What kind of thinker does the world need now?

Globalization guru Thomas Friedman gives some interesting insight into the kind of human capital we need in today's world in his article, "America's Real Dream Team":

In today’s wired world, the most important economic competition is no longer between countries or companies. The most important economic competition is actually between you and your own imagination. Because what your kids imagine, they can now act on farther, faster, cheaper than ever before — as individuals. Today, just about everything is becoming a commodity, except imagination, except the ability to spark new ideas.

I'm noticing a growing chorus of voices, from within the education world and without, that are waking up to the realization that the old currencies of knowledge are quickly becoming obsolete in a world that has undergone an information revolution. And yet, schools are notoriously slow at adapting to these changing realities. To what extent is sparking imagination, cultivating innovative and flexible thinking, or empowering students to create, a top priority in our schools? Shifting our focus to educating for dispositions reflects what our students need most in order to be prepared for a world that is changing so rapidly, we may not even know the body of content expertise they might need in the future.