Innovation is Getting Harder

ONE OF THE MOST intriguing things I learned during Limerick OpenCoffee in 2008 came in conversation with Gabriela Avram. Part of the conversation revolved around distinguishing characteristics of the Information Age. We know this time period first-hand. It's our time when would-be inventors at the code face have to learn a lot more before they can create tomorrow's truly dazzling gadgets, widgets or intelligent machines. At the University of Limerick, post-graduate students working in the same cube space as Gabriela have to grapple with a burden of knowledge greater than I conquered before I pushed out into the real world. This burden of knowledge means aspiring innovators have to go to school longer than Edison, Gates or Jobs. They have to specialise more. They have to rely on collaboration at the periphery of their universities. As a third level educator, I believe the burden of knowledge that we place on top of some of our creative teenagers actually conspires to slow the pace of innovation. For that reason, I am working with colleagues to emphasize portfolio work and to ensure real deliverables emerge during the accomplishment of third level projects.

---

x_ref153