The core or nucleus of the model is the challenge. The challenge is what the students and teachers throughout the whole process of working with the Atom model must initiate from and return to, and is why it has a central placement in the model.

Challenges can be found in the challenge section of the D-EMIND platform.

All activities in this section will focus on how to find and formulate a challenge.

Explore the field in order to be able to properly identify the challenges of the field, if possible, through physical presence and/or virtual condition.
The purpose is to gather a broad range of data that will enable the participants to experience the challenge from an inside perspective. The aim is to achieve a sufficiently deep understanding of the challenge itself and of the field surrounding the challenge. You want to look for the 'not-obvious', or the unknown, which is a fruitful path to innovation.
All activities in this section will inspire you how to explore the challenge.

On the basis of the collected data, an analysis is conducted. Theoretical perspectives can be added in order to develop a deeper understanding of the challenge, its origin and its components. The aim of the analyse is to see patterns and to achieve an in-depth understanding of the challenge. It is imperative to undertake a careful analysis in order to avoid quick fixes and obvious answers to the challenge. All activities in this element will focus on how to analyse the data that was collected in the Explore element.

Ideate is about creating innovative solutions to the challenge. The aim is to unleash creativity in the participants and to generate new ideas drawing on a broad field of knowledge and approaches. After the generating of ideas, a sorting of ideas takes place.
The different ideas are discussed and chosen in the light of the themes and specifications and the particular ideas that the students wish to continue with. Activities in this element will focus on either how to ideate innovative solutions to the challenge or to select the idea to focus on.

When prototyping, the chosen ideas are given a form and are substantiated, or 'materialised'. It is imperative to visualise the ideas in order for both participants and 'clients' to share, understand, test and validate them. Complexities and opportunities are explored collectively. The knowledge necessary to qualify the prototype is gathered.

If possible, the prototype is communicated to and/or tested in the field in order to attain feedback. The aim is to conceptualize the ideas and solutions generated in the ideatiation stage. You are working towards being able to bridge the gap between idea and action. For this to happen, the ideas must be given a manifested visual expression others can understand and relate to. All activities in this element will focus on how to build a prototype.

Realise means that Steps are designed for implementation of the prototype. The next step is the realisation of the prototype if possible within the given frames. The guiding principle in this process is matching the prototype to the possible. Questions such as who, where, and how many are answered.This takes place in a dialogue between the external stakeholders and the participants. All activities in this element will focus on how to realise the prototype and make it come in to action.

Lastly in the 6 elements of innovation is to evaluate. This evaluation is composed of two parts:

1) An external part where the idea and the action or action plans are evaluated by the external partners in the project. This is an end point of the students working with solving the challenge.

2) An internal evaluation with the teachers and the other students of the innovative learning process.

The Mental Learning Sphere encourages the development of an entrepreneurial mindset to help the students complete the 6 elements of innovation. The entrepreneurial mindset must be present during the innovative learning process for the students to be able to work with the 6 elements of innovation. All the activities in this section will foster and facilitate the Mental Learning Sphere.

After careful evaluation, plans are made for the implementation of the prototype in the field. The guiding principle in this process is matching the prototype to the possible. Steps are designed for the realisation to take place. Questions such as who, where, and how many are answered. Needles to say, this takes place in a dialogue between the external stakeholders and the participants. Depending on the circumstances, either a full realisation of the prototype can take place, or a detailed blueprint is created. The aim is to design a plan of how to implement the prototypes. The plan must be realistic and sufficiently detailed for others to put it into practice. The next step is the realisation of the prototype if possible within the given frames.

The Social Learning Sphere is primarily perceived as the social relations and the collaboration between students. In cores of the Atom Model, students work with solutions for real-world challenges and for them to dare to present creative solutions, it is our experience that the Social Learning Sphere, security and mutual trust among group members are essential. All activities in this section will foster the Social Learning Sphere.

The Physical Learning Sphere includes the physical environment in the learning process to strengthen the students' awareness of the physical environment in relation to their learning.

The focus on the physical learning sphere and the students participation in the development of the physical learning environment facilitates their ownership and can be described as the 'third educator'. All the activities in this section will foster the Physical Learning Sphere.