In the ever-evolving world of education, we often struggle to find a balance between structured learning and creative problem-solving. As an educator and innovator, I have found a simple yet powerful approach that can transform the way we teach kids to think critically and solve problems effectively: The Constant and Variable Formula.
The Framework
The formula has three components:
Constants (C) — Elements that remain the same in a system, process, or challenge.
Variables (V) — Elements that can be changed, adapted, or innovated upon.
Innovation Focus (I) — Identifying the right variables to change without disturbing essential constants.
This method trains students to ask three essential questions: What must stay the same? What can be changed to improve outcomes? How do we innovate effectively while preserving stability?
Applying It: The Candle Blowing Challenge
Imagine a challenge where students must blow out a candle from increasing distances — starting at one foot and moving up to ten — without blowing directly beyond a certain point. They must design tools to help them.
Constants
- The candle type and flame size
- Fixed distances (1 to 10 feet)
- Human-powered air movement as the only energy source
- Indoor environment with no external wind interference
- Limited attempts per distance
Variables
- Tools and mechanisms used to direct air
- Different airflow techniques (short bursts, steady blowing, etc.)
- Size, shape, and material of air channels (straws, tubes, balloons)
- Direction and angle of airflow for maximum efficiency
Innovation Focus
- Enhancing airflow efficiency instead of raw power
- Optimising tool design for directing airflow effectively
- Using physics principles like Bernoulli's effect to increase air velocity
- Encouraging iterative testing to refine techniques
This approach transforms a simple activity into an immersive, hands-on learning experience, making students think critically, experiment systematically, and innovate efficiently.
Why This Method Matters
The Constant and Variable Formula is not just for STEM challenges. It can be applied in robotics, product design, entrepreneurship, business strategy, and everyday decision-making. At its core, it teaches something that most curricula never explicitly address: how to analyse what to change and what to protect when you are trying to improve something.
It encourages design thinking by breaking down problems logically. It promotes inquiry-based learning — teaching students how to think, not just what to think. And it develops the habit of treating failure as information rather than verdict: if your tool did not work, which variable should you adjust next?
"Innovation is not about changing everything. It is about changing the right things."
This fundamental thinking framework has the power to transform education by making children more adaptive, more innovative, and more solution-oriented — regardless of the subject or domain they eventually choose.