The Truth About Innovation Mindsets with Dr. Tessa Forshaw and Rich Braden

Join Dr. Emma Zone for a conversation with Dr. Tessa Forshaw and Rich Braden, co-authors of Innovation-Ish and longtime educators in design and innovation. They explore why creativity declines as learners grow older, how neuromyths shape classroom behaviors, and what educators can do to build environments that support experimentation, problem solving and flexible thinking.You’ll hear how innovation mindsets develop, why higher education often slows change, and how small, low-risk moves can help instructors build confidence and spark creativity in their teaching practice. The episode also highlights the role of cognitive science, experiential learning and metacognition in helping learners access their full creative potential.Dr. Tessa ForshawAs a founding scholar of the Next Level Lab at Harvard University, Tessa specializes in using cognitive science to explore how people best work, learn, and innovate. She draws upon her academic research as a cognitive scientist and extensive background as a former designer at IDEO CoLab and Accenture to turn the cognitive processes involved in design, creativity, and innovation into practical insights that can be applied in the flow of work. These insights are also the foundations of what she teaches as a design educator at Stanford University and now Harvard University. Recognized for her impactful design projects, Tessa is the recipient of multiple design awards: a Fast Company Design Award for General Excellence, two Core77 Industrial Design Magazine Design Awards, and the Australian American Chamber of Commerce Innovation Awards.Rich BradenRich Braden is the founder of People Rocket LLC, a strategic innovation firm based in San Francisco. With over 15 years of academic experience, Rich is a recognized thought leader in design thinking, leadership, and innovation. He is a design educator teaching at renowned institutions including Harvard University, Stanford University, Aalto University, and London Business School, helping shape future leaders. As CEO of People Rocket, he works with clients such as Airbnb, Google, the United Nations, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Starbucks, and the Red Cross to drive strategic innovation and responsible AI solutions. Rich holds degrees in Computer and Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.Learn more about and purchase your copy of Innovation-ish today.Remember to follow us on social media. You can find us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook @D2L. Check out our YouTube channel for the video version of this podcast and so much more. Please take a moment to rate, review and share the podcast, and reach out with comments and ideas for future episodes.For more content, please visit the Teaching & Learning Studio where you can listen to more podcast episodes, register for free D2L Master Classes and read articles written by educational leaders.To learn more about how D2L is transforming the way the world learns, visit our website at D2L.com  Class dismissed. Visit the Teaching & Learning Studio for more content for educators, by educators. Sign up for our newsletter today.