what is the difference between invention and innovation
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What is the Difference Between Invention and InnovationTRANSCRIPT
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WhatIstheDifferenceBetweenInventionandInnovation?CourtesyofAnneEdwardsandBeckyButz
Accordingtoadictionarydefinition,innovationistheintroductionofsomethingnew(orasifnew),somethingthatdeviatesfromestablisheddoctrineandpractice.Theactofcreation,ofmakingsomethingnew,isonlythefirststepinalongpathtohistoricalchangeinmaterialsandculture.Whatmakessomethinginnovativeisnotjustthatitisnew,butthatittakesrootinsomeway,makingchangesinestablishedcultures,doctrines,andpractices,leadingtohistoricalsignificance.Thethemeofinnovationisonethatrequiresdepthofthinking,Itisaboutexaminingideas,methods,andinventions,andnotmerelyabouteventsandindividuals.Studentsareexpectedtolookattheneedforchange,howthatchangecameabout,themethodsthatwereusedtoconvincethepublicthatitwasnecessary,andtheimpactitmade.ItsnotjustthestoryofEliWhitneyandtheinventionofthecottongin,Instead,itsanexplanationofwhytherewasaneedforthecottongin,howpeoplewereencouragedtousetheinvention,andtheimpactithadonfarmingpracticesandthelaborforce.Forinstance,whathappenedtotheslaveswhentheywerereplacedbythecottongin?Innovationimpliesmuchmorethanmerelyinvention.Inventioncanbeanaspectofinnovationand,infact,isoftenthefirststepininnovation.However,thecrucialdifferenceoccursbetweentherelativelydiscretecreativeactofinventionandthefarlongerprocessofinnovation.Innovationinvolvestheprocessofconvincingpeopletochangetheirmaterialorintellectualhabitsandreplaceoldbehaviorswithnewones.Thus,theinvestigationofinnovationinherentlyincludesanexaminationofhistoricalsignificance.Historicalcontextmustalsobeincludedinanefforttounderstandhowtheinnovationoccurredandwasimplemented.Withinthisexaminationtheconsiderationofinnovationfromthetimeandplacemayalsobeexplored.Anideaunearthedafterbeinglongburiedorusedinanewwaymaybeinnovativeifappliedtoanewsituation.Forinstance,considerLeonardoDaVincisinventionofthehelicopter.Itwaswaybeforeitstimeandthuswasnotaninnovationduringhislifetime.Whentimesandtechnologieschanged,andtheideaofahelicoptercouldbecomeareality,ittookholdandbecameaninnovation.Innovationalsoappliestotheinnovationofideas:thedivinerightofkingsorcivilandhumanrightsorscientifictheoriesofheliocentrismorevolutionorquantumtheory.Allofthesewerenewwhentheirproponentsinitiatedmovementsintheirfavor.Goodstudentresearchwillrequireexaminingpriorprecedentsaspartofthehistoricalcontext.Theinnovationitself,thechangeofthoughtand/oractions,mustbeclearlydelineatedinthestudententries.Forexample,ifstudentswanttotracenonviolentprotestasaninnovation,theywilldiscoverthatithasalongandinvolvedhistory.Theoriginsarenotinthe1960s,butwithChristianity(turntheothercheekandthemartyrs),ThoreausCivilDisobedience,andGandhi.AmericanCivilRightsshouldonlybethetailendofsuchadiscussion.Studentswouldbemuchbetterofftracingtheevolutionofthesitin.Wheredoesitoriginate?Howdoesitevolve?