WhatIstheDifferenceBetweenInventionandInnovation?

CourtesyofAnneEdwardsandBeckyButz

Accordingtoadictionarydefinition,innovationistheintroductionofsomethingnew(orasifnew),
somethingthatdeviatesfromestablisheddoctrineandpractice.Theactofcreation,ofmaking
somethingnew,isonlythefirststepinalongpathtohistoricalchangeinmaterialsandculture.What
makessomethinginnovativeisnotjustthatitisnew,butthatittakesrootinsomeway,makingchanges
inestablishedcultures,doctrines,andpractices,leadingtohistoricalsignificance.

Thethemeofinnovationisonethatrequiresdepthofthinking,Itisaboutexaminingideas,methods,
andinventions,andnotmerelyabouteventsandindividuals.Studentsareexpectedtolookattheneed
forchange,howthatchangecameabout,themethodsthatwereusedtoconvincethepublicthatitwas
necessary,andtheimpactitmade.ItsnotjustthestoryofEliWhitneyandtheinventionofthecotton
gin,Instead,itsanexplanationofwhytherewasaneedforthecottongin,howpeoplewere
encouragedtousetheinvention,andtheimpactithadonfarmingpracticesandthelaborforce.For
instance,whathappenedtotheslaveswhentheywerereplacedbythecottongin?

Innovationimpliesmuchmorethanmerelyinvention.Inventioncanbeanaspectofinnovationand,in
fact,isoftenthefirststepininnovation.However,thecrucialdifferenceoccursbetweentherelatively
discretecreativeactofinventionandthefarlongerprocessofinnovation.Innovationinvolvesthe
processofconvincingpeopletochangetheirmaterialorintellectualhabitsandreplaceoldbehaviors
withnewones.Thus,theinvestigationofinnovationinherentlyincludesanexaminationofhistorical
significance.

Historicalcontextmustalsobeincludedinanefforttounderstandhowtheinnovationoccurredandwas
implemented.Withinthisexaminationtheconsiderationofinnovationfromthetimeandplacemayalso
beexplored.Anideaunearthedafterbeinglongburiedorusedinanewwaymaybeinnovativeif
appliedtoanewsituation.Forinstance,considerLeonardoDaVincisinventionofthehelicopter.Itwas
waybeforeitstimeandthuswasnotaninnovationduringhislifetime.Whentimesandtechnologies
changed,andtheideaofahelicoptercouldbecomeareality,ittookholdandbecameaninnovation.

Innovationalsoappliestotheinnovationofideas:thedivinerightofkingsorcivilandhumanrightsor
scientifictheoriesofheliocentrismorevolutionorquantumtheory.Allofthesewerenewwhentheir
proponentsinitiatedmovementsintheirfavor.

Goodstudentresearchwillrequireexaminingpriorprecedentsaspartofthehistoricalcontext.The
innovationitself,thechangeofthoughtand/oractions,mustbeclearlydelineatedinthestudent
entries.Forexample,ifstudentswanttotracenonviolentprotestasaninnovation,theywilldiscover
thatithasalongandinvolvedhistory.Theoriginsarenotinthe1960s,butwithChristianity(turnthe
othercheekandthemartyrs),ThoreausCivilDisobedience,andGandhi.AmericanCivilRightsshould
onlybethetailendofsuchadiscussion.Studentswouldbemuchbetterofftracingtheevolutionofthe
sitin.Wheredoesitoriginate?Howdoesitevolve?