The document summarizes a training workshop on education, creativity, and innovation given by Shanta R Yapa. Yapa has over 30 years of experience in diverse fields and currently works as COO of Epic Research & Innovations. In the workshop, Yapa discusses how creativity and innovation can help address changes in today's fast-paced environment. He covers different types of innovation and encourages using tools like mind mapping, biomimicry, and gamification to promote innovative thinking in education. Yapa emphasizes making learning more rewarding by addressing social issues and challenges the view that education must involve trade-offs.

1. Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka
Retreat for Senior Officers – Training Workshop
Education, Creativity &
Innovation
Shanta R Yapa

2. Lecturer Profile - Shanta R Yapa
Industry experience: Over 30 years in diverse fields of Engineering, Banking, International
Business and General Management and at present works for Epic Technology Group as Chief
Operating Officer of Epic Research & Innovations.
Teaching experience: Visiting faculty member teaching business strategy, OB, technology
management and international business in programs of 16 local and overseas universities mainly
at ICBT for 15 years. Conducted over 10 management development programs for participants
from Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, India Vietnam and Cambodia as a visiting resource person of
AITE, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. Supervised over 300 research projects of local MBA
candidates of Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK.
Current academic affiliations: Member of boards/committees of University Grants Commission –
Standing Committee for Computing, University of Moratuwa, SLIIT and SLIATE.
Current industry affairs: Past President/ExCo member of the Software Chapter of the Federation
of IT Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS), Executive council member of the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA),
board member of ICT Industry Skills Council, Judge in NBQSA/APICTA competitions. Key note
speaker.
LinkedIn: Shanta Rajapaksha Yapa, Email: shantayapa@gmail.com, M: 0773 908262
Shanta R Yapa - Education, Creativity &
Innovation - August 20, 2017
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3. United breaks guitars!
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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4. Scope
• Changes and challenges
• How to use creativity and innovation in
education
• How to promote innovative thinking among
students, teachers and others involved.
Shanta R Yapa - Education, Creativity &
Innovation - August 20, 2017
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5. Mind the generation gap!
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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6. Accept the new words or not?
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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7. 1. Key changes and challenges..
• Fast changing environment
• Digitally connected
• Globalized
• Generation gaps
• Information overload
• Knowledge based firms/societies/economies
• Busy, stressed, unable to concentrate
• Changing behavior/life styles
Shanta R Yapa - Education, Creativity &
Innovation - August 20, 2017
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8. Can we use creativity and
innovation to face them?
in combination with technologies
around us …

9. Creativity and innovation
• Creativity and innovation can bring prosperity
to individuals, firms and nations.
• Are innovations important?
– The USA example
– Early 1900s, world’s number 1 in agriculture
exports with 85% population involvement
– Early 2000s, still number 1, Guess population
involvement in agriculture?
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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10. Are we using our creativity?
• Thinking types
• Creativity (vs Logic)
• Are we creative as a nation?
• Are we innovative?
• Creativity Vs innovation
• Inventing and innovating
Shanta R Yapa - Education, Creativity &
Innovation - August 20, 2017
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11. 2. Innovation
නව්යකරණය கண்டுபிடிப்பு
• Product නිෂ්පාදන தயாரிப்பு
• Process ක්රියාවලි செயல்முறை
• Business model ව්යාපාර ආකෘති வியாபார மாதிரி
Shanta R Yapa - Education, Creativity &
Innovation - August 20, 2017
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12. Types of innovations
• Incremental වර්ධනාත්මක கூடுதல்முறை
• Radical රැඩිකක්
• Disruptive
• Collaborative සහයයෝගී கூட்டு
• Open විවෘත திைந்த
• Reverse
• Frugal අරපිරිමැස් குறைந்த பட்செட்டில்
Shanta R Yapa - Education, Creativity &
Innovation - August 20, 2017
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13. 3. Are we using creativity and
innovation in education?
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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14. Shanta R Yapa - Education, Creativity &
Innovation - August 20, 2017
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15. Teaching requires learners.
Learning can happen without
teachers.
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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16. Nationally best! Never gone to a school…
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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17. 4. Can we make learning more
rewarding?
Outcome based learning, make
learning a passion, solving social
issues

18. It is happening now..
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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19. Social issues - few examples
• Road Accidents
• Waste in Agriculture
• Corruption
• F&B habits
• Fertilizers/chemicals
• Disaster management
• Road transport
• Migrant workers
• Digital divide
• Surveillance
• Crimes
• Financial inclusion
• Money laundering
• Supply chain issues
• Manufacturing
• Transfer policy!
• Governance
• Social media/internet
• Fishing
• Weather
• Diseases
• Suicides
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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20. Are we using available
technology/tools?
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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21. TED.com
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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22. CODE.org
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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23. Transcribe
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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24. Freebookspot.es
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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25. 5. How to use creativity and
innovation?
• Look at the nature!
• Learn from others
• Challenge the existing
• Use tools
– Few examples: mind mapping, EPIC formula,
Innovation tautogram
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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26. Biomimicry ජෛව විද්යාව
• Velcro – Innovation inspired by nature
• Lotus effect on glass
• UV reflections in vertical glass panels (birds)
• Controllers in aircrafts (birds)
• Cameras in automobiles (fly)
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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27. Mind map
සිත සිතියම மன வறரபடம்
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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28. The EPIC formula
This video is available in Youtube.
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Innovation - August 20, 2017
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29. You never ask a child to “go and spend time in FB or
internet”. But they do so whenever possible.
Why not we make the
classroom (or learning
materials) so attractive and
interactive?
Shanta R Yapa - Education, Creativity &
Innovation - August 20, 2017
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30. Challenge the ‘trade off’
thinking!
Look for win-win.
Try to collaborate than competing.

31. Think differently! Innovate to make
learning enjoyable and rewarding!
Shanta R Yapa - Education, Creativity &
Innovation - August 20, 2017
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32. Thank You!
Shanta R Yapa
August 20, 2017