Saturday 19 July 2014

Innovation is more than a label.

We've come through an era where we debate the benefits of rote learning and its long term benefits and I'm not sure the battle has been won in either camp. We move into the dynamic world of the technological age. With so much access to information and resources, there are no limits to anything that you want to learn about. I have been reflecting recently about my utilisation of technology in the classroom. Most people that I work with would say that I am innovative and have great ideas. And, that is great to hear, but...

The more I travel on my journey, the more I realise that I'm not innovative at all. In fact, the whole idea of being innovative is a goal that I am still to achieve. Do I incorporate technology in a meaningful way into my lessons? Yes! Is this innovative? No! I know now, what I have been doing, which many others think is innovative, is actually automating. I have been using technology in a variety of ways to bring the curriculum to life and I am happy with these endeavours. Being truly innovative is a challenge which is so much harder to succeed in. I hope one day I will actually deserve to be referred to by others as innovative.

3 comments:

  1. I think you maybe could add a definition of "innovative" here - or at least the one you are using to judge yourself by. By this definition "Make changes in something established; By introducing new methods" I would say that you are!

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    1. When you put it that way Phillip, then I am definitely innovative. Thanks for putting it into perspective,

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  2. I would agree with you about automating. For example, lecturing is a very poor teaching method and putting a video of a lecture online for a flipped class might be a new method but it's like calling a video of a play a movie. Way back in 1921 H.G. Wells called for people to make more use of audio recordings and the cinematograph in education to teach millions - to paraphrase Salman Khan he wanted to "use video to reinvent education". See Dr. Roger Schank's blog, "Education Outrage and http://www.engines4ed.org/hyperbook/nodes/educator-outline.html.
    A computer can be used to dump content onto its screen or onto the web as a computerized form of an obsolete teaching methodology OR the computer can be used to simulate an experience with goal-based scenarios. See http://www.engines4ed.org/hyperbook/nodes/NODE-125-pg.html (Using Simulators to Teach). The simulation can even be done in a SOLE (Self Organized Learning Environment) with no teacher present or 1000's of miles away. See also the statement by Mr. Sugata Mitra regarding how the internet and google make many commonly taught skills obsolete. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp54G6OruL8) . P.S. Dr. Schank is also the guest host for a television show on innovation in business.

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