What is the KAI?
The KAI stands for the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory and was created by Michael Kirton. The KAI is one of the world's foremost measures for problem-solving, teamwork and creativity. Specifically, the KAI identifies whether one is an adaptor or innovator. An adaptor is someone who tries to improve the current product, while an innovator prefers to create a new way to solve a problem.
How could teachers use the KAI?
Educators could better identify strengths and weaknesses of their students by understanding where on the KAI they fell. Personally, I could better design lessons and activities which encourage students to work with natural strengths and spend more time in those areas needing attention for more balanced creative problem solving. It makes more sense to mix students with a difference of style preference. The teacher will receive a more effective outcome when mixing groups including both innovators and adaptors. This reminds me of grouping students based on skill level. I group students in ‘cooperative learning groups’ with each group containing a high, medium, and low level student. If you grouped several high students together, then it can turn out to be more of a competition. It could also assist students to facilitate their coping behavior. Furthermore, after digging deeper into the Kirton Adaptation-Innovation Theory, I have concluded that my score of a 77 is considered an adaptor. Adaptors expect to succeed by staying within the rules and work inside the system to improve it. For the originality subscale I scored a 38, for efficiency a 14, and for the rule/group conformity subscale, I scored a 25 which are all scores correlated with the adaptive side of the spectrum. As I was processing all of this information, it seemed totally correct and right on. I believe that I am organized, thorough, detailed with planning, and manage my time and money appropriately. It was interesting to understand my level-style distinction in a more personal and meaningful way. Are you considered more of an innovator or an adaptor?
Find out today and take the KAI Inventory to find out more about yourself!
The KAI stands for the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory and was created by Michael Kirton. The KAI is one of the world's foremost measures for problem-solving, teamwork and creativity. Specifically, the KAI identifies whether one is an adaptor or innovator. An adaptor is someone who tries to improve the current product, while an innovator prefers to create a new way to solve a problem.
How could teachers use the KAI?
Educators could better identify strengths and weaknesses of their students by understanding where on the KAI they fell. Personally, I could better design lessons and activities which encourage students to work with natural strengths and spend more time in those areas needing attention for more balanced creative problem solving. It makes more sense to mix students with a difference of style preference. The teacher will receive a more effective outcome when mixing groups including both innovators and adaptors. This reminds me of grouping students based on skill level. I group students in ‘cooperative learning groups’ with each group containing a high, medium, and low level student. If you grouped several high students together, then it can turn out to be more of a competition. It could also assist students to facilitate their coping behavior. Furthermore, after digging deeper into the Kirton Adaptation-Innovation Theory, I have concluded that my score of a 77 is considered an adaptor. Adaptors expect to succeed by staying within the rules and work inside the system to improve it. For the originality subscale I scored a 38, for efficiency a 14, and for the rule/group conformity subscale, I scored a 25 which are all scores correlated with the adaptive side of the spectrum. As I was processing all of this information, it seemed totally correct and right on. I believe that I am organized, thorough, detailed with planning, and manage my time and money appropriately. It was interesting to understand my level-style distinction in a more personal and meaningful way. Are you considered more of an innovator or an adaptor?
Find out today and take the KAI Inventory to find out more about yourself!
http://www.kaicentre.com/
The KAI has been used:
- in the training of managers and key teams as part of the management of change
- in group training and individual development as part of the management of diversity
- for the enhancement of group cohesion and effectiveness
- for leadership techniques, and
- for problem-solving team building.