In 2017, Adobe surveyed 2,000 educators and education policymakers in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Japan about their views on a soft skill that’s been getting a lot of attention lately: creative problem solving. For the purposes of the research study, we defined creative problem solving as the process of redefining problems and opportunities, coming up with new and innovative responses, and taking action.
Here are just two of the many findings that stood out:
- 86 percent of those surveyed said they believe that students who excel at creative problem solving will have opportunities for higher-earning jobs in the future.
- 75 percent predicted that professions requiring creative problem solving are less likely to be negatively impacted by automation.
Still, despite the consensus, it seems that higher education institutions are falling behind. In Adobe’s research study, 90 percent of educators said they believe schools need to find better ways to integrate creative problem solving into their curricula, and 50 percent said they don’t have the tools, training, or knowledge to nurture it in their students.
Download the report: Creative Problem Solving in Schools
