Curriculum Framework

Being and Becoming Competent in Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship involves the ability to turn ideas into action to meet a community’s needs. The capacity to enhance concepts, ideas, or products to contribute new-to-the-world solutions to complex social, ecological, and economic problems involves leadership, risk taking, independent thinking, soliciting and incorporating feedback, and experimenting with new strategies, techniques, or perspectives through inquiry research. Entrepreneurial mindsets and skills focus on building and scaling an idea sustainably.

Learners display curiosity, identify opportunities for improvement and learning, and believe in their ability to improve while viewing errors as part of the improvement process. For example:

• I value mistakes as part of the learning process.
• I believe in my ability to improve.
• I identify areas where I want to grow.
• I can plan what to do next for my growth and learning.

Learners formulate and express insightful questions and opinions to generate novel ideas. For example:

• I ask insightful questions and offer opinions to contribute to new thinking.
• I share my ideas, strategies, and techniques.
• I generate new ideas as I pursue my interests.

Learners turn ideas into value for others by enhancing ideas or products to provide new-to-the-world or improved solutions to complex social, ecological, and economic problems or to meet a community’s need. For example:

• I seek out opportunities to improve ideas, objects, or situations.
• I engage in creative inquiry and experimentation to solve meaningful, complex problems.
• I demonstrate initiative, resourcefulness, and perseverance when transforming ideas into actions, products, and services.
• I model and encourage an ethical entrepreneurial spirit.

Learners take risks in their thinking and creating. They discover through inquiry research by hypothesizing and experimenting with new strategies or techniques. For example:

• I take risks and pursue new ideas.
• I wonder about and investigate how and/or why things came to be.
• I use a process to engage in inquiry.

Learners seek and make use of feedback to clarify their understanding, ideas, and products. For example:

• I ask for feedback from others to identify and refine the value of ideas and products.

Learners enhance concepts, ideas, or products through a creative process. For example:

• I think and create in novel ways.
• I use imagination tools to inform and enhance my creative process (e.g., metaphor, opposites, humour, or challenging theories).

Fostering & Teaching Innovation, Creativity, & Entrepreneurship

As learners become confident and secure in their identities, they develop flexible and fluid thinking. In learning environments that value exploration, experimentation, and learning from mistakes, learners begin to trust in their ability to explore creative approaches in identifying problems and working out practical solutions. Risk taking becomes a valuable piece of the learning process. These experiences create opportunities for creativity and innovation to take root.

Learning environments that support multiple ways of thinking and being make space for learners to “try on” their ideas and experiment to create new products and new opportunities. In the early years, this process develops through large, uninterrupted periods of play, and as learners grow, this becomes more formalized through dedicated time for design thinking, research, maker learning, and projects.

The learning environment, pedagogies, learning contexts, concepts, and skills support the development of Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship. Each of the goals (ECE) and subject areas (K–12) develops this competency in the following ways over time:

EARLY LEARNING FRAMEWORKS

In early learning and childcare the goals all work together to provide the foundation to develop this competency; however, the bolded goals are the most aligned.

• Communication and Literacies
• Well-Being
• Play and Playfulness
• Diversity and Social Responsibility

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

To demonstrate innovation, develop creativity, and foster their entrepreneurial spirit in English Language Arts classes, learners:

• demonstrate intellectual curiosity, an entrepreneurial spirit, and initiative.
• use writing and other ways of representing to explore, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, experiences, and learning.
• use their imagination.

FINE ARTS

In Arts Education, innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship involves turning ideas, expression, and experiences into artistic work. Learners:

• develop and express ideas using the skills, languages, techniques, and processes of the arts.
• apply strategies to reflect on and respond to their own and others’ expressive work.
• demonstrate an awareness of and value for the role of the arts in creating and reflecting culture in local and global contexts and as a record of human experience and expressions.

FRENCH

Learners demonstrate leadership, initiative, imagination, creativity, spontaneity, and ingenuity in a range of creative processes which are fostered through the themes and projects.

IMMERSION FRANÇAISE

Afin de démontrer leur innovation, développent leur créativité, et favorisent leur esprit entrepreneur en immersion française, les apprenants:

• démontrent leur curiosité intellectuelle.
• utilisent l’écriture et d’autres façons d’explorer, d’éclaircir et de réfléchir sur leurs pensées, sentiments, apprentissages et expériences.
• utilisent leur imagination.

MATHEMATICS

Innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship reveal connections across disciplines while seeking new, alternate, or creative solutions to mathematical problems in context. Learners:

• identify the role of shape and perspective in the visual arts, architecture, and other media.
• gain confidence, become empowered, persevere in tasks, and take risks when faced with novel situations.
• explore alternate lines of approach and appreciate multiple solutions.
• appreciate the utility and value of mathematics through connections and applications.

PERSONAL WELLNESS

Innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship in Personal Wellness Education involves creating opportunities for improving health and wellness for self and community. Learners:

• seek creative opportunities to engage in physical and wellness activities for self and others.
• explore health concepts in a variety of environments to demonstrate a commitment to personal wellness.
• demonstrate resourcefulness and perseverance when exploring ways to promote health and wellness.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

In Physical Education, learners demonstrate initiative, resourcefulness, and perseverance when transforming movement ideas into action while pursuing an active healthy lifestyle. Learners:

• perform creative and expressive movement patterns consistent with an active lifestyle.
• show perseverance while applying fitness concepts to develop the knowledge, skills and values needed to maintain well-being.
• use a variety of leadership perspectives, with flexibility and creativity, to solve complex health problems.
• seek out opportunities to participate in a variety of personally developed fitness experiences.
• identify and develop qualities required to pursue careers in Physical Education and recreation.

SCIENCE

Science learning takes place in creative environments to connect inquiry to the discovery of new ideas or concepts, to generate novel approaches, innovative products, or processes, and to solve complex problems. Learners:

• focus and extend curiosities about the natural world.
• appreciate the role and contribution of science in their lives, and are aware of its limits and impacts.
• view science and technology as creative human endeavours that are comparable and complementary to other creative endeavours, such as the arts and literature.

SOCIAL STUDIES

The social studies are continuously challenged and refreshed by new discoveries and approaches in the disciplines as well as current issues and events. Learners:

• explore social, economic, and environmental problems.
• adapt new lenses and perspectives on these problems based on new evidence and technologies.
• use data to inform civic action.
• identify community needs and innovative solutions.
• explore the role of technology in supporting learning and innovation at the centre of all human activities.

TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

Innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship reveals connections across disciplines while seeking new, alternate, or creative solutions to mathematical problems in context. Learners:

• conceptualize, design, and create products respective of standards and specifications.

WABANAKI LANGUAGES

Through the study of Mi’kmaw and Wolastoqey, learners:

• develop and display curiosity and creativity.
• formulate and express ideas, questions, and insights.
• appreciate Wabanaki creativity, story, and ingenuity.
• identify community needs and innovative solutions.
• celebrate the ingenuity, creativity, and innovation of Wabanaki Peoples throughout time.