Talented learners are often most motivated when they’re invited to tackle authentic problems, messy, multidimensional, and worth solving. Innovative problem solving channels that energy into structured exploration, creativity, and impact. It’s not a single method but a toolbox for designing challenges that ask students to think like researchers, designers, and citizens.
A great project should be anchored in a visible context (school, community, environment) and connect to people who care about the outcome. Instead of jumping to answers, we lead with curiosity before certainty, observing, asking, and gathering before deciding.
Prioritise authenticity: real users, real data, clear constraints.
Build voice and choice into roles, tools, and formats.
Keep thinking visible through logs, sketches, prototypes, and brief reflections.
Plan for iteration so change and improvement are normal, not remedial.
Every project can follow a clear rhythm:
Discover and Define who is affected, what has been tried, and what really matters. Turn this into a sharp How might we…? question.
Develop ideas widely before judging, then narrow down.
Prototype fast, with low-risk versions.
Test and Learn by sharing, gathering feedback, and revising.
Implement and Share with a clear explanation of both the result and the reasoning.
Short sprint reviews keep the pace lively and the work moving forward.
Learners act as investigators and designers, while educators guide as coaches and mentors. Partners, like companies, NGOs, museums, or city services, can bring real audiences and constraints.
Inclusion happens when different entry points allow everyone to shine: some lead research, others build prototypes, analyse data, or present results. Support tools like checklists or planners appear early and fade over time.
Good assessment blends product and process. Judge how well the solution meets real needs, but also reward creativity, collaboration, resilience, and the smart use of feedback. Keep evaluations transparent, short, and regular.
Whether it’s a short sprint, a multi-week studio, or a term-long capstone, the approach is the same: start with a real problem, think big, test quickly, and improve often.
Example challenges include mapping lunchtime waste, redesigning bike routes, creating a “belonging kit” for newcomers, or solving a hands-on STEM challenge.