Soloborative Learning: Solo Thinking, Collaborative Tinkering

Abstract

The history of innovation is constructed by solo thinkers and collaborative makers. The word innovation here comprises changes on technology, art and science. This article aims to reflect the way successful inventors, artists and scientists followed to do whatever they succeeded so that the coming generations can learn from predecessors’ positive and negative experiences. Thinking and observing as solo may be the first step of an entrepreneur dreamer. Thinking and observation allow her to understand the size and depth of the gap on her knowledge integrity. This understanding process is a kind of challenge annoying and disturbing the entrepreneur dreamer during days and nights and causing his/ her to focus on the subject including examining the existing knowledge and experiences. Successful entrepreneur dreamers are aware of the historical knowledge accumulation on the field they focus on. After an entrepreneur dreamer understands what to do, on the second step, she starts tinkering collaboratively with other people whom the dreamer needs because of their own knowledge, experiences, point of view etc. With the help of others, entrepreneur starts the attempts to fill gap on his/her knowledge. These attempts require series of trial and error. First thinking and focusing on a subject as solo and then taking action and tinkering to realize dreams and thoughts as collaborative may lead us to a new learning design approach. “Soloborative Learning” is a derivative word offering the schools a new way to design learning environments, interactions and learning materials so that learners can construct their own knowledge on an innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem.