and group projects and the spreading of results on the principle bottom-up. The role of director as the point person, his/her openness to innovations and change is crucial.  Hence the proposal was made to create a special award to credit the forward-looking directors and to accent the job as such. Also the existence of education technologies competent both in pedagogics and technics and socially capable was stressed – these are the key people who help directors and teachers to grasp the new technologies.  

To close up – the second Tiger Leap does not hang on money. First and foremost it needs will and enthusiasm, foremanship and cooperation, both from statesmen and educational leaders, teachers and pupils, parents and also from technology firms. We are standing on the brink of an era where the technology is on the way to broaden the classical understanding of a lesson, allowing different subjects and real life to be tied together. If we are innovative and can make ‘our tiger to leap again’, we will certainly with our capable youngsters proceed about one generation of the states whose previous smart have given today admirable results.   

When we are successful in our steps, we have potential to become ‘spokesperson’ in technology usage in education like we are in the fields of e-government of cyber security. Let’s grab the bull by it horns and have a nice school year.

ott.parna[A]arengufond.ee, CEO of Development Fund