Why an innovative mindset is essential for national development
The article “Reinvention as key to self-realization,” (Commentary, 12/6/24) provided reasons for us to develop an innovative mindset. These are norms, traditions, beliefs, and views (pananaw) that need to be reviewed and revised after careful analysis to hasten development through innovative ideas.
One of the innovative ideas is the concept of “input and output relationships” that we can adopt from management discipline. The idea is that a given input can produce one of the following outcomes: less output, equal output, and more output.
To apply this innovative idea, we must recognize that senior citizens are valuable human resources as characterized and described in the article “Seniors: Our untapped national wealth,” (Commentary, 4/11/24). Traditionally, senior citizens are often perceived as retired and have nothing to do, living a sedentary lifestyle or requiring regular management of their physical and mental health. However, we can consider a number of them as wise men, scholars, or Yoda (from the “Star Wars” movie), who have excellent capabilities to think (cognitive) and behave and act (affective). Through the years, they accumulated knowledge, capabilities, and experience in their areas of expertise or specialization, which they can share for nation-building. As a valuable human resource input, they can produce outputs as coaches, mentors, advisers, teachers, consultants, and tutors in reading comprehension and other possible competencies.
Related theories on learning by Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist, will help in “fine-tuning” our senior citizens as tutors in basic education or part-time teachers in tertiary education. Applying Vygotsky’s theory, they are the “more knowledgeable others” or with better capabilities. Based on the theories, they should also learn “pedagogical content knowledge” or make lessons simple and clear, as well as “proximal development” or assist learners learn a slightly higher level of idea on a particular subject.
The expected direct and clear output with this innovative idea are: productive senior citizens and students with better reading comprehension. With these outputs, we have capable human resources that can produce better and more competitive outputs.
The country should develop a culture of learning based on Lee Kuan Yew’s insights for a country to grow faster, as noted in the article “What it takes to be both a great human being and a great thinker,” (3/28/25). From what we learn, we can develop an innovative mindset or ideas that lead to remarkable progress.
A culture of learning is developed by learning subjects or topics beyond those taught in universities or schools. Everyone should have a passion for how our interests can lead to nation-building or contribute to progress.
Who knows, the Philippines might soon follow the progress from the innovative mindset or ideas experienced in Singapore, Finland, and Estonia.
Raymund Sisenando R. Mercado,
raymund_mercado@yahoo.com
