Those countries training school children in the art of invention may well be the future leaders in the technological race. Invention is a specific talent within the larger domain of creativity, like other forms of creativity; it can be enhanced and developed through training. The key is the identification of inventive ability. Since inventors do not thrive in standard school settings, ignoring the development of the ability may mean that many potential inventions are lost. This study outlines a method of identifying those characteristics most important to invention.
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