examples of innovative programs in education

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10 innovative programs for learning and teaching

We hear a lot about it. but do we really know what educational innovation is what’s it for how can we innovate in the classroom in this article we list practical experiences featured in the hundred global collection..

It’s become a buzzword and, since the beginning of the century, we’ve used it to apply to everything, including technology, of course, but also economics, fashion and culture and, definitely, education. From the Latin word innovare (the prefix in means in or within and novare is a verbal form of the word novus , meaning new), the term innovate seems to refer to the introduction of something new.

Applied to education, there are multiple definitions, theories and forms of educational innovation. However, in this article we aren’t going to discuss theories or definitions. We’ll go straight to the practice to highlight ten projects which, from a pedagogical standpoint, introduce new and “more effective and efficient” ways of teaching into the classroom. With this post we conclude our series on the 2022 HundrED Global Collection, in which we’ve reviewed some of the projects featured in the report.

RETHINKING SCHOOLS AS NEW LEARNING SPACES

Escuela nueva: a model of education for vulnerable environments.

One of the seven Hundred Hall Of Fame Innovations and the only from Latin America that’s been recognised. Escuela Nueva was created just over 30 years ago to improve the education received by children in rural schools in Colombia. Today it’s become a model of education for vulnerable environments that’s been successfully applied in 21 countries (with institutional support in many of them). How does it work? The students work in groups but each of them has his/her own personalised learning guide. The teacher proposes a topic and the children work on it first individually and then in groups. It’s a completely student-centred and active methodology based on “learning by doing”. The children form part of a self-organising and self-governing group under the supervision of the teacher. Teacher training also plays an important role in the Escuela Nueva model and the teachers are trained using the same methodology as that applied to the students.

Agora: School without lessons

The Netherlands

Agora is a school without lessons, without classrooms and without a curriculum. At Agora everything begins with the students. Their concerns lie at the heart of their own learning. They all decide, in partnership with their tutor, which “challenge” they’ll focus their work on. They begin to prepare it together by asking each other a set of questions: What will I learn? Who can I cooperate with to achieve a great end result? How long will it take me? After this initial preparation, the students prepare an “action plan” in which they decide who’ll be able to help them through each of the steps and where they’ll get the information from. During the implementation phase of the project, the students record all their progress, including where they’ve found the information, what they’ve had difficulties with and why, how they’ve resolved them and so on. At the end of the challenge the students submit their final work. Of course, they can do so in different ways, such as a video, a sculpture, a painting or a field trip, and they’ll show the others what they’ve learnt. The teachers, parents and students can attend the presentation at the student’s invitation. Finally, they’ll have a chat with their tutor to reflect on the whole process.

Community Learning Labs: Building education through dialogue

Community Learning Labs promotes inter-generational dialogue between students, parents and teachers, enabling them to build a kind of education that makes a better future possible together. Starting with a future ideal, the participants examine how it can be achieved through education, what skills will be needed to build it and how it can be taught and learnt. They then structure initiatives to carry it out, dividing themselves into groups to do so. This helps to generate a feeling that change is possible. Everyone then discusses and shares their ideas, encouraging collaboration and dialogue and turning education into a platform for co-creation and cooperation. Since its creation in Russia in 2016, it’s been implemented in 30 cities in eight countries, including Belarus, Latvia and Uzbekistan (for the time being, the working materials are only in Russian, although they’re working on their translation into English).

Dignitas Project: Making school an exciting place

Dignitas seeks to turn schools into exciting places that enable children to develop the skills and character they need to prosper in life. It does so through the educators, by training them and equipping them with the tools required for them to develop instructional leadership skills that enable them to create a classroom culture conducive to learning and participation. Dignitas turns the educators into catalysts of change in vulnerable schools. The programme’s teachers encourage the students to take part in the lessons, ask questions, reason and cooperate with their classmates.

Manzil Mystics: Learning through music

In India, most low-income state schools face the problem of poor levels of attendance, chiefly due to a lack of interest in education. Learning Through Music is a flagship programme of the Manzil Mystics organisation which aims to create safe spaces, bring happiness, instil confidence, foster creativity and activate the true potential of the children that take part in it. They learn to sing, write and compose songs and express their feelings and aspirations through music. It also acts as a magnet to increase school attendance and triggers other essential elements such as self-confidence, leadership and socio-emotional learning.

Defy Project: Design your own education and create it

In the DEFY (Design Education for Yourself) Project the goal is to change the way people think and ignite the spark of passion in each of the students so that they can learn to believe in their ability to educate themselves, others and their communities. In the DEFY Project education is much more than the mere transmission of knowledge, as it’s also a process of self-discovery and understanding of the needs of the local and global environment. Firstly, the community builds a learning space suited to their tastes and needs and then, with a computer and the internet, they begin working on projects in keeping with their preferences and interests. The students thus develop the skills they’re most passionate about and search for the knowledge they’re most interested in. They try, fail and try again, without any fear of judgement. Finally, they develop the confidence they need to embark on their own journey. In essence, they learn “how to learn” and do so within a community of people doing the same thing that supports them.

  Join for Joy: Gamifying School

Join for Joy This programme teaches primary school teachers in the most rural areas of East Africa to implement sporting and recreational activities in the local schools’ curricula, transforming the schools into “gamified” learning spaces. By doing so the children are encouraged to attend school and dropping out is prevented. Through play, the teachers learn how to teach the children to protect themselves against diseases such as AIDS, malaria and COVID-19. Topics that are taboo in many rural areas, such as sexual violence, child marriages and gender inequality, are discussed. The sporting and recreational activities are specifically aimed at developing the children’s life skills, including assertiveness, handling of emotions, empathy, self-confidence and respect. For children with disabilities, one of the most vulnerable groups, sports and games are powerful ways of making them look at their options rather than their limitations. Since 2011 the programme has reached more than 450,000 children and expanded to five countries.

DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The metis fellowship: searching for dreamers to change education.

The aim of Metis is to find local innovators with ideas geared towards reinventing teaching and learning. It makes it easier for them to implement their ideas by helping them to obtain the resources, mentors and community that they require. To date, it’s supported 63 “dreamer” scholars who’ve created high-quality learning experiences with an impact on 1.3 million students in Kenya. It applies a domino effect model that uses the power of the networks, resources and access to like-minded people to inspire change.

Innovamat: Changing the way we learn maths

Traditional maths teaching has proved to be ineffective for many students. To reverse this trend, Innovamat has developed research-based curricular maths resources. With its methods, the children learn maths through manipulative material and highly dynamic lessons focused on problem-solving, communicational skills and critical thinking. Innovamat brings a change in traditional maths instruction and learning and it currently operates at more than 1,200 schools in Spain, Chile, Ecuador and Mexico, reaching 200,000 students and more than 12,000 teachers.

Self-Sustainable School Model

In Paraguay six out of ten children don’t finish secondary school because access to high-quality education is limited and expensive. The Self-Sustainable School Model addresses this problem by providing affordable, high-quality secondary education to low-income and mainly rural communities in Latin America and Africa. This model guarantees the quality and relevance of the programme by providing the students with the opportunity to learn entrepreneurial skills, thus helping to make the school economically viable. The students learn how to run competitive businesses and, while doing so, broaden their horizons with regard to what’s possible and improve their quality of life.

Why this selection? What features do these projects share? On the basis of these features, can we provide some keys to the definition of educational innovation? Let’s see:

•   The student lies at the centre of the system. This is a recurrent feature in the history of pedagogical innovation and one which appears to have ceased to play a “secondary role” during this decade to become the key pillar of educational systems (at least at the theoretical level of educational policies). In contrast to the traditional teaching system, in which the students are mere passive recipients of information, in these educational proposals the students are placed at the centre of the whole process, focusing on their characteristics, abilities, context and educational needs as the basis upon which their learning is designed. The students become involved and play active roles in their own education. They decide on what, how and when.
• The teachers become mediators and designers of experiences. In all the innovations featured above the teachers have a key role to play, but it’s a very different role from that of the traditional learning concept. The teachers become mediators between knowledge and the students: they guide and help the students to take ownership of the learning and they also design, develop and propose activities that help the students to carry out their self-learning process.
• Technology complements and helps but doesn’t replace. The new technologies are conceived as a valuable and fundamental support, but never as a substitute for the teachers’ role in the classroom. Moreover, the teachers’ role becomes even more important, given that, on the one hand, they have to “hybridise” their pedagogical and didactic performance with technology so as to increase its effectiveness, and, on the other, they guide their students through the proper use of these new technologies.
• Collaboration. Whether it’s among students or teachers and students or it includes the families and communities, cooperation and collaboration in their numerous forms are particularly relevant in educational innovation projects. It’s evident that current-day society requires (and will require) increasing collaboration between everyone to overcome the major challenges. Moreover, teamwork isn’t just an ability to be learnt in itself, as it also contributes to the development of other important skills, such as responsibility, empathy, interdependence and critical thinking.
• New contents/new competences: There appears to be a generalised consensus that a comprehensive kind of education at this stage of the century must necessarily include the development of a range of skills that can help learners to live in a complex and changing society. Mere academic knowledge is no longer enough. The need to teach these skills is an educational innovation in itself. But there are also new skills, contents and capacities that require new teaching methods and processes. Can anyone imagine how to teach something like empathy or perseverance with a traditional model in which the teacher speaks without looking and the students listen without paying attention or understanding?
• The importance of the context: the socio-cultural and local context in which the teaching unfolds is also of fundamental importance in all educational innovation projects. And so it should be; the environment in which a person lives and develops should form part of his/her education and learning process. This relationship with the context can (and should) take place in a number of ways, in order to design a kind of learning that’s suitable for the context of each student, to use this context as the object of study and to involve the community and families in the students’ education.

All the projects featured above propose new ways of teaching and learning that advocate a shift towards a model more in keeping with the needs of today’s world and its agents, the protagonists of the future, the students. They provide important hints and lessons that we shouldn’t lose sight of. Let’s capitalise on the experience and wisdom of those who’ve been there before. Let’s lead by example.

*This article forms part of a series in which we analyse the initiatives and programmes featured in the HundrED report. In the first post of this series we explain the selection criteria and how the HundrED report is drawn up. In the second we explain and analyse some of the digital initiatives and programmes for socio-educational intervention in vulnerable contexts . In the third we analyse initiatives devoted to teaching and learning the skills for 2030 or the so-called 21st-century skills . In the fourth we focus on programmes that develop citizenship and digital skills.

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Seven Inspiring Innovations In Education From Around the Globe

American schools, start taking notes! There may be some things to learn from these successful programs

Emily Matchar

Innovation Correspondent

Summer break is often a needed respite from school, but it’s also a natural time to think about how the classroom experience might be improved. Here’s a look at seven educational innovations from around the world. Should America consider adopting any of these? Some of these innovations are technological, while others are philosophical. Some are brand-new, while others have been around for a few decades. All are enhancing student learning in interesting and sometimes counterintuitive ways.  

South Korea: Robot Teachers

In some South Korean classrooms, students learn English from Engkey, an egg-shaped  robot English teacher  with a cute humanoid face. Engkey is controlled remotely by a native English-speaker (at home in, say, Australia or the U.S.), whose face is projected on Engkey’s screen. Known as a “telepresence” robot, Engkey helps address shortages of native English teachers in South Korea. Other types of robots help students check in for class, inquire about their moods or teach them to dance. 

Denmark: Forest Kindergartens

While American parents fret over the increasing amounts of testing and homework for young children, in much of Scandinavia, kindergartners aren’t expected to do much more than run around outside. The “ forest kindergarten” model , popularized in Northern Europe in the 1960s, gives young children unstructured playtime in a natural setting. Proponents say free play develops young children’s natural curiosity and prepares them for learning better than sitting in a classroom. Americans are beginning to agree. Forest kindergartens have been  popping up in the U.S . over the past few years.

Germany: Free University Education

File this under “fat chance.” But still, we can dream. While the average four-year university in the U.S. costs about  $24,000 a year  in tuition, fees and living expenses, Germany  did away with university fees  entirely last year. The move was meant to make sure all Germans, regardless of their financial situation, can access higher education. Of course, German universities are much more  frills-free  than their U.S. counterparts. No fancy student unions, Olympic pools or five-star dining halls. But hey, for $0 we could live without make-your-own waffle stations. Germany’s free college scheme is open to foreigners as well, so those unwilling to hold their breath for free tuition in the U.S. can start practicing their  Deutsch .

United Arab Emirates: 3D Learning

Imagine a lecture hall full of students in 3D glasses, watching a hologram of the human brain or the planets in the solar system. This is the reality at  GEMS Modern Academy  in Dubai, where classrooms and labs are connected by a super-high-speed fiber optic network and science lessons are delivered on a 3D platform.  3D learning  draws student attention, and can help make abstract concepts easier to grasp. Sure beats watching a grainy video on a rolled-in television cart.

Cuba: Literacy Brigades

At the dawn of the Cuban Revolution, Cuba’s rural literacy rate was just 59 percent. In 1961, Fidel Castro sent out “ literacy brigades ” of teachers into the island’s hinterlands. In just a year, these teachers reduced the nation’s illiteracy rate to less than 4 percent. The program inspired a method of community-based intensive literacy education called “Yo Si Puedo” (Yes I Can), which has since been  replicated in countries around the world , recently among the indigenous population of Australia. While the vast majority of Americans (about 99 percent) are considered literate, 36 million adults read at only a  third grade level . Perhaps it’s time for a literacy “revolution” of our own?

Finland: Teacher Autonomy

Low pay and low autonomy (think “teaching to the test”) have long made it difficult for American schools to recruit and keep talented teachers. Finland, on the other hand, has moved towards  greater and greater teacher freedom  in the past several decades. Teachers, who are highly trained (all must have master’s degrees) and well-respected, are given generous latitude to help their students learn in the way they feel is best. So there’s very little standardized testing and no punishments for failing to meet specific standards. The system seems to be working—Finnish schools consistently rank among the best in the world.

England: The Paperless Classroom

At the  Essa Academy  in Bolton, outside Manchester, all students are given an iPad and classrooms are equipped with cutting-edge digital projectors. The technology has helped the once-failing school become  one of the highest achieving in the region . All classes are organized through Apple’s iTunes U, which lets students keep their digital materials all in one place. Students can even design their own digital courses, which then become available worldwide. Technically, the school is not entirely paperless—students still take their exams the old-fashioned way.

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Emily Matchar is a writer from North Carolina. She's contributed to many publications, including the New York Times , the Washington Post , the Atlantic  and many others. She's the author of the novel In the Shadow of the Greenbrier . 

14 Examples Of Innovation In Higher Education

Competency-Based Education isn’t necessarily an example of innovation in higher education, but a shift towards it can lead to more critical developments.

What Are Some Examples Of Innovation In Education?

They may not be exactly what you’d think. In 2015, someone asked me what I thought about innovation in higher ed in an email, so I responded with a couple of hundred words, which I added to in creating this short blog post.

Today, I’m going back and updating the post with some new thinking, examples of innovation, a revised order, some links for context, and excerpts from longer papers on innovation at the university level.

I thought I’d share it because I haven’t talked much about higher ed, but for better or for worse, it is a big part of what we do in K-12. I don’t follow higher education very closely, so this is all from 20 feet away. One of the big takeaways for me is how frustratingly little innovation there has been in higher ed. If this list seems underwhelming, that’s in part due to the underwhelming nature of the innovations.

Also note, the point of this post isn’t to showcase how innovative higher education is but rather to point out innovations that are out there as a kind of survey while also hopefully helping pollinate the possibility of innovation in the upper end of the field and ‘industry’ of education. With that in mind, I  started out with the more common, perhaps less exciting examples.

Six Common Examples Of Innovation In Higher Education

1. Competency-Based Learning

Competency-Based Education is something I’m hearing more and more about, which is neither bad nor good, but worth understanding more carefully. In Preparing Students For A Modern Economy , I wrote:

“Schools don’t graduate employees, they graduate human beings. And just as universities haven’t been ‘job training facilities,’ more immediately, neither has K-12. The rub comes when universities seek to revise themselves. The more connected K-12 is to university goals and aspirations, the more K-12 is on the hook here as well to ‘tighten the curriculum’ to make it ‘more efficient.’ To straighten and shorten the path from student to ‘job.’ In thinking like this, we’re lowering our sights from person and place to job and market. When we seek to train students, we have to ask ourselves what we’re training them for, and make sure we can live with the consequences.”

Competency-Based Education isn’t necessarily an example of innovation in higher education, but a move to Competency-Based Education can lead to other innovations–using technology to personalize a student’s navigation of to-be-mastered content, for example. The definition of asynchronous learning helps us understand the need for asynchronous access to this content, especially when this access is not through a dated university learning management system, but something more authentic to the student, maybe even accessed on their own mobile devices.

Competency-Based Education, at least in terms of the learning process (as opposed to content), should be more student-centered and efficient. That’s good. Not sure how that will translate to increased knowledge when that knowledge (and subsequent certification) is what the university has historically commodified (and thus has restricted). Also not sure how this will help one of the higher ed’s most urgent matters–out of control cost. Something that makes something else more efficient should have a slew of other positive effects elsewhere.

We shall see.

2. Video Streaming/ Flipped Classroom/eLearning Trends

From Zoom to Skype to Webinars and even live streaming on social media itself, video is perhaps the most visible and common form of technological innovation in K-12 and higher ed.

Video, of course, enables other innovations. An example? The flipped classroom movement seems to, in pockets, be threatening the college lecture. As does–or should–YouTube. There is so much great content already published and accessible, that curation matters as much as creation.

None of this is particularly exciting, really. As in K-12, there is a lack of leadership in higher-ed, with every university or league for itself. This is further exacerbated by equity issues, where, in spite of programs claiming otherwise, the quality of one’s education is almost entirely dependent on how much money their parents make.

3. Open Curriculum

Open curriculum, like MIT’s OpenCourseWare , has been out for years but hasn’t disrupted much.

MOOCs are great ideas, but assessment and feedback loops and certification are among the many issues holding them back. And anymore, they end being the punchline of edtech jokes, somehow. I don’t agree with many of the grievances people seem to have with them. It may be a matter of what kind of expectations you’re bringing to your evaluation. Comparing an unsupported MOOC from 2008 to an in-person college experience isn’t apples to apples.

Compare that same MOOC to a self-determined learner Googling topics or searching reddit for information, and suddenly it’s not so bad. eLearning will eventually be at the core of the university experience rather than the fringe, I’d guess, but that’s vague: eLearning how? What content? What kind of delivery models? There’s a lot to consider. Still, this is definitely an example of innovation in higher education.

4. Changing nature of faculty 

Whether this is ‘innovation’ that results in a ‘leaner’ business model that offers an improved ability to pivot or simply an unfortunate effect of a lack of funding is up to you. However, there is a clear trend towards adjunct faculty and a mobile, ‘global’ faculty with new contractual relationships with higher education institutes. 

In a 2016 article, ‘ Innovation in Higher Education: Can Colleges Really Change?’, Dustin Swanger, Ed.D explained how faculty is changing.

Today, digital networks of information make access to data and areas of specialty ubiquitous, particularly in the scientific fields. Therefore, researchers no longer need to be in the same physical location to collaborate. This change will reduce the attractiveness of many universities for expert faculty. For example, a faculty member may choose to teach at a small institution in a rural setting, yet collaborate on research with faculty in a large urban environment.

5. Changing revenue sources for institution funding

With the Coronavirus already having a massive impact on the global economy, existing attempts at funding higher education institutions through state funding, federal subsidies, and other methods are going to have to be scaled up fast–along with significant cost-cutting. This makes ‘finding new business models for college’ among the most important innovations in decades.

And as far as examples of innovation in higher education, eLearning absolutely must be a part of that. Swanger’s article continues:

The 2008 recession had a devastating impact on the US economy; and, higher education was not insulated from that impact. In 2008 nearly every state in the nation significantly reduced state support for higher education institutions. In 2015, the fiscal support for higher education by state governments had not rebounded since the 2008 collapse. In their 2015 report, Michael Mitchell and Michael Leachman cite significant fiscal realities faced by higher education. For example, “Forty-seven states – all except Alaska, North Dakota, and Wyoming – are spending less per student in 2014-15 school year than they did at the start of the [2008] recession.” So how bad is public funding for higher education? In 2015, the average state spending per student was $1,805 which was 20% lower than the average state spending per student in 2007-08. While most states had moved toward restoring funding for higher education, almost none had reached pre-recession levels. In fact, 13 states had reduced their funding per student in 2014-15 school year. These reductions in state support forced colleges and universities, particularly those in the public sector, to increase tuition at a greater rate than inflation. In fact, after adjusting for inflation, on average, public universities have increased tuition by 29% since 2007-08 school year. In some states, tuition has risen as much as 60% over the same time period. Elected officials and the public have reacted negatively to tuition increases; however, little has been done to return state support to pre-recession levels in order to stabilize tuition. It does not appear that such support will return in the near future. Donald Heller, Dean at Michigan State University, suggests that public funding may never again be what it was in the beginning of the century. He writes, “It is quite possible that state appropriations for higher education are not going to recover after this recession as they have in the past. Publicly-funded colleges and universities will have to develop innovative solutions to reduce costs, shift revenues, and deliver effective programs using new models and technologies.”

And this was in 2015–well before the new economic realities of the 2021 budget year had dawned.

6. Digital textbooks

This is a relatively minor innovation but an innovation nonetheless: free, open-source textbooks, digital textbook rental, etc. If nothing else, this makes textbooks more accessible than ever before (much like MOOCs made courses more accessible–for better or for worse).

Other Examples Of Innovation In Higher Education

The following are examples of innovation in higher education but ‘lesser’ examples–that is, examples that aren’t entirely ‘realized’ or are early in their infancy or not widely-adopted, etc. These have been added to the separate section because I didn’t want a misleading list that seemed to promise sweeping adoption of staggering innovations that really are very narrow niches that may not even produce the kinds of results we’d think innovation should.

That said, innovation is innovation and the following are happening in places.

7. 3D Printing

3D printing has more potential in higher ed than K-12. Or seems to, anyway. That’s fairly insignificant in and of itself as an innovation, but as with Competency-Based Education, 3D printing could lead to other more disruptive innovation if it’s nurtured right in a university context.

8. Use of data analytics

This is an opportunity to innovate at all levels of education but higher ed might be even less ready for this than K-12 due to non-standard curriculum and assessment practices. Regardless, data analytics are among the most potent examples of innovation in higher education.

9. Free Tuition

See Stanford University. This is likely not sustainable on a large scale but an important development for socio-inequalities and the most exciting thing I’ve seen come out of higher ed in years: Stanford’s 2015 announcement that its tuition would be free any student from a family that earns less than $125,000 a year. They’ve recently updated the policy and why this doesn’t get more coverage, I’m not sure.

10. Virtual And Augmented Reality

Likely a huge factor in the future of all education in some form, but nowhere close to ready for mass adoption. One example?  Augmented reality lets students operate a chemical plant.

11. Smarter Learning Management Systems

The need and the technology are available but at the moment, these are embarrassingly bad in far too many cases.

12. Artificial Intelligence

Much like virtual reality, AI is part of the future but not quite there yet. It is fast becoming a topic of study at universities across the world. 

This is one of many for roles for artificial intelligence in education .

13. New kinds of certification and degrees

New certifications and university degrees could include those mashing STEM fields with the humanities, as well as ‘nano-degrees’ and the ability to ‘update’ your certification and degree over time.

14. New pedagogies

Again, this innovation is absurdly low compared to the opportunity and need but many universities are experimenting with alternatives to lecture , including project-based learning at the college level, inquiry-based learning, the aforementioned competency-based learning, scenario-based learning, and more.

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What is innovation in education and why it’s important?

Let’s talk about innovation in education, discuss a few examples, and find out why this focus on innovation education is important..

In a recent post, we explored  innovative teaching strategies  and how educators can deploy these strategies in the classroom. Let’s talk a bit more about innovation such as what it is and more specifically innovation in education. Why this focus on innovation education? Skill gaps.

As teachers, our goal is to educate students. Educated students are then able to advance their education further – to get whatever degree or certification they need – to eventually succeed in a career that they find rewarding and give back to their community.

One of the key challenges employers face today is that their employees are struggling to meet the challenges of ever-changing skills requirements. In fact, a Gartner  skills gaps analysis  found that 64% of managers don’t believe their employees can keep pace with the evolving skills needed while 70% of employees don’t believe they have mastered the skills needed for the job they have.

What does the skills gap have to do with innovation in education? Well, let’s first unpack what innovation in education even means.  

What is Innovation in Education? 

Innovation is one of those words we like to throw around whenever possible. To  innovate means  to make changes or do something a new way. To innovate does not require you to invent. Baked into innovation are creativity and adaptability.

Innovation in education isn’t a specific term with fixed definitions. The spirit of innovation education is an openness to looking with fresh eyes at problems and to address them in different, new ways. It is a recognition that we don’t have all the answers and are open to new approaches to improve such as methods of knowledge transfer with innovative teaching strategies.

Innovation in education can be:

• Recognizing that students are better served by a  flipped classroom  where they watch lectures at home and complete assignments in the classroom.
• Introducing more technology in the classroom to create a  blended classroom  where students experience technology as they would in the real world.
• Providing greater ways to facilitate clearer and  better communication  between school districts’ parents with powerful video tools.

Innovation in education comes from identifying problems, watching and learning from others, to develop new methods to address these problems, and iterating on them when these experiments don’t necessarily give the results you need.

Why is Innovation Important in Education? 

Charles Darwin never said , “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” Regardless, let’s consider that a moment.

It is nearly impossible to predict or keep pace with the rate of change in today’s workplace. Accepting that, we can then agree that perhaps more important than the knowledge we have is the ability to adapt and evolve.

How can we teach a student to adapt? Well, in most industries, the catalyst of change is innovation. There are always improvements to be made. Innovation education helps prepare students for a dynamic workplace by providing them opportunities to develop skills such as creativity, adaptability, and resilience.

As educators, we can leverage innovation in education to improve student outcomes from a purely academic standpoint as well as to develop those  soft skills  that students need to succeed in life. We can also introduce more and more technology that students will need to be comfortable with overtime.

What are Examples of Innovation in Education? 

As we’ve already started to see, innovation in education can come in many forms. Remember, it is not just introducing new technology into the classroom. It can be a new method of teaching for a specific project or topic.

• Project-Based Learning  (PBL)  – Help students identify a real-world problem and develop a solution for it. Introduce a PBL-unit as part of a larger lesson where students can exercise their creative thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration with other students.
• Blended Learning –  Blending learning  combines online learning with traditional classroom learning. Students must become comfortable with online tools and using the internet to contribute to their learning. A blended learning approach gives students the ability to discover how best to use tools that they will rely heavily on in their professional lives.
• EdTech – Educational technology (edtech) typically refers to any software, application or service developed to enhance education. We must be careful not to go too far into the deep-end but introducing technology in the classroom is important. Innovative classroom technologies often mirror the innovations outside of education. So, the more students engage with technologies in the classroom, the better prepared they will be to engage with and through technology in the workplace.

How to Adopt Innovation with EdTech Platforms?

As we mentioned above, innovation education does not have to mean introducing technology into the classroom. However, educational technology certainly has its role in innovation in education. Sometimes edtech facilitates innovation in education by making possible what wasn’t possible before. Think about how schools were able to maintain any sort of continuity during the pandemic. Schools and teachers innovated by offering new methods of knowledge transfer.

Most of us will first mention  learning management systems  (LMS’s) when we think of educational technology. Learning management systems are often the centerpiece of a school’s educational technology. But, let’s face it, unless you are an IT Administrator or tasked specifically with onboarding a new LMS, you’re not going to be introducing a learning management system into your classroom (TBH, you wouldn’t need to).

So, let’s consider some innovative educational technology that you could introduce into the classroom:

• Feedback assessment tools  – Feedback is critical both for students to receive and to give. It can help teachers gauge understanding in real time and get a pulse check of the class. Feedback assessment tools (polling, surveys, forms, knowledge check) are also incredibly easy to bring into the class. We even use them today by having students raise their hands and count their responses. Feedback assessment tools provide a fun way for students to leverage technology in the class. Additionally, it can save teachers time by aggregating the data and saving responses to review later.
• Video conferencing and virtual classrooms – Though millions of teachers and students have become newly minted  virtual classroom  professionals over the last couple of years,  virtual schools and virtual academies  have utilized powerful virtual classroom platforms as their primary point of face-to-face instruction for years. Virtual classrooms are video conferencing platforms built with specific tools for learning. Conduct virtual classes or provide options for students to collaborate virtually. Students and teachers alike need to become more comfortable on video.
• Video projects – Our students are digital natives. They are also video creators. Whether they are on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or Snap you can be sure that students know their way around video. Leverage their passion by bringing video into their projects. Assign projects for student collaborators to create a video around specific topics. Not only will they exercise their creativity, but they’ll also sharpen their communication skills as they work together.

There are many angles to look at so don’t limit yourself. Search online or just ask what your fellow teachers are doing.

Kaltura Virtual Classroom as an Example to Education Innovation 

Kaltura virtual classroom  has been designed and built for education and training. Teachers can conduct interactive, face-to-face classes that actively engage remote students. Teachers are not simply connecting face-to-face to lecture passive students. The platform provides tools that allow teachers to introduce innovation in education.

• Real-time polling – Teachers can use a live polling tool to pulse check students. Of course, they can ask students on video to raise their hands or click a hand raise button, but even better is a polling tool to gauge measurable feedback. With preset polling options, teachers can launch a poll with a click. Students then select their reply and teachers see real time aggregate results as well as what each student replied.
• Quizzing – Sometimes polling isn’t enough. We need to gauge a deeper understanding in real time and use that information to inform the rest of the lesson. Create quizzes with different question types for students to complete in the class. Teachers can give the quiz and see real-time results. The results are also available to review after class. With this information, teachers can be more confident that students are understanding the material presented or move to reinforce items now – in class – rather than finding out later.
• Interactive whiteboards and file annotations – We want students actively participating in their learning. What better way to encourage that than with an interactive whiteboard. A whiteboard is a great space for students to share their ideas, collaborate, and brainstorm.
• Video in the classroom – Video is incredibly powerful at explaining complex topics in digestible ways. Kaltura virtual classroom provides opportunities for teachers to leverage their own video library as well as video sources like YouTube in the class to drive home their lesson plan. When teaching, we have to make things dynamic and interesting. We cannot shy away from producing multimedia experiences such as utilizing presentations, images, whiteboards, and, of course, video.
• Breakout rooms – Remote and distance education typically ignored peer engagement, but as educators, we know that peer engagement is critical to any student’s success in the classroom. Kaltura virtual classroom breakout rooms provide awesome ways for teachers to host directed breakout room experiences. Students can engage one another safely around content provided directly by the teacher with a single click of a button. Encourage branching scenarios, role play, and group projects in breakout rooms.

The future of education innovation 

Very often we find ourselves in a time and place where the status quo is the goal. We may be coasting with enough success in the classroom that there isn’t much appetite to shake things up. For better or worse, that isn’t the current landscape and not one we can expect to return to anytime soon.

Innovation in the classroom has been unleashed. School districts have quickly realized that they’re behind and will look to not only catch up but surpass their innovation deficits. Innovation in education  trends of 2022  are going to continue and accelerate what we’ve already seen throughout 2020 and 2021.

We can expect to see much more investments in personalized learning, greater acceptance of blended and  hybrid learning , a build-up of asynchronous learning modules to promote independent study, and more brave innovators embracing artificial intelligence,  augmented and virtual reality in the classroom .

Embracing innovation in education promotes critical thinking, a sense of adventure, and an openness to adapt that will serve our students in the classroom. It will provide them with the necessary tools to tackle the challenges of their future workplace and give them the confidence and skills to continue to adapt.

Ready to infuse innovation into your classroom? Try Kaltura Virtual Classroom for free today!

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There are many challenges to providing high-quality education to children around the world. Poverty, conflict, inequalities, and other impediments can mean millions of kids don’t get a fair shot at entering and succeeding in school.

Read More: 9 Facts to Know About Education Around the World

Thankfully, some of the most creative people around the world are putting their minds to the task of overcoming these problems.

All around the world, educators are finding innovative ways to ensure children have access to the education on which bright futures are built. Global Citizen campaigns on the United Nations’ Global Goals for Sustainable Development , and providing access to quality education is goal number four. You can take action on this issue here .

Take Action: 263 Million Children Need Help Getting in the Classroom

Check out six of the most creative approaches to education happening all over the planet below.

1/ Office of African-American Male Achievement - Oakland, CA

In the Oakland Unified School District, African-American males face a series of unique challenges to their education. They are at the highest risk of dropping out of high school, represent the highest number of chronic absences, and are disproportionately susceptible to violence, among other factors .

All of these facts led to the creation of the Office of African American Male Achievement ( OAAMA ) in 2010, an administrative body dedicated to improving academic and life outcomes for African-American youth in Oakland. This program was the first of its kind in the US, despite the fact that young black men face similar educational challenges around the country.

This revolutionary program was developed to meet the specific needs of African-American males by partnering with community leaders, parents, district staff, and educators. OAAMA works with youth during after school classes and programs aimed at empowering their academic achievement, while working at the institutional level to research and reform policies that benefit Oakland’s most vulnerable subgroup.

2/ eLearning - Sudan, Africa

“eLearning,” an innovative program developed by education NGO War Child Holland seeks to bring educational opportunities to children whose schooling has been disrupted by violent conflict. Piloted in Sudan, the program is being developed to scale up to other violence-stricken regions of the world, where it is estimated that over 30 million children are denied schooling due to conflict .

eLeaning Sudan is all about teaching children basic mathematics to students in their own villages. When conflict occurs, children may be denied the opportunity to travel outside their communities for schooling- this program allows kids to continue learning even when their are no teachers through the use of specially designed education programs to be learned via tablet devices.

Making education fun, and more importantly accessible, can make a huge difference when children live in areas lacking basic institutional structures due to conflict. In creating educational pathways that can be deployed without the need for these structures, eLearning could be an important first step in patching access to education for victims of conflict worldwide.

3/ Lively Minds’ Play Schemes - Ghana, Africa

Educational charity Lively Minds developed this creative program to help pre-school aged youth in Ghana develop early interest in education through the use of games called Play Schemes. Without even knowing that they are learning, young children play games that teach them fundamental skills necessary to entering into formal education systems.

Serving up to 160 children per week, Play Schemes works by dividing participants into cooperative groups as they rotate through a series of challenges designed to improve the intellectual, language, and socio-emotional skills necessary for school-readiness.

Play Schemes also incorporates lessons of health and hygiene into their curriculum for children, with special lessons delivered to mothers as well. Lively Mind’s is easy to set up, and relies on locally made resources to ensure their program can be replicated in almost any area.

4/ Literacy Education and Math Labs - Colombia, Panama, Dominican Republic

Team work, communication, critical thinking. Literacy beyond phonics. pic.twitter.com/5FjmIZ0lvR — Literacy4All (@L4AOrg) March 16, 2017

The ability to read and write is absolutely essential to securing high-quality education no matter where you live. The Literacy Education and Math Labs ( LEMA ) system, developed by non-profit Literacy4All , was designed to be a replicable program pushing children to develop reading, writing, and math skills all over the world.

Over one in four adults around the world cannot read, and in low-income countries, it is estimated that over 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty with only this basic skill, according to Literacy4All’s website . Learning these skills begins in childhood, and through programs like LEMA it is possible to break the global poverty cycle through education.

“Learning Coaches” are recruited and trained to run these fun programs where students learn by playing educational games. The system has a proven track record of improving reading, math, and writing schools through the use of their board-game learning approach.

5/ More Than Money - Nigeria, Africa

Created by Junior Achievement Nigeria back in 1999, this urban education program seeks to teach children in fourth, fifth, and sixth grade all about responsible money management. Focusing on issues like saving money, opening a bank account, and even some fundamentals of business management, this program seeks to bridge the gap between the classroom and the workplace.

Work-readiness is an important educational outcome in Nigeria, and as such this program is heavily focused on getting students to think about what it takes to operate a business. The program’s curriculum moves from basic financial literacy, to simple business economics, then eventually covers more nuanced topics like business ethics.

What’s really cool about this program is that its success led to the eventual development of an app, built to educate anyone who is interested in the same messages, regardless of where they are in the world.

6/ Sra Prou Vocational School - Sra Prou Village, Cambodia

This educational project is innovative in that the creation of an educational building became a part of the education itself. The school, developed by Finnish architectural firm Architects Rudanko + Kankkunen in 2011, was crafted using local techniques and materials by villagers. The idea was that in creating the building, many of these workers would develop the skills needed to engage in other construction projects down the line.

In helping to build the vocational center, which now doubles as a general meeting spot and place of democratic decision making for villagers, those engaged in the project equipped themselves with sharable knowledge that they could then teach to others in the new building.

The project cleverly brought together design, community building, and natural resource management to create a cycle of education that will provide job training for generations to come.

Defeat Poverty

These 6 Education Programs Are Changing How People Learn Around the World

Oct. 31, 2017

• Our Mission

Big Ideas for Better Schools: Ten Ways to Improve Education

Ideas for students, teachers, schools, and communities.

Fourteen years ago The George Lucas Educational Foundation was created to celebrate and encourage innovation in schools. Since then we have discovered many creative educators, business leaders, parents, and others who were making positive changes not only from the top down but also from the bottom up. Since that time we have been telling their stories through our Web site, our documentary films, and Edutopia magazine.

Along the way, we listened and learned. Nothing is simple when strengthening and invigorating such a vast and complex institution as our educational system, but common ideas for improvement emerged. We've distilled those into this ten-point credo.

In the coming year, we will publish a series of essays that further explores each aspect of this agenda, with the hope that those on the frontlines of education can make them a part of their schools.

1. Engage : Project-Based Learning Students go beyond the textbook to study complex topics based on real-world issues, such as the water quality in their communities or the history of their town, analyzing information from multiple sources, including the Internet and interviews with experts. Project-based classwork is more demanding than traditional book-based instruction, where students may just memorize facts from a single source. Instead, students utilize original documents and data, mastering principles covered in traditional courses but learning them in more meaningful ways. Projects can last weeks; multiple projects can cover entire courses. Student work is presented to audiences beyond the teacher, including parents and community groups.

Reality Check : At the Clear View Charter School, in Chula Vista, California, fourth- and fifth-grade students collected insect specimens, studied them under an electron microscope via a fiber-optic link to a nearby university, used Internet resources for their reports, and discussed their findings with university entomologists.

2. Connect : Integrated Studies Studies should enable students to reach across traditional disciplines and explore their relationships, like James Burke described in his book Connections. History, literature, and art can be interwoven and studied together. Integrated studies enable subjects to be investigated using many forms of knowledge and expression, as literacy skills are expanded beyond the traditional focus on words and numbers to include graphics, color, music, and motion.

Reality Check : Through a national project called Nature Mapping, fourth-grade students in rural Washington learn reading, writing, mathematics, science, and technology use while searching for rare lizards.

3. Share : Cooperative Learning Working together on project teams and guided by trained teachers, students learn the skills of collaborating, managing emotions, and resolving conflicts in groups. Each member of the team is responsible for learning the subject matter as well as helping teammates to learn. Cooperative learning develops social and emotional skills, providing a valuable foundation for their lives as workers, family members, and citizens.

Reality Check : In Eeva Reeder's tenth-grade geometry class at Mountlake Terrace High School, near Seattle, student teams design "schools of the future" while mentoring with local architects. They manage deadlines and resolve differences to produce models, budgets, and reports far beyond what an individual student could accomplish.

4. Expand : Comprehensive Assessment Assessment should be expanded beyond simple test scores to instead provide a detailed, continuous profile of student strengths and weaknesses. Teachers, parents, and individual students can closely monitor academic progress and use the assessment to focus on areas that need improvement. Tests should be an opportunity for students to learn from their mistakes, retake the test, and improve their scores.

Reality Check: At the Key Learning Community, in Indianapolis, teachers employ written rubrics to assess students' strengths and weaknesses using categories based on Howard Gardner's concept of multiple intelligences, including spatial, musical, and interpersonal skills.

5. Coach : Intellectual and Emotional Guide The most important role for teachers is to coach and guide students through the learning process, giving special attention to nurturing a student's interests and self-confidence. As technology provides more curricula, teachers can spend less time lecturing entire classes and more time mentoring students as individuals and tutoring them in areas in which they need help or seek additional challenges.

Reality Check : Brooklyn fifth-grade teacher Sarah Button uses exercises and simulations from the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program with her students, helping them learn empathy, cooperation, positive expression of feelings, and appreciation of diversity.

6. Learn : Teaching as Apprenticeship Preparation for a teaching career should follow the model of apprenticeships, in which novices learn from experienced masters. Student teachers should spend less time in lecture halls learning educational theory and more time in classrooms, working directly with students and master teachers. Teaching skills should be continually sharpened, with time to take courses, attend conferences, and share lessons and tips with other teachers, online and in person.

Reality Check : Online communities such as Middle Web, the Teacher Leaders Network, and the Teachers Network bring novice and expert educators together in a Web-based professional community. The online mentorship gives novice teachers access to accomplished practitioners eager to strengthen the profession at its roots.

7. Adopt : Technology The intelligent use of technology can transform and improve almost every aspect of school, modernizing the nature of curriculum, student assignments, parental connections, and administration. Online curricula now include lesson plans, simulations, and demonstrations for classroom use and review. With online connections, students can share their work and communicate more productively and creatively. Teachers can maintain records and assessments using software tools and stay in close touch with students and families via email and voicemail. Schools can reduce administrative costs by using technology tools, as other fields have done, and provide more funds for the classroom.

Reality Check : Students in Geoff Ruth's high school chemistry class at Leadership High School, in San Francisco, have abandoned their textbooks. Instead, they plan, research, and implement their experiments using material gathered online from reliable chemistry resources.

8. Reorganize : Resources Resources of time, money, and facilities must be restructured. The school day should allow for more in-depth project work beyond the 45-minute period, including block scheduling of classes two hours or longer. Schools should not close for a three-month summer vacation, but should remain open for student activities, teacher development, and community use. Through the practice of looping, elementary school teachers stay with a class for two or more years, deepening their relationships with students. More money in school districts should be directed to the classroom rather than the bureaucracy.

New school construction and renovation should emphasize school design that supports students and teachers collaborating in teams, with pervasive access to technology. Schools can be redesigned to also serve as community centers that provide health and social services for families, as well as counseling and parenting classes.

Reality Check : The school year at the Alice Carlson Applied Learning Center, in Fort Worth, Texas, consists of four blocks of about nine weeks each. Intersession workshops allow its K-5 students time for hands-on arts, science, and computer projects or sports in addition to language arts and math enrichment.

Communities

9. Involve : Parents When schoolwork involves parents, students learn more. Parents and other caregivers are a child's first teachers and can instill values that encourage school learning. Schools should build strong alliances with parents and welcome their active participation in the classroom. Educators should inform parents of the school's educational goals, the importance of high expectations for each child, and ways of assisting with homework and classroom lessons.

Reality Check : In the Sacramento Unified School District, teachers make home visits to students' families. Teachers gain a better understanding of their students' home environment, and parents see that teachers are committed to forging closer home-school bonds. If English is not spoken in the home, translators accompany the teachers.

10. Include : Community Partners Partnerships with a wide range of community organizations, including business, higher education, museums, and government agencies, provide critically needed materials, technology, and experiences for students and teachers. These groups expose students and teachers to the world of work through school-to-career programs and internships. Schools should enlist professionals to act as instructors and mentors for students.

Reality Check : At the Minnesota Business Academy, in St. Paul, businesses ranging from a newspaper to a stock brokerage to an engineering firm provide internships for three to four hours per day, twice each week. BestPrep, a philanthropic state business group, spearheaded an effort that renovated an old science building for school use.

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Taking best of innovations, lessons of pandemic education.

Task force releases report on how University can create more engaging, equitable learning experiences

Nate Herpich

Harvard Correspondent

Widener Library in Harvard Yard.

Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer

The  Future of Teaching and Learning Task Force convened at the request of President Larry Bacow and Provost Alan M. Garber starting in the spring of 2021, and on Wednesday the group released its report . The initiative brought together faculty and staff from across Harvard’s Schools and units to explore the innovations and lessons that emerged from pandemic-era teaching and imagine how the University might create more engaging and equitable learning opportunities in the future. The Gazette spoke with lead task force members Bharat Anand, vice provost for advances in learning; Bridget Long, dean of the Graduate School of Education; and Mike Smith, the John H. Finley Jr. Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences and a Distinguished Service Professor, to learn more about the task force’s recommendations.

Bharat Anand, Bridget Long, and Mike Smith

GAZETTE:  Can you provide some context for the work of the task force and for what lies ahead in teaching and learning?

BHARAT ANAND:  First and foremost, the last two years were an incredibly difficult period for so many. There has been a great deal of hardship and loss for many members of our community and elsewhere. Yet here at Harvard, we were also reminded of everything special about the campus experience that we missed — and it’s been a joy to return to our classrooms and campus.

Even as we do so now, the question many faculty, staff, and academic leaders asked as early as last year, and in anticipation of our return to in-person teaching, was: What have we learned from our teaching and learning experiences during this period and, indeed, from the last decade of digital investments that might inform how we educate our students going forward? Are there new opportunities to advance learning and new approaches to making it more accessible, rather than relegating the experiences of the last two years entirely to the rearview mirror? Are there new things that we want to embrace without being forced to do so? These were the key questions that the task force tackled.

GAZETTE:  We’ve discussed in this space before just how innovative faculty members, staffers, and students alike were during the pandemic, finding new and creative ways to continue to support Harvard’s commitment to teaching and learning, even when they were unable to do so on campus. With two years now behind us, in what ways did this period impact pedagogy?

BRIDGET LONG:  While the teaching and learning experience was challenging, some pretty remarkable things also happened that otherwise would not have happened so quickly. Faculty were forced to think differently, to rethink certain assumptions about how we teach, and to be deliberate in creating connection with students. Remote teaching provided an opportunity to increase educational access for learners who might otherwise never come to our campus. In so many ways, a great deal of creative energy went into re-envisioning teaching and learning.

GAZETTE:  What are some examples?

ANAND:  We saw new possibilities arise when our classrooms were no longer bound by constraints on time and location. Faculty embraced simple features of digital technology like chat and breakout rooms that enabled simultaneous multiperson conversation and more interactive learning. Guest experts and speakers could join from anywhere. Virtual tours allowed students to visit locations they otherwise could not have. New video and audio asynchronous materials enabled the flipping of classrooms, which allowed for richer and deeper synchronous class discussion. Approaches to assessments were in certain cases productively rethought. Alumni were drawn into some of our classrooms to teach and learn. Programs were restructured to create more time for reflection between classes. And being “one click away” increased educational opportunity for learners around the world, and diversity in our virtual classrooms.

The key question going forward is how to take advantage of some of these beneficial features now that we’ve gone back to classroom teaching — and some of this is already starting to happen. How do we preserve and sustain a culture of innovation in teaching? And how do we also take advantage of the prior decade’s investments in asynchronous digital learning when we had figured out ways to create online experiences that were immersive and relational and more than just a “Zoom university.”

GAZETTE:  Bridget, you led various efforts at the Harvard Graduate School of Education that leaned into some of these opportunities. What were some of the most important lessons from your vantage point?

LONG:  Talent resides everywhere. When the HGSE one-year master’s program was forced to go fully online during the pandemic, we decided to open a new round of admissions, and the response was incredible. Within five weeks we received 1.5 times the applications we would in a typical year — drawing a more diverse set of learners into our classrooms who might otherwise have never come to Harvard. We increased access for them, and they enriched our classroom conversations with new perspectives and experiences grounded in communities around the world.

GAZETTE:  Tell us about the major recommendations emerging from the work of the task force.

MIKE SMITH:  The task force was charged with taking some of these learnings from the pandemic, along with perspectives that were already in place during the pre-COVID era, to think about a couple of main ideas. One, how can Harvard enrich and enhance the in-person learning experiences for those who reside on our physical campus, and two, how can we enrich and expand the online experiences for learners who are located in different parts of the world and are unable or unlikely to physically come to the Harvard campus?

A range of opportunities present themselves, some of which involve deepening and amplifying existing practices, processes, and programs.

In the report, the task force also proposes three new strategic directions for Harvard’s Schools and for the University more broadly: reimagining student learning through blended experiences that combine the best of in-person with the best of digital; creating a new, coherent Harvard strategy for short-form digital content and learning experiences; and — this is more exploratory — building out a new virtual Harvard campus that reflects in its own unique way the richness of the Cambridge/Boston-based campus experience.

GAZETTE:  Bridget, you led the working group of the task force that focused on blended experiences. What can you tell us about the takeaways from this group?

LONG:  We have seen how digital technologies can enhance what we do in our classrooms and how they can expand opportunities for students everywhere. We encourage, and foresee, a shift in mindset beyond the current alternatives of entirely in-person or entirely online offerings to incorporate a range of experiences across all of Harvard’s offerings, including degree and non-degree programs.

Learning does not have to be confined in a traditional residential classroom. We’ve seen the value of community and meaningful connections. We witnessed the power of giving students multiple ways to connect with their instructors and peers and to contribute their ideas — whether that be verbally or in written form, synchronous and asynchronous, and in a large group or smaller breakouts made possible with the touch of a keyboard. Interventions typically used for accessibility accommodations, like the use of captions and classroom recording transcripts, supported the advancement of all students’ learning. Overall, we saw a heightened commitment to meeting students where they are and incorporating technologies that make learning more flexible.

GAZETTE:  Bharat, you led the working group that identified opportunities around short-form digital learning experiences. What were some of the specifics to come out of this group?

ANAND:  Historically, the unit of analysis for almost every Harvard program or offering, whether a residential degree program or online certificate offering, has been a roughly 12-week-long “course.” But that’s just an artifact of the semester structure. When we consider opportunities in digital learning, we can think more flexibly about the length of a learning experience and not just limit ourselves to the residential format of a course. So much of what we might call “short-form content” is regularly created at Harvard, and it represents an exciting opportunity to build out a repertoire of flexible learning experiences. They will be a complement to our traditional courses and expand the scope and impact of the learning Harvard enables for individuals everywhere.

But more than that, shorter-form digital learning experiences can also meaningfully enhance residential learning. Forced by the pandemic, many of our faculty created mini-lecture recordings, short lessons with digital content, podcasts, and other learning formats for students, which, in turn, opened up time in live sessions for more substantive discussion. Putting this together, we foresee the need — and a big opportunity — for a technology and support infrastructure that allows faculty to more easily create such impactful, short-form learning experiences that can complement residential learning and expand digital learning, as and when they choose.

GAZETTE:  And Mike, you led the working group on creating impactful experiences for students from around the globe in a way that’s quite different from the efforts that Harvard and other universities have been engaged in for the last decade, some of which you participated in and led.

SMITH:  That’s right. For much of the past decade, since Harvard and other universities got into the online learning space, we primarily focused on the content of online courses. Which courses did we want to create? How could we bring the diverse subject matter taught by our experts to the world?

But one of the most powerful lessons of the pandemic was the importance of community and the relationships that bind us together. It is community that enriches our courses and ultimately makes memorable our content. This led the task force to imagine what might be possible if we could use technology to create a virtual Harvard campus experience. What would attract people to this virtual space? What elements of our Cambridge/Boston-based campus experience would we want replicated in this new virtual space, and what new experiences could we build virtually that we cannot easily do with our physical campus? This represents a fundamental shift in emphasis from content, courses, and catalogs alone, to include connections, community, and relationships that enhance these experiences.

GAZETTE:  Could you explain more about how these three strategic directions are meant to work, in concert?

ANAND: Indeed, they are closely intertwined in many ways. Content, classrooms, and campus all reinforce each other for impact — for example, blended experiences can be created by leveraging short-form digital content, which in turn can also anchor a virtual campus. A common priority across all our working group discussions was how to continue to meaningfully expand diversity and access. And beyond specific examples of new opportunities in each category, we also considered common design principles that we should aspire to follow, regardless of the particular strategic recommendation. These principles are informed both by Harvard’s centuries-long experience in residential teaching and by the experience of remote teaching and learning in the last decade.

GAZETTE:  What are some of the design principles?

SMITH:  To begin with, Harvard will continue to seek to offer teaching and learning experiences that are “uniquely Harvard.” There is real history here with regard to the quality of the education we provide, and we of course don’t want to forget that. We should also aim to creatively incorporate technology into our teaching and learning activities when it helps us to meet students where they are — whether in Cambridge, Boston, or elsewhere.

LONG:  Diversity, equity, and inclusion must also be our guiding tenets in the work we do. Although our various learner experiences won’t be identical, we should always seek to deliver excellent outcomes. What we have seen the past two years is that we have many more tools to accomplish this goal than ever before. And we must recognize that innovations will need to occur at multiple levels: by individual faculty and through support at the program, School, and University levels — through leveraging shared insights, dedicating resources, and making investments across Harvard. These are just a few of the principles.

GAZETTE:  The work to implement the task force’s recommendations is already in motion. Can you tell us about some of the initiatives that are already taking place?

LONG:  Many deans, including myself, are examining how to lean into the teaching and learning innovations that were especially beneficial the last two years, and we are giving serious thought to how to increase opportunity and access. We are taking the lessons learned to digitally transform our Schools and expand our aspirations.

ANAND: We’re currently exploring an initiative that would expand the work of the Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, thanks to a generous gift from Rita Hauser in honor of her late husband, Gus. This initiative would support pedagogical innovations by faculty for in-person, blended, and online experiences on a University-wide level. In addition, there is also exploratory work underway on an exciting new learning experience platform for the University that VPAL, Harvard Business School, Harvard University Information Technology, and other partners are collaborating on.

GAZETTE:  What other considerations were discussed by the task force?

LONG:  Although we learned to manage the external factors caused by COVID-19 and even as innovations across the University were happening, the inequities in access to education for our students also quickly became apparent. While some issues were resolved as students returned to campus, now is the time for us to consider how students everywhere access our educational resources and infrastructure. We have an opportunity to double down on being intentional in our thinking about the ways in which we level the playing field to ensure equitable access for all students.

SMITH:  And access isn’t only restricted to financial or technological access. It includes support, participation, and inclusive relationships, as we outline in the report.

GAZETTE:  What are some next steps we can take as soon as today versus others that may require additional resources?

SMITH:  The recommendations section of the report touches on immediate, one- to three-year, and longer-term next steps for the University. Some innovations can be more seamlessly incorporated or transferred and others require some rethinking in terms of physical infrastructure.

Tomorrow, an instructor could decide to prioritize an activity that allowed students to experience a meaningful interaction — with them or their peers. But upgrading technology in residential classrooms requires more time and investment, not to mention collaborative work across Schools, departments, and relevant units.

GAZETTE:  Anything else you’d like to add?

ANAND:  One of the things that we repeatedly came back to in the task force discussions is what makes Harvard special — what is it about the “Harvard experience” that we ought to aspire to preserve in any educational experience, whether this involves 30 learners engaged in in-person classroom discussions, 3,000 learners in an online course, or 30 million learners in a virtual campus community.

Harvard has, historically and for generations, signified inspiring ideas, personal transformation, a network of relationships, and a commitment to the truth. These attributes, and the principles that Bridget and Mike delineated, ought to continue to anchor any Harvard offering going forward, whether residential or virtual, whether long-form or short-form.

LONG:  I’m excited about the opportunities in front of us to expand upon what it means to be a part of such an experience. The task force discussions have shown that there is a strong desire within all of Harvard’s Schools to build upon our already meaningful and impactful educational experience for our students, and to improve the core residential educational experience itself in lasting ways.

SMITH:  We owe it to our learners everywhere to do whatever we can to deliver an experience they will value and appreciate. After all, this is why we do what we do.

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20 Innovative Teaching Methods With Examples: How to Implement in Education Process

Picture yourself enduring a tedious class, the drone of teachers' voices echoing in your ears, struggling to keep your eyelids from drooping as you attempt to focus on the lesson. Not an ideal classroom scenario, right? Discover the 20 most effective innovative teaching methods!

Anastasiia Dyshkant

Content Marketing Manager

In essence, these are diverse teaching approaches! In the present day, numerous educators are actively steering their classes away from such scenarios, aiming to engage students more deeply in the learning process by exploring modern teaching methods.

The educational landscape is evolving rapidly, demanding that you stay abreast of and adapt to more contemporary strategies. Failing to do so might make it challenging for you to integrate seamlessly into the evolving educational landscape.

What are Innovative Teaching Methods?

Innovative teaching methods extend beyond the mere incorporation of cutting-edge teaching methods or a constant pursuit of the latest educational trends—they embody distinctive approaches to the teaching and learning process.

These modern methods of teaching prioritize students, emphasizing classroom engagement and interaction. Innovative strategies encourage proactive participation and collaboration among students and the teacher. While this demands increased effort from students, the approach is tailored to better meet their individual needs, fostering accelerated growth.

In contrast to conventional teaching practices, which primarily measures student success by the amount of knowledge transferred to students, innovative teaching methods delve into the nuanced understanding and retention of the material. It's not just about what is taught but how effectively students internalize and apply the knowledge imparted during lectures.

Why Innovative Teaching Matters

The educational landscape has undergone a transformation, transitioning from traditional classrooms to virtual and hybrid learning environments. However, the prevalence of staring at laptop screens introduces the risk of students becoming easily distracted or disengaged, perhaps even succumbing to the allure of sweet dreams in the comfort of their beds, all while feigning concentration.

It's unfair to solely attribute this challenge to students' lack of diligence; teachers share the responsibility of avoiding tedious and monotonous lessons that can lead to student disinterest.

Amid this new normal, many educational institutions, educators, and trainers are exploring innovative teaching strategies to enhance student interest and involvement. Leveraging digital programs has proven instrumental in captivating students' attention, providing them with improved access to classes and expanding the avenues through which their minds can be reached.

Key Characteristics of Innovative Teaching Strategies

Student-Centric Focus

Innovative teaching strategies prioritize the needs and engagement of students, fostering active participation in the learning process.

Active Learning

Encourages hands-on and participatory activities, moving away from passive learning to promote deeper understanding and retention.

Flexibility and Adaptability

Adapts to the diverse learning styles and needs of students, offering flexibility in content delivery and new teaching methods.

Technology Integration

Utilizes technology creatively to enhance effective learning experiences, incorporating digital tools and resources for effective and interactive instruction.

Collaborative Learning

Emphasizes group work, collaboration, and peer learning to enhance social and communication skills among students.

Problem-Solving Emphasis

Focuses on developing critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills, challenging students to apply knowledge in real-world scenarios.

Continuous Assessment

Moves beyond traditional exams and grades by implementing continuous assessment methods, providing ongoing feedback for improvement.

Creativity Encouragement

Cultivates a learning environment that stimulates creativity and innovation, allowing students to express themselves and explore new ideas.

Individualized Learning Paths

Recognizes and accommodates the diverse learning preferences and paces of individual students, promoting personalized learning experiences.

Real-World Relevance

Connects classroom concepts to real-world applications, demonstrating the practical relevance of what students are learning.

Feedback-Oriented Approach

Prioritizes constructive feedback to guide students' progress, facilitating a continuous cycle of improvement and reflection.

Cultivation of Soft Skills

Integrates the development of soft skills, such as communication, collaboration, and time management, essential for success in various contexts.

Benefits of Innovative Teaching Methods

Explore the positive benefits for teachers of these seven innovations on students and why they merit consideration.

Encourage Research:

Innovative approaches to education motivate students to delve into new things, utilizing various tools to broaden their horizons and foster a spirit of exploration.

Enhance Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking:

Creative and effective teaching methods empower students to learn at their own pace, challenging them to brainstorm novel solutions rather than relying on pre-existing answers in textbooks.

Facilitate Incremental Learning:

New teaching approaches involve breaking down information into smaller, more digestible parts, making it easier for students to grasp fundamentals while avoiding overwhelming them with a deluge of knowledge.

Cultivate Soft Skills:

Integrating complex tools into classwork enables students to acquire advanced skills. Engaging in individual or group projects teaches time management, task prioritization, effective communication, collaboration, and other vital soft skills.

Assess Understanding Beyond Grades:

Innovation method of teaching enables educators to monitor classes actively, gaining deeper insights into students' challenges and learning capacities beyond what traditional grades and exams may reveal.

Promote Self-Evaluation:

Innovation teaching methods provided by teachers empower student learning to assess their own learning. Understanding what they have mastered and identifying areas for improvement enhances their motivation to learn specific topics.

Create Vibrant Classrooms:

Innovation of teaching methods in education inject excitement into classrooms, preventing monotony. This dynamic approach encourages students to actively participate, speak up, and foster increased interaction.

20 Innovative Teaching Strategies for Better Student Engagement

1. Interactive Lessons

Interactive lessons involve innovation methods in teaching that actively engage students in the learning process. Instead of passively receiving information, students participate in activities, discussions, and exercises that require their input and involvement. This approach aims to foster a more dynamic and engaging classroom environment. Interactive lessons can take various forms, including group discussions, hands-on activities, simulations, case studies, and collaborative projects. Teachers may use technology tools, interactive whiteboards, or other resources to facilitate participation and feedback, encouraging students to take an active role in their own learning.

Example of Interactive Lesson

Imagine a biology lesson where students use a virtual dissecting table. Through a touch-sensitive screen, students can virtually dissect a frog. They can drag and drop tools, zoom in for a closer look, and receive real-time feedback on their technique. This interactive approach engages students actively in the learning process, making it more memorable and enjoyable.

2. Using Virtual Reality Technology

Virtual Reality (VR) technology creates a simulated environment that users can interact with, providing a unique and immersive learning experience. In education, VR can be used to transport students to virtual worlds that simulate historical events, scientific phenomena, or complex concepts. For example, students studying history might virtually explore ancient civilizations, while science students could conduct virtual experiments in an engaging learning environment. This technology enhances experiential learning, allowing students to visualize abstract concepts and engage with subject matter in a new way of teaching. It can be particularly beneficial in fields where hands-on experience is challenging to provide in a traditional classroom setting.

Example of Teaching with VR Technology

In a history class, students can put on VR headsets and be transported to historical events. For instance, they could experience the signing of the Declaration of Independence or walk through ancient civilizations. This immersive experience allows students to better understand historical contexts, fostering a deeper connection to the subject matter.

3. Using AI in Education

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education involves the integration of AI technologies to enhance the learning experience for students and support educators. AI can be applied in various ways, such as:

Personalized learning

Automated assessment

Adaptive learning platforms

Virtual assistants

Data analysis

Integrating AI into education aims to make learning more efficient, personalized, and adaptive to the needs of each student, ultimately enhancing the overall educational experience.

Example of Using AI in Education

An AI-powered adaptive learning platform can be employed in mathematics. The system assesses each student's strengths and weaknesses, tailoring lessons to their individual needs. If a student struggles with a specific concept, the AI provides additional exercises and resources to reinforce understanding. Conversely, if a student excels, the AI advances them to more challenging material, ensuring personalized and efficient learning experiences.

4. Blended Learning

Blended learning is an educational approach that combines traditional face-to-face instruction with online learning components. It seeks to leverage the strengths of both in-person and digital learning to create more flexible and personalized learning strategies and  experience. An example of blended learning might involve students attending in-person classes for lectures and discussions while also completing online modules, interactive simulations, or collaborative projects outside of the classroom. This approach allows for a mix of teacher-led instruction, self-paced online learning, and interactive activities, catering to different learning styles and promoting student engagement.

Example of Blended Learning

In a blended learning scenario, a history class might have students attend traditional lectures and participate in classroom discussions. Additionally, the teacher could integrate online modules featuring interactive timelines, virtual tours of historical sites, and collaborative research projects. Students might use online discussion forums to share their insights and engage with peers beyond the physical classroom. The blend of in-person and online activities aims to enhance the overall learning experience and provide students with more flexibility in how they access and interact with course content.

5. 3D Printing

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, involves creating physical objects layer by layer based on a digital model. In education, 3D printing is utilized to bring concepts to life in a tangible and visual way. Teachers and students can design and print three-dimensional models that represent scientific structures, historical artifacts, mathematical concepts, or prototypes. This hands-on approach enhances understanding by allowing students to interact with physical representations of abstract ideas.

Example of 3D Printing

In a science class studying the solar system, students could use 3D printing to create accurate models of planets, moons, and other celestial bodies. By designing and printing these objects, students not only gain a deeper understanding of the spatial relationships within the solar system but also develop skills in design and technology. The tactile experience of holding and examining 3D-printed models can significantly enhance the learning process and make complex topics more accessible.

6. Use the Design-thinking Process

The design-thinking process is a problem-solving approach that emphasizes empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing. It encourages a creative and collaborative mindset to address complex challenges. In education, the design-thinking process can be applied to foster critical thinking, innovation, and real-world problem-solving skills among students.

Example of Design-thinking Process

Let's consider a design-thinking project in a high school setting. Students might be tasked with addressing a local environmental issue, such as waste reduction. The process would start with empathizing, where students research and understand the perspectives of different stakeholders affected by the problem. Next, they would ideate, generating creative solutions to address the issue. In the prototyping phase, students might create physical or digital prototypes of their proposed solutions. Finally, they would test and refine their prototypes based on feedback and real-world observations. This design-thinking approach integrates various skills, including research, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving, providing students with a holistic learning experience.

7. Project-based Learning (PBL)

Project-Based Learning is an instructional methodology that centers around students completing projects that require them to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world challenges. PBL emphasizes hands-on, collaborative learning, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Example of Project-based Learning

In a biology class, students could engage in a PBL project focused on environmental conservation. The project might involve researching local ecosystems, identifying environmental issues, proposing solutions, and implementing a community awareness campaign. Throughout the project, students would not only deepen their understanding of biology but also develop research, communication, and teamwork skills as they work towards a tangible goal.

8. Inquiry-based Learning

Inquiry-Based Learning is an approach where students actively explore and investigate topics, posing questions and conducting research to construct their understanding. This method encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and a deeper engagement with the subject matter.

Example of Inquiry-based Learning

In a physics class, students could engage in an inquiry-based project to explore the principles of motion. They might formulate questions about the factors affecting the speed of an object and design experiments to test their hypotheses. Through hands-on exploration and data analysis, students would develop a conceptual understanding of physics principles while honing their research and analytical skills.

The Jigsaw technique is a cooperative learning strategy where students work collaboratively to become experts on specific topics and then share their knowledge with their peers. This promotes teamwork, communication, and a sense of shared responsibility for active learning method.

Example of Jigsaw

In a history class studying a particular time period, each student could be assigned to become an "expert" on a different aspect, such as political, economic, social, or cultural elements of that era. After researching and becoming knowledgeable in their area, students would then form new groups with members who have expertise in different aspects. In these new groups, students share their knowledge, creating a comprehensive understanding of the historical period through collaborative learning.

10. Cloud Computing Teaching

Cloud computing teaching involves leveraging cloud-based technologies to enhance the learning experience. This includes storing and accessing data, collaborating on projects, and utilizing online tools and resources for teaching and learning.

Example of Cloud Computing

In an IT class, students might use cloud computing platforms to collaborate on coding projects. They could use cloud-based development environments to write and test code, store project files on cloud storage, and collaborate in real-time using cloud-based collaboration tools. This approach allows for seamless collaboration, easy access to resources, and the flexibility to work on projects from different locations, promoting a more modern and connected learning experience.

11. Flipped Classroom

The flipped classroom model reverses the traditional teaching approach by delivering instructional content, such as lectures, through digital media outside of the classroom. Class time is then used for interactive activities, discussions, and application of knowledge.

Example of Flipped Classroom

In a math class, instead of the teacher delivering a lecture on a new concept during class time, students might watch a pre-recorded video lecture at home. Class time would then be dedicated to working on math problems, engaging in group discussions, and receiving personalized assistance from the teacher. This allows students to learn at their own pace, receive more individualized support, and actively apply what they've learned in a collaborative setting.

12. Peer Teaching

Peer teaching involves students taking on the role of the teacher to explain concepts or assist their classmates in understanding specific topics. This approach reinforces understanding through teaching and encourages collaboration.

Example of Peer Teaching

In a language class, students could pair up to practice conversational skills. Each pair is responsible for teaching and correcting each other's pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary usage. This not only provides additional practice for the students but also promotes a supportive learning community where students take an active role in each other's learning.

13. Peer Feedback

Peer feedback involves students providing constructive feedback to their peers on their work, presentations, or projects. This encourages a culture of collaboration, communication, and continuous improvement.

Example of Peer Feedback

In a writing class, students could exchange drafts of their essays with a peer. The peers would then provide feedback on the structure, clarity, and overall effectiveness of the writing. This process not only helps students improve their writing skills but also enhances their ability to critically evaluate and provide constructive feedback.

14. Crossover Teaching

Crossover teaching involves educators from different subjects collaborating to integrate content from multiple disciplines. This interdisciplinary approach aims to show the interconnectedness of different subjects and enhance the relevance of learning.

Example of Crossover Teaching

In a high school setting, a history teacher and a literature teacher might collaborate on a unit exploring a specific historical period. Students could read literature from that era, analyze historical documents, and discuss the cultural and social context. This crossover teaching approach helps students see how knowledge from different subjects can complement and enrich their understanding of a particular topic.

15. Personalized Learning

Personalized learning tailors the educational experience to the individual needs, preferences, and pace of each student. This can involve adapting content, pacing, and innovative methods of teaching to align with the unique learning styles and strengths of each learner.

Example of Personalized Learning

In a science class, students might engage in personalized learning through adaptive online platforms. The educator support platform assesses each student's strengths and weaknesses and provides customized learning paths, offering additional resources or challenges based on individual progress. This approach allows students to move at their own pace, reinforcing concepts they find challenging and advancing more quickly through material they grasp easily.

16. Active Learning

Active learning involves strategies that engage students in the learning process through activities, discussions, and participation, rather than passive listening. It encourages students to think critically and apply their knowledge actively.

Example of Active Learning

In a biology class, instead of a traditional lecture format, students might participate in a hands-on lab where they conduct experiments to understand cellular processes. The teacher facilitates discussions, and students actively work together to analyze results and draw conclusions. This hands-on approach not only reinforces theoretical knowledge but also enhances critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

17. Gamification

Gamification integrates game elements into non-game contexts, such as education, to enhance engagement and motivation. Points, levels, challenges, and rewards are used to make learning more enjoyable.

Example of Gamification

In a language learning app, students earn points for completing lessons, quizzes, and interactive exercises. As they accumulate points, they unlock new levels and earn virtual rewards. This gamified learning approach incentivizes consistent learning, provides a sense of achievement, and makes the language learning process more enjoyable and interactive.

18. Problem-Based Learning

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional method where students learn through solving real-world problems. It promotes critical thinking, collaboration, and the application of knowledge to practical situations.

Example of Problem-Based Learning

In a physics class, students might be presented with a real-world problem, such as designing a sustainable energy solution for a community. Working in groups, students would need to research, analyze, and propose a solution that considers the principles of physics, environmental impact, and cost-effectiveness. This approach not only deepens their understanding of physics but also develops problem-solving skills in a practical context.

19. Mistake-Led Teaching

Mistake-led teaching emphasizes the value of mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth. Instead of penalizing mistakes, this approach encourages reflection, analysis, and understanding through the process of making and correcting errors.

Example of Mistake-Led Teaching

In a mathematics class, when students make mistakes in problem-solving, the teacher could use those mistakes as teaching moments. Instead of providing the correct answer immediately, the teacher facilitates a discussion where students analyze the errors, identify misconceptions, and collectively work towards the correct solution. This fosters a positive learning environment where mistakes are viewed as a natural part of the learning process.

20. Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning involves students working together in groups to achieve shared learning goals. It promotes communication, teamwork, and the exchange of innovative ideas in education.

Example of Collaborative Learning

In a history class, students could be assigned a research project on a specific historical event. Each group member is responsible for investigating different aspects of the event, such as political, social, and economic impacts. The group collaborates to synthesize information and create a comprehensive presentation. This collaborative approach not only deepens individual understanding but also enhances teamwork and communication skills.

Tips for Implementing Innovative Teaching Strategies

Implementing innovative teaching strategies can be a transformative experience for both educators and students. Here are some tips to help facilitate the successful integration of innovating teaching strategies in the classroom:

• Start with Clear Learning Objectives:

Clearly define the learning objectives and goals you want to achieve with the innovation teaching strategy. Ensure that the chosen strategy aligns with the curriculum and educational outcomes.

• Understand Your Students:

Consider the needs, learning styles, and interests of your students. Tailor the innovative strategy in teaching to match the characteristics of your classroom, fostering a more personalized and engaging learning experience.

• Create a Supportive Environment:

Foster a positive and supportive classroom culture that encourages experimentation, creativity, and risk-taking. Establish an atmosphere where students feel comfortable exploring new concepts and expressing their ideas.

• Provide Adequate Resources:

Ensure that teachers and students have access to the necessary resources, including technology, materials, and training materials. Adequate resources facilitate a smooth implementation of innovating teaching strategies.

• Encourage Collaboration:

Promote collaboration among educators by creating opportunities for sharing insights, experiences, and best practices. Collaborative environments foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

• Seek Student Feedback:

Regularly gather feedback from students to understand their experiences with the innovative teaching strategies. This input helps educators make necessary adjustments and tailor the strategies to better suit student needs.

• Celebrate Successes:

Acknowledge and celebrate the successes achieved through the implementation of innovative teaching strategies. Recognizing achievements reinforces the value of experimentation and encourages a positive attitude towards innovation.

• Stay Informed and Updated:

Stay informed about emerging education trends, technologies, and pedagogical approaches. Continuous learning and staying updated ensure that educators remain at the forefront of innovative teaching practices.

• Flexibility and Adaptability:

Be flexible and willing to adapt. Different strategies may work for different students or in varying contexts. Flexibility allows for adjustments based on ongoing assessments and feedback.

• Encourage Continuous Professional Development:

Support ongoing professional development for teachers, including attending workshops, conferences, and participating in online communities. Continuous learning ensures that teachers stay inspired and well-equipped to implement innovative strategy in teaching effectively.

Remember that the successful implementation of innovative teaching strategies requires a combination of planning, collaboration, and a commitment to ongoing improvement. By creating a supportive and dynamic learning environment, educators can enhance student engagement and foster a love for learning.

What Teaching Strategies Should One Avoid?

Over Reliance on Lectures:Long lectures without interaction can lead to disinterest. Include discussions and activities for engagement.

Ignoring Student Diversity:Adapt teaching to diverse needs, learning styles, and backgrounds for an inclusive environment.

Excessive Use of Worksheets:Balance worksheets with hands-on activities and real-world applications to avoid passive learning.

Excessive Testing:Balance standardized testing with other assessments like projects and presentations.

Ignoring Technology Integration:Thoughtfully integrate technology to prepare students for the digital age.

Lack of Clear Learning Objectives:Clearly state learning outcomes to provide direction and purpose for lessons.

Ignoring Student Voice:Involve students in decision-making processes and incorporate their interests.

Sole Reliance on Textbooks:Supplement textbooks with real-world examples, multimedia, and interactive activities. 

Neglecting Social and Emotional Learning (SEL):Incorporate SEL activities for a positive and supportive learning environment.

Isolationist Teaching:Collaborate with colleagues and involve students in collaborative learning experiences.

Fear of Mistakes:Embrace mistakes as learning opportunities and encourage a growth mindset.

Lack of Variety in Assessment:Use a variety of assessments to capture a comprehensive view of student understanding.

The Future of Innovative Teaching

Over the past few years, the transition from traditional brick-and-mortar learning to digital education has accelerated a pre-existing trend. Virtual academy enrollments had been steadily increasing well before the pandemic, catering to hundreds of thousands of students annually in the US. The provision of digital programs offers students enhanced flexibility, granting them greater access to teachers and classes while empowering them to take more control over their learning experiences.

Quoting Plato's timeless wisdom, "our need will be the real creator," or in modern terms, "necessity is the mother of invention." While innovative teaching strategies were once considered a niche practice by a select few educators, they are now becoming commonplace as schools seek to address learning gaps and adapt to our evolving reality.

Anticipate witnessing a surge in blended learning, hybrid learning, and ambitious initiatives aimed at tackling the challenges confronting schools and students today. This trend extends beyond the classroom, impacting the workplace as well, as organizations grapple with how to navigate their own hybrid learning landscapes.

Crucial for fostering a dynamic and successful learning atmosphere, inventive teaching techniques play a pivotal role in empowering both educators and students. They enable teachers to cultivate imaginative approaches to instruction while fostering the development of independent learning skills among students.

Through the provision of diverse instructional strategies and materials, educators can elevate both student engagement and achievement within the classroom setting.

At PioGroup, we firmly believe in the transformative impact of innovative teaching strategies on learning outcomes. Our extensive array of resources is tailored to assist teachers in seamlessly integrating innovative techniques into their classrooms.

Feel free to reach out today to discover more about how you can unlock the advantages of incorporating innovative teaching strategies into your educational environment!

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The 14 most innovative schools in the world

Innovation in education can take lots of forms, like incorporating new technology or teaching methods, going on field trips, rejecting social norms, or partnering with the local community.

An innovative school could be modeled after a legendary CEO, like the Steve Jobs School in Amsterdam. Or it can be an institution that's blind to gender, like Egalia, in Stockholm, Sweden.

Keep scrolling to see what the future of education can, and probably should, look like.

Summit Sierra in Seattle, Washington: The school that gets personal.

Bill Gates says Summit Sierra's approach to personalized learning — a form of education that uses technology to empower students to guide their own instruction — is one of the most effective ways to teach kids.

Opened in 2015, Summit Sierra is a charter school within the Summit Public Schools Network. The school caps enrollment at 200. Each day, kids read for 30 minutes, solve math problems for 30 minutes, take online courses, talk with mentors about their career and life goals, and meet with other students to talk and share their feelings during Community Time.

Even though kids guide their own learning, teachers still play a vital role. Summit teachers ge t matched with students who they mentor for all four years. Instructors can use in-house software to see which of their dozen or so students has completed certain assignments and exams.

By taking an active role in their education, Gates says, kids learn responsibility and self-reliance.

Ørestad Gymnasium in Copenhagen, Denmark: The school in a cube.

Ørestad Gymnasium  is one giant classroom, where 358 high school students learn in an expansive glass cube — a "gymnasium," as parts of Europe still call secondary schools. 

By encouraging students to collaborate in wide-open settings, the school hopes kids will be equipped to think flexibly on diverse topics later in life.

"We want to have teaching where the students make research and work together in solving real problems," headmaster Allan Kjær Andersen tells Business Insider. "So we want to be an open school that is in connection with the outside world."

The open spaces, which are adorned with spacious "drums" for a more relaxed learning environment, encourage students to assume an active role in their own education. Kids break off into groups and form makeshift classrooms, sometimes with teachers to guide them.

"It's not enough to give them knowledge, you also have to give them a way of transforming knowledge into action," Andersen says. "And that's very important for us, and I think it is important for modern schools."

Big Picture Learning in Providence, Rhode Island: The school in the real world.

The Big Picture Learning model breaks down the walls between education and the working world.

From the beginning, k-12 students learn that their creative passions will come first. To help stoke those passions, students are paired with mentors who work in the fields the students want to someday enter.

"The most important element of the education at a Big Picture Learning school is that students learn in the real world," says Rodney Davis, communications director at Big Picture. The system is currently in place at 55 schools nationwide.

To that end, each student completes an LTI, or Learning Through Internship.  "The projects are connected to the student's interests and meet the needs of the mentors," Davis says, whether that involves starting a business, fixing up cars, or learning the letter of the law.   

Egalia Pre-school in Stockholm, Sweden: The school without gender.

The Egalia school system is founded on total equality between students. The system is made up of two schools,  Egalia  and Nicolaigården, which both reject gender-based pronouns in the hopes of grooming kids to think of one another on equal terms.

Instead of "he" and "she," kids are either called by their first names or referred to as "they." It's part of a mission to avoid discrimination of all kinds.

"That [includes] gender, religion, age, class, sexual orientation, gender expression, disability," H eadmaster Lotta Rajalin  tells Business Insider. "This approach is imbued in every aspect of our day to day work with the children as well as in how we interact with the parents and each other."

Kids learn to judge each other on their actions, not stereotypes.

"It is important that the children learn the basis of democracy both in practice and theory in order to be good world citizens who do not discriminate," Rajalin says. "A good self-belief is the basis for learning and development."  

AltSchool in San Francisco, California: The school of Silicon Valley.

AltSchool is a complete departure from traditional education, shirking the standard testing model for a curriculum that improves technology skills and gets kids thinking flexibly so they can adapt as the world changes.

Kids turn everyday objects into circuit boards  and learn 3D modeling to build playhouses, all in the pursuit of becoming comfortable with the future that awaits them. 

"The school experience can be so much more than consumption of facts  and figures," CEO Max Ventilla tells Business Insider. "We should be educating children from a whole-child lens  where they learn to problem solve, social-emotional learning is  prioritized, students should be part of the goal-setting process, and  so on."

AltSchool is quickly growing. The school, which educates kids from ages 4 to 14, began in San Francisco in 2013 and is now expanding to Brooklyn, New York, and Palo Alto, California. In the future, AltSchool plans to go nationwide.

Sra Pou Vocational School in Sra Pou village, Cambodia: The school for building community.

Designed by Finnish architecture firm Rudanko + Kankkunen , the all-ages Cambodian school was built by community members, for community members, to learn how to turn their passions into full-fledged businesses. A local NGO provides teachers that guide students on that path.

Building the school was a lesson in itself, as architects created the structure side by side with local residents, giving them pointers on how to construct similarly styled buildings on their own. 

The school allows families to gain independence, Rudanko + Kankkunen explain. Rather than toil away in low-paying jobs, men, women, and children can learn the ins and outs of pricing their homemade goods and selling them to people in their area.

When it's not in use as a school, the building also serves as a town hall for democratic decision making and community meetings. 

P-TECH High School in Brooklyn, New York: The school that bridges high school and college.

P-TECH was launched in 2011 by IBM to give teens in New York a way into college that avoids the usual four-year high-school track.

Instead, P-TECH students complete a six-year degree. Boosted by mentorship and internships in STEM fields, students spend the fifth and sixth years earning an associate's degree from the nearby New York City College of Technology. Many go on to pursue a bachelor's degree afterward.

"P - TECH is transforming high school,"  IBM's Stanley Litow, key architect of the P - TECH model, tells Business Insider. This offers students " a clear pathway from school to career, giving young people options that they could not imagine, and directly advancing the nation's economy."

The first graduating class left P-TECH this year, two years ahead of schedule, with both degrees under their belt.

Steve Jobs School in Amsterdam, Netherlands: The school that thinks differently.

Like its namesake suggests, the Steve Jobs school  rejects the conventional wisdom in full: Instead of corralling kids through the same educational system, they go at their own pace.

Maurice de Hond, the school's founder, tells Business Insider that each student begins with an Individual Development Plan (IDP), which is evaluated and readjusted every six weeks by the child, his or her parents, and the coach. (The school doesn't call them "teachers.")

"Based on the outcome of the IDP," de Hond says, "the child is offered new personal learning challenges and instruction moments to choose from."

All students in the 4th to 12th grade school receive iPads fully loaded with apps to guide individualized learning.  The goal is to get kids designing their own education.

"In a Steve Jobs School," de Hond says, "no child is an exception as every child works at its own pace."

Brightworks School in San Francisco, California: The school that teaches dangerously.

Launched by visionary Gever Tulley in 2011, Brightworks takes some of the most dangerous things parents tell their kids not to do and makes an entire curriculum out of them. 

Kids in grades K through 12 get dirty, play with fire, take apart home appliances, and complete art projects all in the same day.

"We invite students to be co-authors of their education, embracing and supporting the individual and the unique set of skills and interests that motivate them," Tulley and Justine Macauley, Brightworks' program coordinator, tell Business Insider in an email. 

The school is housed in an expansive warehouse filled with art, forts and makeshift theaters — items all meant to tap into kids' creative side.

"The world needs more people who see the hardest challenges as interesting puzzles and have the creative capacity, skills, and tenacity to make change happen," Tulley and Macauley say. They are people "who take joy in contributing instead of consuming, participating actively in the world, and who empathize across social and economic boundaries."

Carpe Diem Schools in Aiken, Ohio: The schools built like offices.

The Carpe Diem school looks more like an office building than a classroom.

Inside the main room, known as The Learning Center, there are 300 cubicles (one for each student). These cubes house a computer that guides the student through his or her education.

It's a model that has paid off big time in the handful of Carpe Diem schools, which go from grades 3 to 12, across the US. 

Carpe Diem-Yuma, in Arizona, outperformed every public school in the county on the  Arizona Instrument for Measuring Standards (AIMS) test four years in a row. Carpe Diem's proficiency was 92%, whereas the average was 65%. 

In Indianapolis, kids are increasing their reading levels by the equivalent of three years in just one year's time.

"Every student is different,"  Carpe Diem CEO Dr. Robert Sommers tells Business Insider . "Yet we need to get them all prepared for life after school. Adjusting to their needs allows students to be more successful. We judge our success on our students success."

Innova Schools in Peru: The schools built by world-class designers.

Innova is Peru's response to failures in standardized education in the country. The school combines several different forms of instruction — tech-heavy online learning, guided lessons, group work — in a setting that was designed to be modular and adaptable to the location.

Billionaire businessman Carlos Rodriguez-Pastor launched the line of schools in 2011 with the help of global design firm IDEO. Today, there are 29 schools across the country.

Students spend half their day deeply immersed in guided online education and the other half receiving more traditional instruction.

The tech-heavy school, which  is open to kids in Kindergarten through 11th grade,  only costs parents roughly $130 a month. So far, it's been wildly successful. In 2013, 61% percent of Innova second-graders reached proficiency in federal math exams. The national average was just 17%.

Blue School in New York, New York: The school fusing compassion and creativity.

Creativity is king at Blue School , which was founded as a playgroup in 2006 by the Blue Man Group. Sensing a gap in how schools operated, the group strove to bring its quirkiness and love of inquiry into education.

As part of the curriculum, kids in grades 2 to 8 come up with ways to improve recycling, create 3D models of New York City, and fix home appliances. They gain an intimacy with real-world problems that few kids are exposed to when learning their times tables with flash cards.

Its system of "dynamic learning" applies to kids of all ages, who are taught that creating and implementing novel ideas is a critical set of skills.

" Studies show that fostering and explicitly teaching social and intellectual skills in school results in the adaptable thinkers, collaborative problem solvers, and irrepressible innovators that an unknowable and quickly changing world demands," a Blue School official tells Business Insider.

Samaschool in San Francisco, California: The school that says it's not too late.

In-demand jobs are hard enough to find, especially for people in low-income areas. But those are the people Samaschool wants most. The school gives adults who struggle to find employment a leg up, with an education focused on the digital and entrepreneurial skills necessary in today's market.

Students can choose between the 10-week course, lasting 80 hours, and the online course, which takes between 20 and 30 hours. 

They go on to a variety of jobs; recent graduates have taken positions in customer service and SEO optimization.

In a short amount of time,  Samaschool 's model allows people to drastically change their circumstances, says  Tess Posner, managing director of Samaschool. Among students who have graduated and taken on contracts for online work, hourly wages have increased 27% on average.  

The biggest thing students gain is relevancy, she says.

"The economy is quickly shifting to become more and more digital.  Faster, bootcamp-style trainings focused on digital skills and entrepreneurship — like Samaschool —  are one exciting example of how, for not that much cost, we can get people prepared for growing sectors in the digital economy."

THINK Global School in locations around the world: The school without borders.

Though it's headquartered in New York City, THINK Global School is a high school without walls. Students spend each semester in a different country , learning about local culture, studying natural sciences, and reading classic literature from the area.

During the 2014-2015 school year, students spent the fall semester in Costa Rica and the spring in Greece. "As they sailed from island to island in the Ionian Sea, they delved deep into lessons on philosophy, art, and literature — just truly embracing the moment while in this gorgeous environment," Lee Carlton, an IT analyst at THINK, tells Business Insider. "It's a place-based learning activity that we're incredibly proud of and something our kids gained a lot from."

In each country, students also pursue charity projects and community-based work. For parents who want their kids to become global citizens, there's no better school than THINK.

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Top 7 Innovations in K-12 Education (2024)

The education sector has seen transformative changes over the past decade, primarily through the integration of digital aids into classrooms. This evolution aims to enhance the teaching and learning experience in schools and universities. The adoption of innovative teaching methods and technologies has been pivotal in fostering a deeper understanding of subjects among students and improving classroom engagement.

Top 7 Innovations in K-12 Education -

• Flipped Classroom Approach
• Audiobooks and Dictation Software
• Digital Content Libraries
• Social Media for Collaborative Learning
• Simulation Games
• Augmented Reality
• Virtual Reality

1. Flipped Classroom Approach:

This model reverses traditional learning by having students study materials at home and engage in assignments and discussions in class. It utilizes digital content like video lectures and interactive eBooks to foster a more engaging and practical learning environment, encouraging active participation and collaboration.

2. Audiobooks and Dictation Software:

These tools support students with disabilities or those looking to improve language skills. Audiobooks enhance vocabulary and comprehension through auditory learning, while dictation software assists those unable to write or type, making learning accessible to all.

3. Digital Content Libraries:

Virtual repositories of learning materials, including videos, audiobooks, and interactive assignments, cater to diverse learning needs and styles. These libraries support teachers in delivering concepts more effectively and students in engaging deeply with content.

4. Social Media for Collaborative Learning:

Leveraging social media platforms facilitates collaboration and interaction among students and teachers, fostering a supportive educational community. It enables sharing, discussion, and feedback outside the traditional classroom setting.

5. Simulation Games:

These digital simulations offer virtual scenarios that mimic real-life situations, enhancing understanding and application of concepts in a risk-free environment. They promote problem-solving and critical thinking skills through experiential learning.

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6. Augmented Reality:

AR adds digital overlays to the physical world, making learning interactive and fun. VR offers immersive experiences, transporting students to different settings, such as historical sites or scientific explorations, without leaving the classroom. Both technologies provide dynamic and engaging ways to grasp complex subjects.

7. Virtual Reality:

Virtual reality goes a level beyond augmented reality. It not only displays enhanced visuals, but makes the user believe that they are present in different world altogether. Virtual reality replaces the physical world with a digital experience. This technology is best used to show places of geographical or historic importance. Instead of arranging a field trip for the students, teachers can make them wear head mounted displays which gives them a view of the real location.

Although the equipment used for virtual reality display might be a little costly, you get to provide your students an immersive learning experience which will benefit them. Teach them about the pyramids of Egypt, show them the interiors of the pyramids without stepping out of the classroom.

This style of teaching helps students to grasp concepts more effectively and retain the information. With 3D visuals and audio, the wearer of the VR display would be transported to an artificial world, providing a highly sensory experience.

The recent years have seen many innovations in the field of technology. A lot of these innovations can be leveraged effectively in K-12 education . Today, the curriculum is designed in such a way that the concepts that are taught can be applied not only in classrooms but also in real-lives. K-12 students now have the opportunity to explore and enhance their knowledge with multiple digital resources to support them in their learning journey.

Educational institutes are incorporating the top trends in technology in order to improve the way subjects are taught as well to enhance the learning experience. By using multiple digital techniques that can provide an intuitive and immersive learning experience, you can provide the best opportunities for effective learning.

Key Takeways

• The integration of digital technologies in education, such as flipped classrooms, audiobooks, and AR/VR, has significantly improved engagement and learning outcomes.
• These innovations cater to diverse learning needs, making education more accessible and inclusive.
• By leveraging digital content libraries and social media, educators can offer a more interactive and collaborative learning experience.
• Simulation games, AR, and VR provide practical, immersive experiences that enhance understanding and retention of subject matter.
• The continuous adoption of technology in education is pivotal in preparing students for a digital future, equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge for real-life applications.

The evolution of educational technologies not only enriches the learning experience but also prepares students for the challenges of the modern world, making education a more effective, inclusive, and engaging process.

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8 Excellent Examples of What Innovative 21st Century Schools Should Look Like

• Written by Ana Rodríguez | Translated by Amanda Pimenta
• Published on April 10, 2017

If we think about how the educational system worked in the past, we can quickly see that both the teaching style in schools as well as the school’s infrastructure were very different from the current system. The educational model of the twentieth century could be defined as being similar to the "spatial model of prisons, with no interest in stimulating a comprehensive, flexible and versatile education."

However, we are now at a time when social, economic and technological developments have created a more global society and where information and learning are becoming more affordable. This radical change has transformed the societies in which we live, leaving the current educational model based on a rigid and unidirectional teaching obsolete. 

As such, there are schools that have not only broken the mold of traditional teaching but have formed new educational standards, exploring new paradigms and opening up new possibilities within the design of educational spaces. Since architecture and educational models often reflect the ideology of a society, how is the school of 21st century defined? 

All over the world, there are many pioneering schools that have decided to take the extra step and move towards the future of education. New models propose that all students, regardless of their origin or condition, can do their very best. Below, we will introduce you to a few innovative schools of the 21st century that have radically changed designing educational models. 

Ørestad Gymnasium / 3XN Copenhagen, Denmark

This building was created in order to promote a new vision for secondary school education in Copenhagen , Denmark . Its design promotes reflective and collaborative learning which is delivered through a variety of teaching styles, whether working in small groups or one-on-one. As a response to these needs, the architects proposed an open-plan building that is organized around a central staircase; its open design forces teachers to innovate teaching methods.

Ecopolis Plaza / Ecosistema Urbano Madrid, Spain

This project was developed within an area surrounded by transportation infrastructures and industries. Its main objective is to integrate the concept of sustainability into daily life and improve the urban ecosystem of the site. The design of the school creates a public space accessible to the inhabitants of the neighborhood. Its educational program includes a program that allows children to become aware of the environment in order to make children responsible adults.

Hakusui Nursery School / Yamazaki Kentaro Design Workshop Chiba, Japan

The design of this school was developed by taking into account its environment, taking advantage of the fact that it is surrounded by nature and at the same time creating a fun space for children. In this way, a "big house" is created for the children, meaning a wide space that, because of the topography of the land, looks like a large staircase and allows children of different ages and different learning paces to interact with one another.

Kwel Ka Baung School / a.gor.a Architect Mae Sot, Thailand

Located on the border between Thailand and Myanmar, this school's main objective is to provide education to children from families displaced due to civil conflict. This project was designed to involve the community in the school building process, in hopes that workers from the state of Kayin (Myanmar) would refine their skills and learn about the adobe construction system.

Vittra Telefonplan / Rosan Bosch Stockholm, Sweden

The teaching principles of the Vittra school in Stockholm are mainly based on creating stimulating learning environments for students. The school has no classrooms or walls and instead uses dividers to create flexible laboratories that let different types of learning develop which are based on a digitized teaching approach.

Farming Kindergarten / Vo Trong Nghia Architects Dong Nai, Vietnam

This kindergarten was designed for the children of the workers in a shoe factory in Vietnam, which meant the budget was not very large. However, the high-quality design of the building allows children to have a green space where they can experiment with nature and learn about the importance of agriculture.

Pies Descalzos School / Giancarlo Mazzanti Cartagena, Colombia

Located in Cartagena , Colombia , Colegio Pies Descalzos, or Barefoot School, has been a driving force of change that has enhanced living conditions for the community and has offered residents new alternatives for personal and community development. The architectural project sparked the urban transformation of the area and became a symbol of pride for the city. More than just a school (the project) seeks to create new facilities and community centers, like libraries, classrooms, and places for sports, where neighborhood activities can take place.

Family Box / SAKO Architects Beijing, China

This center was designed to create a playful atmosphere that stimulates children's curiosity. The interior space is made up of cylinders of different sizes and shapes that become the different rooms and classrooms of the school. The center offers a cheerful educational environment, where students can participate in a variety of activities and enrich their imagination. 

These schools, along with many others, act as an example and embody an innovative educational system that is attentive to the global reality as well as the local realities of their communities. Each one of their students learns to live, to narrate their identity, to discover and transform the world of the XXI century.

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8个实例告诉你21世纪创新型学校长什么模样

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Innovation in education: what works, what doesn’t, and what to do about it?

Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning

ISSN : 2397-7604

Article publication date: 3 April 2017

The purpose of this paper is to present an analytical review of the educational innovation field in the USA. It outlines classification of innovations, discusses the hurdles to innovation, and offers ways to increase the scale and rate of innovation-based transformations in the education system.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a literature survey and author research.

US education badly needs effective innovations of scale that can help produce the needed high-quality learning outcomes across the system. The primary focus of educational innovations should be on teaching and learning theory and practice, as well as on the learner, parents, community, society, and its culture. Technology applications need a solid theoretical foundation based on purposeful, systemic research, and a sound pedagogy. One of the critical areas of research and innovation can be cost and time efficiency of the learning.

Practical implications

Several practical recommendations stem out of this paper: how to create a base for large-scale innovations and their implementation; how to increase effectiveness of technology innovations in education, particularly online learning; how to raise time and cost efficiency of education.

Social implications

Innovations in education are regarded, along with the education system, within the context of a societal supersystem demonstrating their interrelations and interdependencies at all levels. Raising the quality and scale of innovations in education will positively affect education itself and benefit the whole society.

Originality/value

Originality is in the systemic approach to education and educational innovations, in offering a comprehensive classification of innovations; in exposing the hurdles to innovations, in new arguments about effectiveness of technology applications, and in time efficiency of education.

• Implementation
• Educational technology
• Time efficiency

Serdyukov, P. (2017), "Innovation in education: what works, what doesn’t, and what to do about it?", Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning , Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 4-33. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIT-10-2016-0007

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Peter Serdyukov

Published in the Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning . This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

Necessity is the mother of invention (Plato).

Introduction

Education, being a social institution serving the needs of society, is indispensable for society to survive and thrive. It should be not only comprehensive, sustainable, and superb, but must continuously evolve to meet the challenges of the fast-changing and unpredictable globalized world. This evolution must be systemic, consistent, and scalable; therefore, school teachers, college professors, administrators, researchers, and policy makers are expected to innovate the theory and practice of teaching and learning, as well as all other aspects of this complex organization to ensure quality preparation of all students to life and work.

Here we present a systemic discussion of educational innovations, identify the barriers to innovation, and outline potential directions for effective innovations. We discuss the current status of innovations in US education, what educational innovation is, how innovations are being integrated in schools and colleges, why innovations do not always produce the desired effect, and what should be done to increase the scale and rate of innovation-based transformations in our education system. We then offer recommendations for the growth of educational innovations. As examples of innovations in education, we will highlight online learning and time efficiency of learning using accelerated and intensive approaches.

Innovations in US education

For an individual, a nation, and humankind to survive and progress, innovation and evolution are essential. Innovations in education are of particular importance because education plays a crucial role in creating a sustainable future. “Innovation resembles mutation, the biological process that keeps species evolving so they can better compete for survival” ( Hoffman and Holzhuter, 2012 , p. 3). Innovation, therefore, is to be regarded as an instrument of necessary and positive change. Any human activity (e.g. industrial, business, or educational) needs constant innovation to remain sustainable.

The need for educational innovations has become acute. “It is widely believed that countries’ social and economic well-being will depend to an ever greater extent on the quality of their citizens’ education: the emergence of the so-called ‘knowledge society’, the transformation of information and the media, and increasing specialization on the part of organizations all call for high skill profiles and levels of knowledge. Today’s education systems are required to be both effective and efficient, or in other words, to reach the goals set for them while making the best use of available resources” ( Cornali, 2012 , p. 255). According to an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report, “the pressure to increase equity and improve educational outcomes for students is growing around the world” ( Vieluf et al. , 2012 , p. 3). In the USA, underlying pressure to innovate comes from political, economic, demographic, and technological forces from both inside and outside the nation.

Many in the USA seem to recognize that education at all levels critically needs renewal: “Higher education has to change. It needs more innovation” ( Wildavsky et al. , 2012 , p. 1). This message, however, is not new – in the foreword to the 1964 book entitled Innovation in Education, Arthur Foshay, Executive Officer of The Horace Mann-Lincoln Institute of School Experimentation, wrote, “It has become platitudinous to speak of the winds of change in education, to remind those interested in the educational enterprise that a revolution is in progress. Trite or not, however, it is true to say that changes appear wherever one turns in education” ( Matthew, 1964 , p. v).

Yet, more than 50 years later, we realize that the actual pace of educational innovations and their implementation is too slow as shown by the learning outcomes of both school and college graduates, which are far from what is needed in today’s world. Jim Shelton, Assistant Deputy Secretary of the Office of Innovation and Improvement in the US Department of Education, writes, “Whether for reasons of economic growth, competitiveness, social justice or return on tax-payer investment, there is little rational argument over the need for significant improvement in US educational outcomes. Further, it is irrefutable that the country has made limited improvement on most educational outcomes over the last several decades, especially when considered in the context of the increased investment over the same period. In fact, the total cost of producing each successful high school and college graduate has increased substantially over time instead of decreasing – creating what some argue is an inverted learning curve […].”

“Education not only needs new ideas and inventions that shatter the performance expectations of today’s status quo; to make a meaningful impact, these new solutions must also “scale,” that is grow large enough, to serve millions of students and teachers or large portions of specific underserved populations” ( Shelton, 2011 ). Yet, something does not work here.

Lack of innovation can have profound economic and social repercussions. America’s last competitive advantage, warns Harvard Innovation Education Fellow Tony Wagner, its ability to innovate, is at risk as a result of the country’s lackluster education system ( Creating innovators, 2012 ). Derek Bok, a former Harvard University President, writes, “[…] neither American students nor our universities, nor the nation itself, can afford to take for granted the quality of higher education and the teaching and learning it provides” ( Bok, 2007 , p. 6). Hence it is central for us to make US education consistently innovative and focus educational innovations on raising the quality of learning at all levels. Yet, though there is a good deal of ongoing educational research and innovation, we have not actually seen discernable improvements in either school students’ or college graduates’ achievements to this day. Suffice it to mention a few facts. Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) evaluations keep revealing disappointing results for our middle school ( Pew Research Center, 2015 ); a large number of high school graduates are not ready for college ( College preparedness, 2012 ); and employers, in turn, are often dissatisfied with college graduates ( Thomson, 2015 ; Jaschik, 2015 ). No one, be they students, parents, academia, business, or society as a whole, are pleased with these outcomes. Could it be that our education system is not sufficiently innovative?

Danny Crichton, an entrepreneur, in his blog The Next Wave of Education Innovation writes expressly, “Few areas have been as hopeful and as disappointing as innovation in education. Education is probably the single most important function in our society today, yet it remains one of the least understood, despite incredible levels of investment from venture capitalists and governments. Why do students continue to show up in a classroom or start an online course? How do we guide students to the right knowledge just as they need to learn it? We may have an empirical inkling and some hunches, but we still lack any fundamental insights. That is truly disappointing. With the rise of the internet, it seemed like education was on the cusp of a complete revolution. Today, though, you would be excused for not seeing much of a difference between the way we learn and how we did so twenty years ago” ( Crichton, 2015 ).

Editors of the book Reinventing Higher Education: The Promise of Innovation , Ben Wildavsky, Andrew Kelly, and Kevin Carey write, “The higher education system also betrays an innovation deficit in another way: a steady decline in productivity driven by a combination of static or declining output paired with skyrocketing prices ( Wildavsky et al. , 2012 , p. 3). This despairing mood is echoed by Groom and Lamb’s statement in EDUCAUSE Review, “Today, innovation is increasingly conflated with hype, disruption for disruption’s sake, and outsourcing laced with a dose of austerity-driven downsizing” ( Groom and Lamb, 2014 ).

USA success has always been driven by innovation and has a unique capacity for growth ( Zeihan, 2014 ). Nevertheless, it is indeed a paradox: while the USA produces more research, including in education, than any other country ( Science Watch, 2009 ), we do not see much improvement in the way our students are prepared for life and work. The USA can be proud of great scholars, such as John Dewey, B.F. Skinner, Abraham Maslow, Albert Bandura, Howard Gardner, Jerome Bruner, and many others who have contributed a great deal to the theory of education. Yet, has this theory yielded any innovative approaches for the teaching and learning practice that have increased learning productivity and improved the quality of the output?

The USA is the home of the computer and the internet, but has the information revolution helped to improve the quality of learning outcomes? Where and how, then, are all these educational innovations applied? It seems, write Spangehl and Hoffman, that “American education has taken little advantage of important innovations that would increase instructional capacity, effectiveness, and productivity” (2012 , p. 21). “The new ‘job factory’ role American universities have awkwardly stuffed themselves into may be killing the modern college student’s spirit and search for meaning” ( Mercurio, 2016 ).

What is interesting here is that while we are still undecided as to what to do with our struggling schools and universities and how to integrate into them our advanced inventions, other nations are already benefiting from our innovations and have in a short time successfully built world-class education systems. It is ironic that an admirable Finnish success was derived heavily from US educational research. Pasi Sahlberg, a Finnish educator and author of a bestselling book, The Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change In Finland , said in an interview to the Huffington Post, “American scholars and their writings, like Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, have been influential in building the much-admired school system in Finland” ( Rubin, 2015 ); so wrote other authors ( Strauss, 2014 ). Singapore, South Korea, China, and other forward-looking countries also learned from great US educational ideas.

We cannot say that US educators and society are oblivious to the problems in education: on the contrary, a number of educational movements have taken place in recent US history (e.g. numerous educational reforms since 1957 to this day, including recent NCLB, Race to the Top, and the Common Core). Universities and research organizations opened centers and laboratories of innovation (Harvard Innovation Lab, Presidential Innovation Laboratory convened by American Council on Education, Center for Innovation in Education at the University of Kentucky, NASA STEM Innovation Lab, and recently created National University Center for Innovation in Learning). Some institutions introduced programs focusing on innovation (Master’s Program in Technology, Innovation, and Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education; Master of Arts in Education and Innovation at the Webster University). New organizations have been set up (The International Centre for Innovation in Education, Innovative Schools Network, Center for Education Reform). Regular conferences on the topic are convened (AERA, ASU-GSV Summit, National Conference on Educational Innovation, The Nueva School for the Innovative Learning Conference). Excellent books have been written by outstanding innovators such as Andy Hargreaves (2003) , Hargreaves and Shirley (2009) , Hargreaves et al. (2010) , Michael Fullan (2007, 2010) , Yong Zhao (2012) , Pasi Sahlberg (2011) , Tony Wagner (2012) , Mihaliy Csikszentmihalyi (2013) , and Ken Robinson (2015) . There is even an Office of Innovation and Improvement in the US Department of Education, which is intended to “[…] drive education innovation by both seeding new strategies, and bringing proven approaches to scale” ( Office of Innovation and Improvement, 2016 ). And still, innovations do not take hold in American classrooms on a wide scale, which may leave the nation behind in global competition.

Society’s failure to anticipate the problems and their outcomes may have unpredictable consequences, as Pulitzer Prize winner and Professor Jared Diamond, University of California, Los Angeles, writes in his book, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed ( Diamond, 2005 ). Yong Zhao interpreted Diamond’s findings as “[…] society’s inability to perceive or unwillingness to accept large and distant changes – and thus work to come up with the right response – is among one of the chief reasons that societies fail. This inability also leads human beings to look for short-term outcomes and seek immediate gratification” ( Zhao, 2012 , p. 162). It looks like the issue of educational innovation goes beyond the field itself and requires a strong societal response.

Three big questions arise from this discussion: why, having so many innovators and organizations concerned with innovations, does our education system not benefit from them? What interferes with creating and, especially, implementing transformative, life-changing, and much-needed innovations across schools and colleges in this country? How can we grow, support, and disseminate worthy innovations effectively so that our students succeed in both school and university and achieve the best learning outcomes that will adequately prepare them for life and work? Let us first take a look at what is an educational innovation.

What is educational innovation?

Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things (Theodore Levitt).

To innovate is to look beyond what we are currently doing and develop a novel idea that helps us to do our job in a new way. The purpose of any invention, therefore, is to create something different from what we have been doing, be it in quality or quantity or both. To produce a considerable, transformative effect, the innovation must be put to work, which requires prompt diffusion and large-scale implementation.

Innovation is generally understood as “[…] the successful introduction of a new thing or method” ( Brewer and Tierney, 2012 , p. 15). In essence, “[…] innovation seems to have two subcomponents. First, there is the idea or item which is novel to a particular individual or group and, second, there is the change which results from the adoption of the object or idea” ( Evans, 1970 , p. 16). Thus, innovation requires three major steps: an idea, its implementation, and the outcome that results from the execution of the idea and produces a change. In education, innovation can appear as a new pedagogic theory, methodological approach, teaching technique, instructional tool, learning process, or institutional structure that, when implemented, produces a significant change in teaching and learning, which leads to better student learning. So, innovations in education are intended to raise productivity and efficiency of learning and/or improve learning quality. For example, Khan’s Academy and MOOCs have opened new, practically unlimited opportunities for massive, more efficient learning.

Efficiency is generally determined by the amount of time, money, and resources that are necessary to obtain certain results. In education, efficiency of learning is determined mainly by the invested time and cost. Learning is more efficient if we achieve the same results in less time and with less expense. Productivity is determined by estimating the outcomes obtained vs the invested effort in order to achieve the result. Thus, if we can achieve more with less effort, productivity increases. Hence, innovations in education should increase both productivity of learning and learning efficiency.

Educational innovations emerge in various areas and in many forms. According to the US Office of Education, “There are innovations in the way education systems are organized and managed, exemplified by charter schools or school accountability systems. There are innovations in instructional techniques or delivery systems, such as the use of new technologies in the classroom. There are innovations in the way teachers are recruited, and prepared, and compensated. The list goes on and on” ( US Department of Education, 2004 ).

Innovation can be directed toward progress in one, several, or all aspects of the educational system: theory and practice, curriculum, teaching and learning, policy, technology, institutions and administration, institutional culture, and teacher education. It can be applied in any aspect of education that can make a positive impact on learning and learners.

In a similar way, educational innovation concerns all stakeholders: the learner, parents, teacher, educational administrators, researchers, and policy makers and requires their active involvement and support. When considering the learners, we think of studying cognitive processes taking place in the the brain during learning – identifying and developing abilities, skills, and competencies. These include improving attitudes, dispositions, behaviors, motivation, self-assessment, self-efficacy, autonomy, as well as communication, collaboration, engagement, and learning productivity.

To raise the quality of teaching, we want to enhance teacher education, professional development, and life-long learning to include attitudes, dispositions, teaching style, motivation, skills, competencies, self-assessment, self-efficacy, creativity, responsibility, autonomy to teach, capacity to innovate, freedom from administrative pressure, best conditions of work, and public sustenance. As such, we expect educational institutions to provide an optimal academic environment, as well as materials and conditions for achieving excellence of the learning outcomes for every student (program content, course format, institutional culture, research, funding, resources, infrastructure, administration, and support).

Education is nourished by society and, in turn, nourishes society. The national educational system relies on the dedication and responsibility of all society for its effective functioning, thus parental involvement, together with strong community and society backing, are crucial for success.

political (NCLB (No Child Left Behind Act), Race to the Top);

social (Equal Opportunities Act, affirmative action policy, Indivuals with Disabilities Education Act);

philosophical (constructivism, objectivism);

cultural (moral education, multiculturalism, bilingual education);

pedagogical (competence-based education, STEM (curriculum choices in school: Science, Technology, English, and Mathematics);

psychological (cognitive science, multiple intelligencies theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, learning style theory); and

technological (computer-based learning, networked learning, e-learning).

Though these innovations left a significant mark on education, which of them helped improve productivity and quality of learning? Under NCLB, we placed too much focus on accountability and assessment and lost sight of many other critical aspects of education. In drawing too much attention to technology innovations, we may neglect teachers and learners in the process. Stressing the importance of STEM at the expense of music, arts and physical culture ignores young people’s personal, social, emotional, and moral development. Reforming higher education without reforming secondary education is futile. Trying to change education while leaving disfunctional societal and cultural mechanisms intact is doomed. It is crucial, therefore, when innovating to ask, “What is this innovation for?” “How will it work?” and “What effect will it produce?”

Many of us educators naively believe grand reforms or powerful technologies will transform our education system. Did we not expect NCLB to change our schools for the better? Did we not hope that new information technologies would make education more effective and relieve teachers from tedious labor? However, again and again we realize that neither loud reforms nor wondrous technology will do the hard work demanded of teachers and learners.

Innovations can be categorized as evolutionary or revolutionary ( Osolind, 2012 ), sustaining or disruptive ( Christensen and Overdorf, 2000 ; Yu and Hang, 2010 ). Evolutionary innovations lead to incremental improvement but require continuity; revolutionary innovations bring about a complete change, totally overhauling and/or replacing the old with the new, often in a short time period. Sustaining innovation perpetuates the current dimensions of performance (e.g. continuous improvement of the curriculum), while disrupting innovation, such as a national reform, radically changes the whole field. Innovations can also be tangible (e.g. technology tools) and intangible (e.g. methods, strategies, and techniques). Evolutionary and revolutionary innovations seem to have the same connotation as sustaining and disruptive innovations, respectively.

When various innovations are being introduced in the conventional course of study, for instance Universal Design of Learning ( Meyer et al. , 2014 ); or more expressive presentation of new material using multimedia; or more effective teaching methods; or new mnemonic techniques, students’ learning productivity may rise to some extent. This is an evolutionary change. It partially improves the existing instructional approach to result in better learning. Such learning methods as inquiry based, problem based, case study, and collaborative and small group are evolutionary innovations because they change the way students learn. Applying educational technology (ET) in a conventional classroom using an overhead projector, video, or iPad, are evolutionary, sustaining innovations because they change only certain aspects of learning. National educational reforms, however, are always intended to be revolutionary innovations as they are aimed at complete system renovation. This is also true for online learning because it produces a systemic change that drastically transforms the structure, format, and methods of teaching and learning. Some innovative approaches, like “extreme learning” ( Extreme Learning, 2012 ), which use technology for learning purposes in novel, unusual, or nontraditional ways, may potentially produce a disruptive, revolutionary effect.

Adjustment or upgrading of the process: innovation can occur in daily performance and be seen as a way to make our job easier, more effective, more appealing, or less stressful. This kind of innovation, however, should be considered an improvement rather than innovation because it does not produce a new method or tool. The term innovative, in keeping with the dictionary definition, applies only to something new and different, not just better, and it must be useful ( Okpara, 2007 ). Educators, incidentally, commonly apply the term “innovative” to almost any improvement in classroom practices; yet, to be consistent, not any improvement can be termed in this way. The distinction between innovation and improvement is in novelty and originality, as well as in the significance of impact and scale of change.

Modification of the process: innovation that significantly alters the process, performance, or quality of an existing product (e.g. accelerated learning (AL), charter school, home schooling, blended learning).

Transformation of the system: dramatic conversion (e.g. Bologna process; Common Core; fully automated educational systems; autonomous or self-directed learning; online, networked, and mobile learning).

First-level innovations (with a small i ) make reasonable improvements and are important ingredients of everyday life and work. They should be unequivocally enhanced, supported, and used. Second-level innovations either lead to a system’s evolutionary change or are a part of that change and, thus, can make a considerable contribution to educational quality. But we are more concerned with innovations of the third level (with a capital I), which are both breakthrough and disruptive and can potentially make a revolutionary, systemic change.

qualitative: better knowledge, more effective skills, important competencies, character development, values, dispositions, effective job placement, and job performance; and

quantitative: improved learning parameters such as test results, volume of information learned, amount of skills or competencies developed, college enrollment numbers, measured student performance, retention, attrition, graduation rate, number of students in class, cost, and time efficiency.

Innovation can be assessed by its novely, originality, and potential effect. As inventing is typically a time-consuming and cost-demanding experience, it is critical to calculate short-term and long-term expenses and consequences of an invention. They must demonstrate significant qualitative and/or quantitative benefits. As a psychologist Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi writes, “human well-being hinges on two factors: the ability to increase creativity and the ability to develop ways to evaluate the impact of new creative ideas” (Csikszentmihalyi, 2013, p. 322).

In education, we can estimate the effect of innovation via learning outcomes or exam results, teacher formative and summative, formal and informal assessments, and student self-assessment. Innovation can also be computed using such factors as productivity (more learning outcomes in a given time), time efficiency (shorter time on studying the same material), or cost efficiency (less expense per student) data. Other evaluations can include the school academic data, college admissions and employment rate of school graduates, their work productivity and career growth.

singular/local/limited;

multiple/spread/significant; and

system-wide/total.

This gradation correlates with the three levels of innovation described above: adjustment, modification, and transformation. To make a marked difference, educational innovation must be scalable and spread across the system or wide territory. Prominent examples include Khan Academy in the USA, GEEKI Labs in Brazil (GEEKI), and BRIDGE International Academies in Kenya (BRIDGE). Along with scale, the speed of adoption or diffusion, and cost are critical for maximizing the effect of innovation.

Innovations are nowadays measured and compared internationally. According to the 2011 OECD report ( OECD, 2014 ), the USA was in 24th place in educational innovativeness in the world. This report singled out the use of student assessments for monitoring progress over time as the top organizational innovation, and the requirement that students were to explain and elaborate on their answers during science lessons as the top pedagogic innovation in the USA. Overall, the list of innovations selected by OECD was disappointingly unimpressive.

Innovations usually originate either from the bottom of the society (individual inventors or small teams) – bottom-up or grass root approach, or from the top (business or government) – top-down or administrative approach. Sometimes, innovations coming from the top get stalled on their way to the bottom if they do not accomplish their goal and are not appreciated or supported by the public. Should they rise from the bottom, they may get stuck on the road to the top if they are misunderstood or found impractical or unpopular. They can also stop in the middle if there is no public, political, or administrative or financial backing. Thus, innovations that start at the bottom, however good they are, may suffer too many roadblocks to be able to spread and be adopted on a large scale. Consequently, it is up to politicians, administrators, and society to drive or stifle the change. Education reforms have always been top-down and, as they near the bottom, typically become diverted, diluted, lose strength, or get rejected as ineffective or erroneous. As Michael Fullan writes in the Foreword to an exciting book, Good to Great to Innovate: Recalculating the Route to Career Readiness, K012+ , “[…] there is a good deal of reform going on in the education world, but much of it misses the point, or approaches it superficially” ( Sharratt and Harild, 2015 , p. xiii).

Innovations enriching education can be homegrown (come from within the system) or be imported (originate from outside education). Examples of imported innovations that result from revolution, trend, or new idea include the information technology revolution, social media, medical developments (MRI), and cognitive psychology. Innovations can also be borrowed from superior international theories and practices (see Globalization of Education chapter). National reform may also be a route to innovation, for instance when a government decides to completely revamp the system via a national reform, or when an entire society embarks on a new road, as has happened recently in Singapore, South Korea, and Finland.

Innovations may come as a result of inspiration, continuous creative mental activity, or “supply pushed” through the availability of new technological possibilities in production, or “demand led” based on market or societal needs ( Brewer and Tierney, 2012 , p. 15). In the first case, we can have a wide variety of ideas flowing around; in the second, we observe a ubiquitous spread of educational technologies across educational system at all levels; in the third, we witness a growth of non-public institutions, such as private and charter schools and private universities.

Innovation in any area or aspect can make a change in education in a variety of ways. Ultimately, however, innovations are about quality and productivity of learning (this does not mean we can forget about moral development, which prepares young people for life, work, and citizenship) ( Camins, 2015 ). Every innovation must be tested for its potential efficiency. The roots of learning efficiency lie, however, not only in innovative technologies or teaching alone but even more in uncovering potential capacities for learning in our students, their intellectual, emotional, and psychological spheres. Yet, while innovations in economics, business, technology, and engineering are always connected to the output of the process, innovation in education does not necessarily lead to improving the output (i.e. students’ readiness for future life and employment). Test results, degrees, and diplomas do not signify that a student is fully prepared for his or her career. Educational research is often disconnected from learning productivity and efficiency, school effectiveness, and quality output. Innovations in educational theories, textbooks, instructional tools, and teaching techniques do not always produce a desired change in the quality of teaching and learning. What, then, is the problem with our innovations? Why do not we get more concerned with learning productivity and efficiency? As an example, let us look at technology applications in teaching and learning.

Effects of technology innovations in education

A tool is just an opportunity with a handle (Kevin Kelly).

When analyzing innovations of our time, we cannot fail to see that an overwhelming majority of them are tangible, being either technology tools (laptops, iPads, smart phones) or technology-based learning systems and materials, e.g., learning management system (LMS), educational software, and web-based resources. Technology has always served as both a driving force and instrument of innovation in any area of human activity. It is then natural for us to expect that innovations based on ET applications can improve teaching and learning. Though technology is a great asset, nonetheless, is it the single or main source of today’s innovations, and is it wise to rely solely on technology?

The rich history of ET innovations is filled with optimism. Just remember when tape recorders, video recorders, TV, educational films, linguaphone classes, overhead projectors, and multimedia first appeared in school. They brought so much excitement and hope into our classrooms! New presentation formats catered to various learning styles. Visuals brought reality and liveliness into the classrooms. Information and computer technology (ICT) offered more ways to retrieve information and develop skills. With captivating communication tools (iPhones, iPads, Skype, FaceTime), we can communicate with anybody around the world in real time, visually, and on the go. Today we are excited about online learning, mobile learning, social networking learning, MOOCs, virtual reality, virtual and remote laboratories, 3D and 4D printing, and gamification. But can we say all this is helping to produce better learning? Are we actually using ET’s potential to make a difference in education and increase learning output?

Larry Cuban, an ET researcher and writer, penned the following: “Since 2010, laptops, tablets, interactive whiteboards, smart phones, and a cornucopia of software have become ubiquitous. We spent billions of dollars on computers. Yet has academic achievement improved as a consequence? Has teaching and learning changed? Has use of devices in schools led to better jobs? These are the basic questions that school boards, policy makers, and administrators ask. The answers to these questions are ‘no,’ ‘no,’ and ‘probably not.’” ( Cuban, 2015 ). This cautionary statement should make us all think hard about whether more technology means better learning.

Technology is used in manufacturing, business, and research primarily to increase labor productivity. Because integrating technology into education is in many ways like integrating technology into any business, it makes sense to evaluate technological applications by changes in learning productivity and quality. William Massy and Robert Zemsky wrote in their paper, “Using Information Technology to Enhance Academic Productivity,” that “[…] technology should be used to boost academic productivity” ( Massy and Zemsky, 1995 ). National Educational Technology Standards also addressed this issue by introducing a special rubric: “Apply technology to increase productivity” ( National Educational Technology Standards, 2004 ). Why then has technology not contributed much to the productivity of learning? It may be due to a so-called “productivity paradox” ( Brynjolfsson, 1993 ), which refers to the apparent contradiction between the remarkable advances in computer power and the relatively slow growth of productivity at the level of the whole economy, individual firms, and many specific applications. Evidently, this paradox relates to technology applications in education.

A conflict between public expectations of ET effectiveness and actual applications in teaching and learning can be rooted in educators’ attitudes toward technology. What some educational researchers write about technology in education helps to reveal the inherent issue. The pillars and building blocks of twenty-first century learning, according to Linda Baer and James McCormick (2012 , p. 168), are tools, programs, services, and policies such as web-enabled information storage and retrieval systems, digital resources, games, and simulations, eAdvising and eTutoring, online revenue sharing, which are all exclusively technological innovations. They are intended to integrate customized learning experiences, assessment-based learning outcomes, wikis, blogs, social networking, and mobile learning. The foundation of all this work, as these authors write, is built on the resources, infrastructure, quality standards, best practices, and innovation.

These are all useful, tangible things, but where are the intangible innovations, such as theoretical foundation, particularly pedagogy, psychology, and instructional methodology that are a true underpinning of teaching and learning? The emphasis on tools seems to be an effect of materialistic culture, which covets tangible, material assets or results. Similarly, today’s students worry more about grades, certificates, degrees, and diplomas (tangible assets) than about gaining knowledge, an intangible asset ( Business Dictionary, 2016 ). We may come to recognize that modern learning is driven more by technological tools than by sound theory, which is misleading.

According to the UNESCO Innovative Teaching and Learning (ITL) Research project conducted in several countries, “ICT has great potential for supporting innovative pedagogies, but it is not a magic ingredient.” The findings suggest that “[…] when considering ICT it is important to focus not on flash but on the student learning and 21st century skills that ICT can enable” ( UNESCO, 2013 ). As Zhao and Frank (2003) argue in their ecological model of technology integration in school, we should be interested in not only how much computers are used but also how computers are used. Evidently, before starting to use technology we have to ask first, “What technology tools will help our students to learn math, sciences, literature and languages better, and how to use them efficiently to improve the learning outcomes?”

Thus, the problem of ET innovations is twofold: any integration of technology in teaching and learning has to demonstrate an increased productivity of teaching and learning, but it can be achieved only when ET applications are based on an effective pedagogic theory. Technology innovation will eventually drive pedagogic innovations, without a doubt, however, this path is slower, more complicated, and leads to an enormous waste of financial, technical and human resources.

Technocentric syndrome

More disquieting than even the lack of pedagogical foundation for technology-enhanced education is the sincere belief of many educators that technology will fix all the problems they encounter in the classroom, be they live or virtual. Consequently, fewer university professors nowadays perceive the need for pedagogic mastery in online teaching in addition to content-area expertise as they reason technology will solve all instructional difficulties anyway. This belief is called “technocentrism” ( Pappert, 1990 ), which, according to Nickols (2011) , is common in higher education and e-learning discussions. It is probably common in secondary school as well. Unfortunately, educators often forget that the computer is only an extension of human abilities, not a replacement or substitute. We, as educators, must realize that for technology innovation to produce a positive effect in learning it must be preceded by pedagogic leadership, research, and sound theory; however, the reality is typically the reverse. We are excited to grab the new gadget and try to fit it into the classroom without preliminary assessment of its implementation challenges and potential effects, solid research, or laying out a theoretical foundation based on advanced pedagogic theory which will ensure its effective use. Former Kodak Chairman George Fisher described it this way, “Even good people get locked into processes that may be totally inappropriate to deal with a new technology attacking from underneath (Christensen and Eyring, 2011, p. 16).

Technology (as an entity) contains an inherent pedagogical value ( Accuosti, 2014 , p. 5). It pushes the limits of what educators can do but is not a magic wand; it is only a means, an instrument, a tool for an innovative teacher and learner. That we overestimate technology’s power in education has its roots in human anticipation of a miracle, or a hope of finding a quick fix. But “[…] we can’t just buy iPads (or any device), add water, and hope that strategy will usher schools to the leading edge of 21st century education. Technology, by itself, isn’t curative. Human agency shapes the path” ( Levasseur, 2012 ). We are all excited by the technology and information revolution and believe in its potential but “[…] perhaps the next important revolution isn’t technological, even as technology marches forward unabated. Perhaps the revolution that we need, the one we should aspire to, is societal. Indeed, the next revolution should be one of education, empathy, and a broader understanding of the world, and of its people and culture” ( Jiang, 2015 ).

One of my students wrote in a recent online class, “Students learn from their teachers, not from electronic gadgets.” Do we understand how students learn in a technology-based environment, one-on-one with the laptop or mobile phone? Can we estimate possible changes in the students’ cognition, learning style, behavior, attitudes, values, and social relationships under the influence of electronic devices? It is certainly true that live interaction between students and their teachers offers worthy examples and enlightening experiences for students and gratifying moments for teachers. Overestimating the power of technology, regrettably, leads to the deterioration of the “human element” ( Serdiukov, 2001 ) in technology-based and, particularly, online teaching and learning. It further underestimates the need for sound pedagogy and quality teacher preparation. It may also have a devastating impact on our ability to socialize, collaborate, and survive. George Friedman argues that computers have had “profoundly disruptive consequences on cultural live throughout the world” ( Friedman, 2012 , p. 25), which could not have left education unperturbed.

Neil Postman addressed another concern of overemphasizing the role of technology in education, cautioning against “[…] surrendering education to technology” ( Postman, 1993 ), which may have far-reaching social and cultural consequences ( Serdyukov, 2015b ). According to Sousa (2014) , the widespread use of technology is having both positive and negative effects on students’ attention and memory systems. A strong warning about the negative effects of the Web comes from Maurer et al. (2013) , who caution that modern media, particularly networked computers, are endangering our capacity to think, to remember clearly, and to read and write with concentration; they also imperil creativity. “New technologies, whether or not they succeed in solving the problem that they were designed to solve, regularly create unanticipated new problems” ( Diamond, 2005 , p. 505). There are numerous social, cultural and psychological side effects of technology-enhanced or technology-based education, among them placing unrealistic hopes on technology, which leads to weakening a student’s and teacher’s effort and eventually takes the teachers out of the equation. This in turn makes the outcomes of online learning overly dependent on the LMS platform, washing away human interaction and communication by industrializing and formalizing learning.

Christensen and Eyring (2011) , who wrote about disruptive innovations that force universities to change, predict that teaching in the future will be disruptable as technology improves and shifts the competitive focus from a teacher’s credentials or an institution’s prestige to what students actually learn. Their observations support the findings of other studies that indicate learning occurs best when it involves a blend of online and face-to-face learning, with the latter providing essential intangibles best obtained on a traditional college campus. From this statement, one can extrapolate that technology alone cannot ensure productive and enriched learning and, especially, personal and social development as students still need a human element in a technology-enhanced environment. Additionally, when planning to apply a new technology to education, we have to consider its potential pedagogic and psychological effects. Finally, we need a solid, innovative, theoretical foundation for online learning. This foundation would help teachers do a better job in both classroom and online environments than simply integrating computers and other gadgets into learning. It would help enrich students’ otherwise almost entirely independent online experiences using only LMS navigation as a GPS in the world of knowledge with inspiring interaction with a live instructor, peers, and real life.

As technology-based education is unquestionably going to grow, we need to make it pedagogically, psychologically, and socially meaningful and effective. At the same time, we want to minimize its negative short- and long-term consequences, which reaffirms the need for a comprehensive theory of technology-based education and serious research.

Online learning concerns

Demand for online learning is largely driven by working adult students (WALs) willing to have broad access to education and, at the same time, to accommodate learning to their busy lives, rather than by its effectiveness as a cognitive tool, which is determined by its most attractive feature – convenience ( Christensen and Eyring, 2011 ; Song et al. , 2004 ). In studies of student satisfaction, students commonly rate their online experiences as satisfactory, with convenience being the most cited reason ( Cole et al. , 2014 ). We observe students’ preference for convenience as a consumer strategy, and regrettably, not only in online higher education but across the whole educational system ( Kerby et al. , 2014 ). Convenience, along with comfort, helps reduce workload and complexity of learning, as well as the strain of face-to-face interaction with the class and instructor. It produces a sense of privacy and self-satisfaction. It also generates a false perception that online learning is easier than learning in the classroom ( Aaron, 2007 ; Westra, 2016 ), and often leads to online cheating ( Spalding, 2012 ). The convenience, like the happiness factor, however, means a less demanding and less rigorous school experience ( Zhao, 2012 , p. 137). Convenience can be a blessing for creative people, liberating them from the need to waste time and energy on trifles; however, it may also develop self-gratification and laziness instead of struggling with obstacles and doing the hard job of digging in the knowledge mine.

So, accessibility and, especially, convenience, enhanced by flexibility of the study schedule and comfortable learning environment of one’s office or bedroom are evidently the key factors of its popularity among students. The motto of online education, “Any time, any place, any pace” is extremely seductive. Yet, despite a number of studies showing that online learning is on a par with traditional, campus-based learning ( Ni, 2013 ; Wrenn, 2016 ), it is going to take more time and effort to really make online learning deliver outcomes comparable to the traditional classroom-based, face-to-face education. Mattan Griffel, Founder of “One Month,” an online education startup, rethinks online education in the aftermath of the MOOC explosion writing, “[Online education] has kind of overstepped its current effectiveness, and everyone is saying what is possible by painting this picture, but the tools haven’t reached that point yet” ( Crichton, 2015 ). We know very well online education suffers from restricted interaction among students and with the instructor, is deficient of live collaboration, and lacks opportunities for relationships that take form in a study group. These collective relationships are crucial for individual success. Productive online learning also depends on well-developed learning, technology, critical thinking, research, and even reading and writing skills, as well as strong intrinsic motivation, perseverance, and self-efficacy, which many students do not possess. Finally, substituting real-life objects and processes with virtual reality is not helpful in developing practical skills, which makes real-world laboratory and experimental work less effective in virtual online environments.

Still, the question remains whether online education has helped improve teaching and learning. With the popularity of online education and enormous investment, do online college programs now prepare better specialists? Have we achieved the result we had expected, besides widening access to education for working adult learners, formerly marginalized groups, such as disabled students and minorities, and people geographically separated from the learning centers, thus reaching multi-million enrollment in online programs by 2016 and making sure that students enjoy convenience in their studies?

Innovative technology may bring performance enhancement in some ways but does not necessarily produce a direct benefit to education expressed by increased learning productivity. Are the secondary benefits, like convenience or fun with technology, worthy of heavy investment? What, then, is needed to raise the quality of education? The real question here is, as always, do we control technology, or do we let ourselves be controlled by it and those who have created it? “Choose the former,” writes an innovative author Douglas Rushkoff, “and you gain access to the control panel of civilization. Choose the latter, and it could be the last real choice you get to make” ( Rushkoff, 2010 ). The raw powers of technology should be harnessed by sound pedagogy.

Pedagogy of online education is just being developed, after two decades of titanic effort ( Serdyukov, 2015a ). Online learning is a big business ( Stokes, 2012 ), which should be turned into a serious academic endeavor. When improving online learning, we should not narrow our innovative focus down to only technical solutions in all educational issues. We need to develop a broader look at all aspects of teaching and learning rather than trying to resolve problems and overcome barriers with technology alone.

Barriers to innovation

There are reasons for the discrepancy between the drive for educational innovation that we observe in some areas, great educational innovations of recent times, and the daily reality of the education system.

First of all, if we look at the education holistically, as a complete system in charge of sustaining the nation’s need for educating society members and building their knowledge and expertise throughout their active lifetime, we have to acknowledge that all educational levels are interrelated and interdependent. Moreover, education being a system itself is a component of a larger social supersystem, to which it links in many intricate and complicated ways. As a social institution, education reflects all the values, laws, principles, and traditions of the society to which it belongs. Therefore, we need to regard education as a vital, complete, social entity and address its problems, taking into account these relations and dependencies both within the educational system and society.

In turn, if the society supports innovations in education, then its educational system will continuously and effectively evolve and progress. If it does not, education will stagnate and produce mediocre outcomes. An example of negative socio-cultural impact on education is mercantilism, which is destroying the ultimate purpose of education, and consumerism which is degrading institutions of higher education ( Feeman and Thomas, 2005 ; Ng and Forbes, 2009 ; Abeyta, 2013 ). Other harmful social and cultural trends exert a powerful influence. These include monetization of education, entitlement, instant gratification, and egotism, which destroy education in general and the development of creativity and innovative spirit of students in particular ( Kerby et al. , 2014 ). Such grave societal issues must be dealt with forcefully.

Second, it is well known that higher education has been historically slow to adopt innovations for various reasons ( Hoffman and Holzhuter, 2012 ; Marcus, 2012 ; Evans, 1970 ). Because it is complex (due to cohesion and contuinuity of science) and labor intensive, higher education is particularly difficult to make more productive ( Brewer and Tierney, 2012 ). Secondary school is even more conservative than universities because they cater more and more to students’ well-being and safety than to their preparation for real life and work ( Gibbons and Silva, 2011 ). Both secondary and higher education function as two separate and rather closed systems in their own rights. They are not only loosely connected to the wider world but also suffer from a wide disconnect between high school output measured in graduate learning outcomes and college entrance student expectations. It seems that “[…] the systems and values of industrial education were not designed with innovation and digital tools in mind. Innovation, whether it is with technology, assessment or instruction, requires time and space for experimentation and a high tolerance for uncertainty. Disruption of established patterns is the modus operandi of innovation. We like the fruits of innovation, but few of us have the mettle to run the gauntlet of innovation” ( Levasseur, 2012 ). It is paramount, nonetheless, to accept that “innovation is linked to creativity, risk taking, and experimentation” ( Brewer and Tierney, 2012 , p. 15), which must be a part of the education system.

Innovation is difficult to spread across school and academia because it disrupts the established routine and pushes implementers out of their comfort zone. Terry Heick writes that “[…] many K-12 schools give lip-service to the concept of innovation in mission statements, on websites, in PDs (professional development), and during committee, council, and board meetings, but lose their nerve when it’s time to make it happen. Supporting something seen as secondary (innovation) in the face of pressure, far-reaching programs, external standards ranging from Common Core to Literacy, Technology, and Career Readiness becomes a matter of priority and job security. While education begs for innovation, arguments against it often turn to tempting, straw man attacks” ( Heick, 2016 ). In many instances, innovation in educational institutions does not take priority over pressing routine issues – really, abiding by the state standards is more urgent.

Teachers and school administrators are commonly cautious about a threatening change and have little tolerance for the uncertainty that any major innovation causes. Of course there are schools and even districts that are unafraid to innovate and experiment but their success depends on individual leaders and communities of educators who are able to create an innovative professional culture. Pockets of innovation give hope but we need a total, massive support for innovations across society.

Third, one of the reasons for the slow pace of improvements in education is a sharp conflict between society’s welfare and political and business interests, as vividly illustrated when the NCLB took US education on the path of rigid accountability. It was used by standardized testing companies to reap huge profits (or, may be, vice versa, these companies influenced NCBL). The trend stifled true education and produced unsatisfactory learning outcomes that changed the nature of teaching, narrowing the curriculum and limiting student learning. ( National Council of Teachers of English, 2014 ; The National Center for Fair and Open Testing, 2012 ).

Fourth, even when an innovation comes to life, it is of little worth without implementation (Csikszentmihalyi, 2013). Innovation is not about talking the talk but walking the walk. Moreover, an innovation can make a significant difference only when it is used on a wide scale. To create innovations is not enough, they need to be spread and used across schools and universities, a more difficult task. For the innovation to make a sizable effect, we need an army of implementers together with favorable conditions for the invention to spread and produce a result. Implementers in turn have to be creative and motivated to do their job; they must also have freedom to innovate in the implementation, security on the job to take risks, and control of what they are doing. Ultimately, they need be trusted (as are teachers in Finland) to do their job right. In short, there must be an “innovation-receiving system” ( Evans, 1970 ), or a “change zone” ( Polka and Kardash, 2013 ). Is this where one of the main problems of innovating lies?

A growing trend in higher education is a market approach wherein the main goal is set for “meeting the demands of the student population that is learning – a life-long population of learners” ( Afshar, 2016 ). Universities today are busy innovating how to increase students’ satisfaction and create “exceptional,” “premier,” or “extraordinary” learning experiences rather than caring about their true knowledge and quality achievements. This is clearly an extension of the adaptive or differentiated approach to teaching and learning, thereby leading to customization of education ( Schuwer and Kusters, 2014 ). But this view raises a question: are students’ demands and satisfaction the proper indicators of quality learning? When we began to be more concerned about how students feel in the classroom, what bothers them, and how best to accommodate them to make their learning experiences superior and anxiety-free, we began to set aside the quality outcomes of the learning process.

Every cloud has a silver lining, fortunately. When market approach is applied to higher education, as it is in the current national and global competitive environment, the contest for enrollments increases and forces colleges to decrease attrition in all ways possible. This requires innovative approaches. The institutions that depend on enrollment for their revenue appear more willing to innovate than traditional, public universities that enjoy government support. “Hence, innovation is likely to vary by several characteristics, including type of institution, institution size, market niche, and resources” ( Brewer and Tierney, 2012 , p. 22). Clearly, private institutions are more adept at innovating than public ones. The market is a powerful factor, however, the changes it may bring have to be tackled cautiously.

The hurdles to technology integration are described by Peggy Ertmer (1999) as external (first-order) and internal (second-order) barriers. The first-order barriers are purely operational (technological), while the second-order barriers are applicational (pedagogical). The difference in approaches to applying technology to teaching and learning (overcoming technological vs pedagogical barriers) might explain why huge investments in ET have brought little if any effect to the quality of learning outcomes.

Last but not least, innovations grow in a favorable environment, which is cultivated by an educational system that promotes innovation at all levels and produces creative, critical thinking, self-sufficient, life-long learners, problem solvers, and workers. This system enjoys a stimulating research climate, encourages uplifting cultural attitudes toward education, and rallies massive societal support.

The ultimate question is, what innovations do we really need, and what innovations might we not need?

standardization of curriculum enforced by frequent external tests;

narrowing of the curriculum to basic skills in reading and mathematics;

reduced use of innovative teaching strategies;

adoption of educational ideas from external sources, rather than development of local internal capacity for innovation and problem-solving; and

adoption of high-stakes accountability policies, featuring rewards and sanctions for students, teachers, and schools ( Sahlberg, 2010 , p. 10).

Instead, the Finns went their own, the Finnish Way, so profoundly described by Pasi Sahlberg in his bestselling book ( Sahlberg, 2011 ). So would it be innovative not to adopt some reforms? A big question now arises, what is then the American way to build innovative education? And what would be the global way?

What to do? Possible solutions

To create innovations, we need innovators, and many of them. But though innovation is often a spark originated in the mind of a bright person, it needs an environment that can nourish the fire. This environment is formed and fed by educational institutions, societal culture, and advanced economy. Csikszentmihalyi underlines the importance of creating a stimulating macroenvironment, which integrates the social, cultural, and institutional context, and also microenvironment, the immediate setting in which a person works. “Successful environment […] provide(s) freedom of action and stimulation of ideas, coupled with a respectful and nurturant attitude toward potential geniuses” (2013, p. 140). Control over such an environment, he reasons, is in the educators’ hands.

Then, when the invention is created, it must fall into a fertile ground like a seed and be cultivated to grow and bring fruit. Csikszentmihalyi writes, “Creative ideas vanish unless there is a receptive audience to record and implement them […]. Edison’s or Einstein’s discoveries would be inconceivable without the prior knowledge, without the intellectual and social network that stimulated their thinking and without the social mechanisms that recognized and spread their innovations (2013, p. 6)”. The audience is not only the educators but also students, parents, policy makers, and all other members of society who act either as implementers or consumers of the innovation.

Coherent systemic support is essential for growing innovations. As the ITL Research project states, “Important school-level supports tend to be present in schools with higher concentrations of innovative teaching. Based on survey data, in schools where teachers reported higher average levels of innovative teaching practices, they also tended to report […] a professional culture aligned to support innovation, reflection, and meaningful discourse about new teaching practices” ( UNESCO, 2013 ). The OECD report on teaching practices and pedagogical innovation also argues that “Teaching practices […] are factors affecting student learning that are more readily modifiable. Moreover, additional professional practices have received attention, especially those that help transform the school into a professional learning community” ( Vieluf et al. , 2012 , p. 3).

Technology integration in education can be successful only when the human element is taken into consideration. This then integrates innovators, implementers, educational leadership, professional community and, certainly, the learners. Walter Polka and Joseph Kardash argue that the effectiveness of a computer innovation project they developed “[…] was facilitated by the school district leadership because of their focus on the ‘human side’ of change” ( Polka and Kardash, 2013 , p. 324). They found correlation between the implementation process employed in the district and the concepts associated with the three general need categories of innovation implementers: organizational needs, professional needs, and personal needs, which contributed to the innovation’s success. Long-lasting changes require “[…] a mixture of cultural and institutional changes, commitment from those within the program, and active and engaged leadership,” writes Leticia De Leόn, addressing technological innovations in higher education ( De Leόn, 2013 , p. 347).

When we try to innovate education, we often leave students out of the equation. We do not innovate in students’ learning, their mind, attitudes, behaviors, character, metacognition, and work ethics enough. Yet, we try everything we can to improve teaching (delivery), while what we actually need is to improve learning. In education, nothing works if the students do not. According to the famous Bulgarian scholar Georgi Lozanov (1988) , learning is a matter of attitude, not aptitude. This is where the greatest potential for improving education lies. As a renowned cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham writes, “[…] education makes better minds, and knowledge of the mind can make better education” ( Willingham, 2010 , p. 165). The most important goal, thus, should be not so much to learn STEM but to cultivate innovative people in K-12, grow their autonomy, self-efficiency, and foster an entrepreneurial mindset or “a critical mix of success-oriented attitudes of initiative, intelligent risk taking, collaboration and opportunity recognition” ( Zhao, 2012 , p. 5). To help develop new survival skills, effective communication and critical thinking skills, and nurture curious, creative, critical thinking, independent and self-directed entrepreneurs, we must disrupt the ways of our school system and the ways our teachers are prepared. It may be worthwhile to extend the commonly used term “career readiness” to “life readiness.”

Research of exemplary educational systems across the world vividly demonstrates that teacher quality is the fundamental element of educational success: “It is especially teachers who shape students’ learning environments and help them reach their intellectual potential”: ( Vieluf et al. , 2012 , p. 113). Teacher education and professional development are definitely one of the primary areas that call for innovative approaches: teachers must be taught to teach well ( Marcus, 2012 ). The “how” of the teaching (instructional methodology) is as important as the “what” (content) ( Morais et al. , 2004 ). A great resource for effective education is the instructional design and methodology used by teachers, as shown by the ITL Research project: “Across countries and classrooms, the characteristics of assigned classroom activities strongly predicted the 21st century skills that students exhibited in their work. Students are much more likely to learn to solve real-world problems and collaborate productively with their peers, for example, if their learning activities are carefully designed to offer opportunities for them to do these things. This finding suggests that professional development for innovative teaching might begin with lesson design” ( UNESCO, 2013 ).

Teacher social status is one of the determining factors of the teacher quality. Teachers’ status in the most advanced countries like Finland, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan is very high. It reflects the quality of teaching and learning and also the level of pedagogic innovations. In our drive to enhance educational innovation, empowering school teachers and college instructors may be the most important task. Mattan Griffel writes, “We need to change the role of teachers. What kind of people do we consider teachers? How do we elevate teachers in society?” ( Crichton, 2015 ). He believes we have to make them “rock stars” and bring new perspectives into the profession.

Eventually, the most recognized pathway to education innovation, writes Shelton, is “[…] basic and applied research […] with more and better leveraged resources, more focus, and more discipline, this pathway can accelerate our understanding of teaching and learning and production of performance enhancing practices and tools” ( Shelton, 2011 ). Research focusing on raising productivity and efficiency and improving the quality of learning has to increase in all critical areas of education. One crucial indicator of educational effectiveness is measuring the quality of learning that remains imperfect. “The lack of good measures has severely limited the degree to which market forces can discipline the provision of educational quality” ( Massy, 2012 ). Developing clear and effective measures of educational quality is an important venue for future innovative research.

Societal support for innovative education and building up a new culture of educational preeminence both inside the education system and around it is paramount for its success. Brunner (1996) suggests viewing education in a broader context of what society intends to accomplish through its educational investment in the young. The best way to achieve superior education is to shape a new educational culture. As Pasi Sahlberg explains, “We are creating a new culture of education, and there is no way back” (Sahlberg, 2011, p. 2).

Innovation can be presented as a model in the context of its effects on the quality of teaching and learning within an educational environment, which is permeated by professional and societal cultures ( Figure 1 ).

Americans’ love affair with the car extends to computers, iPhones, and the internet. Therefore, innovations in education focus primarily on technology and technology applications. Technocentrists want to see education more automated, more technology-enhanced, and more technology-controlled in the hope of making education more effective. The way of doing so would be through more sophisticated LMS’s, automated analytics, customization, or individualization of learning and developing the student as an avid consumer of digital information. While we realize there is no stopping the technological revolution, we educators must do all we can to preserve the primary mission of education, which is reflected in a humanistic approach that caters to the whole person wherein efforts are made to develop a free, independent, critical thinking, active, and effective thinker, doer, citizen, and worker. Educational innovations embrace both views, interacting and enriching each other for society’s common good.

Globalization in education

Along with developing our own innovations and creating a broad base for implementation, it might be useful to look outside the box. As the world becomes more and more globalized, national education systems are shedding their uniqueness and gaining a more universal, homogeneous look (e.g. the Bologna process, which has brought 50 national higher education systems to a common denominator in Europe and beyond) ( Bologna process, 2016 ). Scholars indicate there is “[…] the need for US universities to keep up with the rest of the world in today’s highly competitive educational marketplace” ( Wildavsky et al. , 2012 , p. 1). It is also economically and culturally beneficial to learn from each other in the spirit of global cooperation and share one’s achievements with others. While in the context of globalization it may be convenient to have a common education system across the world, however, to satisfy the needs and expectations of the nation-state it is necessary to continue innovating within one’s own system. The rich international educational palette offers unique solutions to many issues facing US schools and universities.

What attractive innovative approaches exist in the world that could be applied to the US education system? To mention just a few, the Confucian culture of appreciating education in China, Japan, South Korea, and other South-East Asian nations which brings students’ and parents’ positive and respectful societal attitudes toward education and educators; cultural transformation in education and quality teacher preparation in Finland, Singapore, and Shanghai; organizational innovations in schools of Ontario, Canada. In Finland, a new ecosystem for learning was created ( Niemi et al. , 2014 ). Singapore, for one, has become one of the top-scoring countries on the PISA tests by cultivating strong school leadership, committing to ongoing professional development, and exploring innovative models, like its tech-infused Future Schools ( EDUTOPIA, 2012b ). In Shanghai, China, every low-performing school is assigned a team of master teachers and administrators to provide weekly guidance and mentorship on everything from lesson plans to school culture ( EDITOPIA, 2012a ). The list of international innovations to cogitate is, fortunately, extensive. Is this what our educational innovators could do something about?

Daniel Willingham demonstrates a very interesting angle in international education that substantially differs from ours: “In China, Japan and other Eastern countries, intelligence is more often viewed as malleable. If students fail a test or don’t understand a concept, it’s not that they are stupid – they just haven’t worked hard enough yet. This attribution is helpful to students because it tells them that intelligence is under their control. If they are performing poorly, they can do something about it […] Children do differ in intelligence, but intelligence can be changed through sustained hard work” ( Willingham, 2010 , p. 131).

There are numerous exciting foreign examples for the US educators to learn from and innovate, implementing and adapting them to US schools.

Many US educators certainly learn from advanced nations’ educational experiences ( Darling-Hammond, 2010 ; Stewart, 2012 ), but these innovations find a hard way into the school system. A right step in this direction is to integrate global education ideas into teacher preparation programs. A worthy case of opening up a wide world of global education to US teachers and developing outside-the-box thinking is a new specialization in the Master of Arts in Teaching program, “U.S. Education in Global Context” which has been offered at National University since 2014. The principal focus of this specialization is on advanced, innovative, and effective international approaches, ideas, and strategies in teaching and learning that address the needs of the nation and create contemporary school environments to accommodate diverse student populations. Specialization’s goals and objectives are designed to help students develop the knowledge, competencies, skills, and dispositions required of a globally competent citizen and world-class educator. Focusing on the universal need for continuous improvement in teaching and learning, this specialization provides students with a balance of philosophy and theory, practice and application through collaborative research projects and field-based activities. The ultimate outcome of the four-course specialization is an innovative, practical implementation project to apply in the candidates’ schools.

The Finns, Singaporeans, South Koreans, Hong Kongers, and citizens of other nations consider education the best way to improve their country’s economy, and it has worked. An even more remarkable consequence has been a change to their national cultures. This provides a worthy example for other nations, including ours. To sum up, we need to create favorable conditions for growing our own innovations, while taking advantage of the best international theories and practices.

Learning faster, learning better, and at a lower cost?

You don’t have the time, you make the time (Thorin Klosowski).

Among many points for educational innovations time definitely deserves close attention. Time is a significant factor in education. Attempts to save time on learning and raise its productivity are well known to each of us. To increase learning efficiency using so-called accelerated and intensive approaches is a promising path for innovation. These two approaches demonstrate the difference between evolutionary and revolutionary disruptive approaches.

Innovation, as we know, can be called to life by social, political, or professional factors but the strongest is definitely economic. A flat world ( Friedman, 2005 ) means global competition, faster production cycles, and more to keep up with. Time is speeding up. Requirements for workers are rapidly mounting in industry and business due to swiftly changing technologies and fierce international competition. It is impractical to spend a third of one’s active lifetime attending secondary school and college learning in advance what may not be useful on the job in the next 10 to 15 years because manufacturing, technology, and business will completely change.

Additionally, the cost of a college education is rising faster than inflation, though the outcomes are disproportionate to this rise: “[…] tuition has increased faster than inflation, without a comparable increase in the quality or results” ( Brewer and Tierney, 2012 , p. 13). If you ask students what worries them most, it is the cost of the next course and its value for their future job. Education has become more expensive and less affordable for many people. This also creates a heavy burden on the state’s budget. Therefore, educators need to find ways to make education more time and cost efficient ( Hjeltnes and Hansson, 2005 ).

We can identify two possible roads to take. The first is to increase revenue, and this is what the majority of colleges and universities are doing. Raising tuition, however, has its limits; government support is drying out. Cutting costs, on the other hand, may undermine some essential aspects of higher education. The second road is to increase learning productivity defined as the output (learning outcomes measured in certain units) per dollar or per time unit (academic year, semester, month, week, day, or hour). The former can be used to compute cost efficiency, while the latter will help to define time efficiency. Time efficiency and cost efficiency of education are evidently interrelated. The most obvious source of enhancing educational productivity is integration of ICT; however, there are other ways.

Time is the most precious of commodities, especially for WALs. Our own survey of National University students who take accelerated programs, which allow them to graduate sooner than in conventional programs, shows that time is paramount when selecting their learning program ( Serdyukov et al. , 2003 ). When asked what is more important for them, the cost of the program or the time spent learning, 88 percent of surveyed WALs stated that time was more important, and they were willing to pay more for a shorter program of the same quality. So accelerated programs are often more competitive than the conventional extended ones. Serdyukov and Serdyukova (2012) posit that time efficiency of the learning process is a decisive factor in assessing a program or a course. In their opinion, colleges and universities, which are now evaluated based upon the quality of their education, will soon be selected and valued based on the time needed for the learning to take place.

In the same way, programs that cost less will be more competitive than those that cost more. With education budgets decreasing and numbers of learners taking part in education increasing, time and cost efficiency will play an increasing role in determining a program’s, and thus an institution’s, value.

When considering time investment, instructional activities are basically concerned with either learning more in the same time (i.e. growth in learning outcomes without increasing learning time) or learning the same amount of information in less time (decreasing learning time or compressing the course). As Serdyukov and Serdyukova (2006) write: “Can we, the educators, teach more effectively; can students learn more, better and in less time?” (p. 255). The answer to this question can have profound social, economic and personal significance as it may affect a learner’s career and lifestyle, societal attitude toward education, the rate of investment in education, and eventually the nation’s well-being ( Barbera et al. , 2015 ).

Consideration of time investment in learning coupled with recent innovations in cognitive psychology and ET is what brought to life accelerated and intensive programs. Various approaches and methodologies for providing faster and shorter education without compromising academic quality have been described in the literature ( Scott and Conrad, 1992 ; Rose and Nicholl, 1997 ; Bowling et al. , 2002 ; Serdyukov, 2008 ). They are grounded in the newest brain research in the cognitive and emotional potential of learners ( Lozanov, 1978, 1988 ; Kitaigorodskaya, 1995 ), innovative approaches to teaching and learning that use nontraditional organizational forms, techniques and processes ( Boyes et al. , 2004 ; Serdyukov et al. , 2003 ), ET applications, and even fancy programs of learning during sleep ( Ostrander and Schroeder, 2000 ). The most popular approaches are accelerated learning (AL) programs, which use a compressed, short-term course format, and intensive learning (IL) programs, which employ specially organized course structure, visuals, music, and suggestive techniques to open up students’ intellectual and sensitive capacities, thereby contributing to more effective learning.

Accelerated and intensive programs can significantly shorten the duration of the learning measured in class hours, days, weeks, or semesters. In some cases, they can also increase learning outcomes measured in the volume of knowledge constructed or skill sets learned in a given time. ( Serdyukov, 2008 ).

A conventional semester model of college education may not suit a new generation of WALs who take school part-time and need to speed up learning to obtain employable competencies and skills. The AL model delivers a semester program in a shorter period of time than the conventional program model but with the comparable results. National University, for example, offers undergraduate and graduate-level programs using a nontraditional, accelerated 1×1 model of instruction (one month long, one course at a time) for adult learners ( Serdyukov et al. , 2003 ). Onsite classes usually meet two evening sessions per week for four-and-a-half hour each; in some cases, there are two additional Saturday morning sessions of the same duration. Thus, each course runs for eight evenings with one Saturday morning final session for graduate programs (totaling 40.5 hours) or two Saturday sessions for undergraduate programs (totaling 45 hours). Similar models are used by such schools as Cornell College, Colorado College, DeVry University, Northeast University, Grand Canyon University, Tusculum University, and Colorado State University Global.

Online courses also run for four weeks but instead of face-to-face classroom sessions students participate in threaded discussions (one or two per week), view live videoconferencing sessions (one per week), carry out weekly written assignments, develop projects, and in some courses complete mandatory field activities (e.g. teacher preparation programs require school visits for observing and teaching lessons).

The sequential approach when students take one course after another allows for more accumulated and integrated learning experiences. Besides, according to the student survey ( Serdyukov et al. , 2003 ), this 1×1 format helps to unshackle students’ minds and focus their attention and energy on a single subject. It can also make it easier to adapt to the same teaching/learning style in this instructional model. The advantages observed for the sequential model appear to occur because the more intense, consecutive instruction reduces the number of distractions in the students’ lives, thus allowing for more focused attention and ultimately creating a more effective learning environment. Csikszentmihalyi’s (1982) research suggests that “deep concentration,” “immersion” in an activity, and “undivided intentionality” lead to increasingly rewarding “optimal experiences” which nourish and strengthen the self. He also comments that “optimal experience stands out against this background of humdrum everyday life by excluding the noise that interferes with it in normal existence” (p. 22). This becomes evident when we consider the working adult’s hectic life and complicated everyday experiences. Scott and Conrad (1992) state that “concentrated study may cultivate skills and understandings which will remain untapped and undeveloped under the traditional system” (p. 417). Therefore, learning only one content area at a time has become one of the crucial factors of AL.

The intensive approach, a superior level of AL, has been used in many countries primarily for foreign language education, probably the most time-consuming didactic endeavor. One indicator of how efficiently a student has learned a foreign language is the number of words learned, retained, and correctly used in communication, both in oral and written speech (reading and writing). According to research ( Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 2007 ), a person needs to know and be able to use two to three thousand words in a foreign language for basic communication. These so-called communicative skills can be assessed by the ability of the learner to accomplish a communication task in certain communicative situations. Duration of the study course at this level in a conventional institution can reach 200-300 hours. At a rate of two hours a week, the course duration may extend to 100 or more weeks (two years).

When an innovative, intensive instructional methodology, such as suggestopedia ( Lozanov, 1978 ; Kitaigorodskaya, 1995 ; Rose and Nicholl, 1997 ), is used to teach a foreign language, the learning efficiency significantly rises, and the course duration with the same outcomes can be reduced by approximately 50 percent, as compared to a conventional college course. For instance, an initial intensive course can take up to 100 to 150 hours. The course is usually taught with higher frequency and longer lessons (usually four to five hours, two to three or more times a week). Thus, a complete course of study may be completed only in ten weeks (2.5 months). So time efficiency ( Et ) of an intensive foreign language course in the number of hours ( t ) is of the order of 2 (200 hours of a conventional course ( c ) divided by 100 hours of an intensive course ( i )): E t = t c t i ;

Time efficiency of the same intensive course in the number of weeks is of the order of 10: duration of a conventional course ( dc ) (100 weeks) divided by the duration of an intensive course ( di ) (ten weeks): E t = d c d i .

This is a case of disruptive, revolutionary innovation that produces a radical transformation in foreign language learning where learners achieve course goals and objectives in half the study hours and one-tenth of a typical course duration. This approach, which was extremely popular in Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Soviet Union) in the 1980s and 1990s, was to a larger extent inspired by the rise of the Iron Curtain and prospective emigration to the west. Some variations or similar approaches emerged later in Germany, England, Japan, and the USA ( Rose and Nicholl, 1997 ). Why it was not recognized and did not spread throughout US schools and colleges may be partially due to a lack of need (English is spoken worldwide). In addition, it is labor intensive and demands high-level teacher qualifications (special preparation, dedication, excellent dispositions, inventiveness, and very hard work in the class). In addition, it must be taught in specially designed and equipped classrooms. Finally, it depends on students’ elevated intrinsic motivation, work ethic, trust and respect for the teacher, and perseverance, though for a limited time.

Both accelerated and intensive short-term courses demand highly efficient planning, organization, and management of the instructional process. Furthermore, to ensure efficient course delivery, innovative methods and technologies are required for effective presentation, processing, skill development, and real-life applications. Many accomplishments in AL and IL methodologies, incidentally, can be used to teach other than foreign language programs.

learner-centered approach;

specific structure and organization of the course and its content for consistent, “whole” student experience;

effective content presentation in various formats and modalities;

immediate application of new knowledge in authentic situations in the class and real life, and gaining practical outcomes of the course;

iterative process of knowledge construction and skill development ( Serdyukov and Ryan, 2008 );

situated learning ( Lave and Wenger, 1991 ) that uses real-life situations as the basis of learning activities and, especially, in developing professional competence;

continuous active communication, collaboration, and cooperation among students in various small- and big-group activities;

high level of intrinsic motivation developed and constantly supported through emotional involvement of each student in team work and learning process;

instructor’s suggestive, supportive, and efficient teaching style incorporating incessant involvement with the class; immediate, objective, and stimulating feedback; continuous student support;

systemic use of ET in classroom and homework both for content acquisition and skill development, for communication and collaboration, and for maintaining students’ high level of cognitive, physical, and emotional state;

application of suggestive techniques, such as relaxation, ritual structure of classroom activities, positive environment, emotional involvement, and music; and

combination of intensive work and total relaxation.

This approach is rooted in consistent, systemic application of all these principles.

The formula for IL is as follows: The more organized and efficient the instructional system, the more focused the student, the more effort is produced, the better the effect of learning, the faster the rate of learning, and the shorter the process duration ( Serdyukov and Serdyukova, 2006 ). This is why all accelerated and intensive courses are always short (two weeks to 1-2 months long). If no significant effort is applied to learning, then there is no effect, no increase in productivity, and consequently, no opportunity to shorten the duration of the course.

So, accelerated programs that speed up learning by compressing the course duration, while requiring the same number of hours for the same learning outcomes, are an evolutionary innovation. Intensive programs that provide better outcomes in a considerably shorter time are a revolutionary innovation. We can state now that when an innovation ensures significantly better outcomes and saves on cost or time by at least an order of 2 (100 percent) or more, we can call it a revolutionary innovation.

Measuring time in learning can be instrumental for increasing its productivity. Learning to manage time productively is especially acute for independent learners and online students for whom effective time management is a well-known issue. Therefore, teachers need be taught to use time effectively. In teacher preparation programs, for instance, we recommend that teachers use time estimates when planning lessons ( Serdyukov and Ryan, 2008 ; FEA, 2016 ). Thus, making learning more time and cost efficient offers a promising venue for further innovations.

US education desperately needs effective innovations of scale that can help produce high quality learning outcomes across the system and for all students. We can start by intensifying our integration of successful international learning models and creating conditions in our schools and colleges that foster and support innovators and educational entrepreneurs, or edupreneurs ( Tait and Faulkner, 2016 ). Moreover, these transformations should be varied, yet systematic, targeting different vital aspects of education. Deep, multifaceted, and comprehensive innovations, both tangible and intangible, have the capacity to quickly generate scalable effects.

Radically improving the efficiency and quality of teaching and learning theory and practice, as well as the roles of the learner, teacher, parents, community, society, and society’s culture should be the primary focus of these changes. Other promising approaches should seek to improve students’ work ethic and attitudes toward learning, their development of various learning skills, as well as making learning more productive. We also have to bring all grades, from preschool to higher and postgraduate levels, into one cohesive system.

As the price of education, especially at colleges and universities, continues to rise, cost and time efficiency of learning, effective instructional approaches, and methods and tools capable of fulfilling the primary mission of education all will become critical areas of research and inventive solutions. Colleges and universities must concentrate on expanding the value of education, maximizing the productivity of learning, correlating investments with projected outcomes, and improving cost and time efficiency.

Whatever technologies we devise for education, however much technology we integrate into learning, the human element, particularly the learner and teacher, remains problematic. So, while taking advantage of effective educational technologies, we must situate those modern tools within a wider context of human education in order to preserve its humanistic, developmental purpose and, thus, make more effective use of them.

Computers for schools are ready, but are we ready? Our understanding of how students learn and how teachers teach and craft their methodology in technology-based environments remains lacking. Questions to ask are whether current methods help increase learning productivity, and as a result, time and cost efficiency. All technology applications require a solid theoretical foundation based on purposeful, systemic research and sound pedagogy to increase efficiency and decrease possible side issues. When integrating novel technologies in teaching and learning, we must first consider their potential applicability, anticipated costs and benefits, and then develop successful educational practices.

Therefore, the key to a prosperous, inventive society is a multidimensional approach to revitalizing the educational system (structures, tools, and stake holders) so that it breeds learners’ autonomy, self-efficacy, critical thinking, creativity, and advances a common culture that supports innovative education. In order to succeed, innovative education must become a collective matter for all society for which we must generate universal public responsibility. Otherwise, all our efforts to build an effective educational system will fail.

Model of educational innovation

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The author would like to thank Drs Robyn Hill, Sara Kelly and Margot Kinberg for their help in preparing this paper for publication.

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8 innovative ideas for higher education right now.

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Higher education leaders must look to innovation as the way out of the pandemic.

In the months since the world has been embroiled in a global pandemic, there has been considerable dialogue and debate about how higher education should both cope with its immediate threat while also considering pivots toward new models and innovations for the future. And for as many quotes as there have been about “never letting a crisis go to waste,” the reality is that most universities are indeed wasting it. Higher education leaders have been utterly consumed by the here and now. Somehow, they must create the time and intentionality for innovation. Here are 8 ideas worth implementing immediately:

1.      Focus on producing ‘triple threat’ graduates .

Arguably the single greatest critique of higher education is that its graduates are not work ready. At a time when the return on investment is being debated more seriously than ever before, universities that clearly articulate (and deliver on) the value proposition of work readiness for graduates will stand-out to both prospective students and to the employers hiring them on the other end. A triple threat graduate possesses an internship, a long-term project and an industry-recognized credential along with their degree.

2.      Utilize experiential marketing as the new enrollment management strategy.

Higher education marketing has long been an increasingly critical function for meeting enrollment goals. It will only get harder and more complicated in the years to come. One clear strategy for differentiating a university will be providing more prospective students with opportunities to experience the brand. Sure, some of this can be done through on-campus visits – but those are the days of old. Providing high school students with engaging online short-courses as a way of experiencing the value of a university’s education will become one of the highest yield strategies of all-time. If you look hard enough, the data is already there through examples such as summer enrichment programs (on campus and online).

3.      Provide 24-48 hour admissions decisions.  

Why should students wait weeks or months to hear a decision on their admissions application? In the international student marketplace, many universities already turn-around admissions decisions in a matter of a couple of business days. It has become the expectation among prospective students that they will hear right away. And no surprise, the university they hear from first is the one to which they are most likely to matriculate. It’s only a matter of time before domestic admissions follow suit with this kind of speed and responsiveness. The universities doing so will take market share from those who don’t.

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4.      Develop online education worthy of your brand.

Online education is no longer a nice to have. It’s not just reserved for a few online graduate programs for working adults. And it shouldn’t just be thought of as a temporary contingency plan for this academic year. It’s now core to the strategy of any 4-year residential institution that has ambitions to remain relevant, diversify revenue and grow. As a result, the online education your institution provides must achieve a quality worthy of your brand. World-class online instruction is out there; world-class online mentoring and advising is too. So far, too few institutions have strived to achieve it.

5.      Offer condensed and less expensive bachelor’s degrees.

Why should a bachelor’s degree take 4-years or more to complete? Why not condense the academic calendar into a year-round one and provide students with options to blend on-campus and online courses as part of a 3-year bachelor’s degree plan? In fact, why not make it the only option – designed to be completed in three years? Prospective higher ed customers are increasingly seeking shorter, less expensive degree options. The only thing holding us back from doing so is our insistence that we hitch the academic calendar to an agrarian one. By the way, this would also make the U.S. more attractive to international students – who often chose between options in the U.K. where bachelor’s degrees are commonly three years in length.

6.      Launch evergreen degree programs.

Higher ed mission statements frequently refer to life-long learning as one of the most important outcomes of an education. Yet, few institutions have created thoughtful and intentionally-designed structures to support students and graduates as life-long learners. Why not leverage what higher education knows well (degrees) with an innovation that has long been needed - a curriculum that stays with you and keeps you relevant in the workplace long after “graduating.” Why not offer a degree program in which students are always enrolled? It’s not just a curriculum innovation; it will also be a higher ed financing innovation too.    

7.      Identify and develop every shared service possible.

Universities love to reinvent the wheel. And they like to have their own wheels – even though they could just as easily (and perhaps more efficiently and effectively) share those same wheels among other institutions. As more resources have become available online, library services is a good example of a function where universities have increasingly looked to shared services. With mental health services and career services moving rapidly to online and virtual models, these will be functions ripe for incredible shared services innovations among universities. Why build or own when you can borrow, especially if borrowing and sharing might mean better services in addition to lower costs? 

8.      Look to non-degree education as one of the fastest revenue growth and mission-driven expansion opportunities.

If universities think they’re only in the business of offering degrees, they’re in big trouble. As many know, the age demographic of traditional aged students will plummet between 2025 and 2030. And the market signals (such as the one coming from Google last week and from many other employers ) clearly indicate hiring will increasingly tilt toward skills – not degrees. As employers struggle more and more to keep up with the constant re-skilling and up-skilling their employees require, universities have two choices: jump in the game and become a critical non-degree educational partner to employers or let others step in to do so.

Note: This article was adapted from a free webinar presentation that can be found here .

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New research shows the success of a university-led science education program

by University of York

An educational science program run by the University of York's Centre for Industry Education Collaboration has shown itself to have had a significant positive impact on children's attitudes towards science and industry, according to the results of a study.

More than 500 children were asked a series of questions assessing attitudes to science, as part of the study. Out of the 12 questions, all but two showed increased positive responses from pupils. In particular, the number of children who stated "Science is my favorite subject" and "Id like to be a scientist" significantly increased after participating in the Children Challenging Industry (CCI) program.

Responded positively

Some of the most significant increases in the number of children who responded positively to the statement "Industry is useful," which saw an increase by 33.5 percentage points and "Our lives would be worse without industry," where positive responses increased by 20.5 percentage points.

CCI is a science education program delivered in collaboration with STEM companies and aimed at primary school children and teachers. The program, developed and delivered by the Centre for Industry Education Collaboration (CIEC) at York, engages children aged 9–11 in hands-on, problem-solving activities set in real-life industrial contexts and offers professional development for teachers.

Since the CCI program began in 1996, 62,000 children from 2,100 primary schools predominantly in Yorkshire, the North East, North West, Humber, East of England and Yorkshire have participated in practical classroom sessions and associated interactive visits to industry.

The findings of the study have been published in the International Journal of Science Education .

Industry-focused

The Director of the Centre for Industry Education Collaboration, Joy Parvin, said, "I have been involved in the program since 1996, and I am very proud of all the research and evaluation we have carried out since that time, and especially of the team of researchers and teachers who have worked on this project over the years. This has enabled 62,000 children to participate in this highly interactive program, carrying out industry-focused science activities not just in the classroom, but on industrial sites around the country, in partnership with STEM professionals from our many industry partners."

Dr. Maria Turkenburg-Van Diepen, a Research Associate at the University of York, added, "Prior to this study, there was very little research literature about the interaction between primary schools—their teachers and pupils—and local industries. I am so glad the Children Challenging Industry paper is finally here."

In 1989, England introduced a mandatory national science curriculum for primary schools, recognizing its early education importance. Yet, research reveals many children lose interest in STEM by age 11.

The CCI program consists of a unique combination of components designed to place curriculum science in a real-world context. It aims to improve knowledge about and attitudes towards STEM-focused industry, pupils' attitudes towards science and STEM careers.

Manufacturing companies

A crucial component of the program is the link to local science-based manufacturing companies through site visits or industry STEM professionals visiting schools. The classroom activities are delivered by a CIEC advisory teacher, who also gives training for classroom teachers and provides guidance, lesson plans, and all necessary equipment. Teachers are then given free access to the program's resources, which are tailored to the company visited and to the curriculum stage of the pupils.

Dr. Charlotte Evans, Chair of the CIEC's Research Advisory Group, and Senior Lecturer University of Leeds (retired), noted, "There are few programs available to schools and pupils that are as successful as Children Challenging Industry in improving children's positive attitudes towards Science and Industry. I would love to see these wonderful opportunities provided to all primary school children in the UK."

Uniquely, the program uses industrial contexts to enhance pupils' knowledge and experience of working scientifically. Investigations are based on problems encountered within science-based companies, reflecting how science is carried out in real life.

This approach has shown to improve children's attitudes towards the positive impact of industry on society and also increased the number of children who would consider a career working in industry.

Valuable insights

Dr. Agata Lambrechts (University of York) and Dr. Estelia Bórquez-Sáznchez (University of Glasgow) contributed to the published research. Dr. Lambrechts said, "This collaborative effort , alongside colleagues involved in the design, delivery and evaluation of the program over the years, has resulted in valuable insights into fostering a love for science, industry, and future careers in (very) young minds across the country. It's exciting to share this work with the world."

Dr. Bórquez-Sánchez added, "The Children Challenging Industry (CCI) program has provided a new framework for young learners and science teachers, offering unique opportunities in the STEM field to develop their skills and contributing to scientifically literate citizens' development. It would be great to see other primary educational contexts explore the benefits of joining the CCI community."

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The top 5 education innovations needed to keep up in a new economy

Subscribe to the center for universal education bulletin, rebecca winthrop and rebecca winthrop director - center for universal education , senior fellow - global economy and development priya shankar ps priya shankar former research assistant - center for universal education, brookings institution.

October 4, 2016

At the recent United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York, we heard the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity provide a sobering outlook of global education in a new report, The Learning Generation . This seminal report highlights an alarming reality: 2 billion —or half—of all current jobs are projected to disappear by 2030 due to automation. Even more worrisome is the predictions that if we continue to progress at our current pace, by 2030 half of all the youth— over 800 million young people —will not have basic secondary education level skills needed to keep up in a new economy. It is clear that globalization, advances in technology, and changing employment threaten to leave many behind.

It is clear that globalization, advances in technology, and changing employment threaten to leave many behind.

The report, which was presided over by some of the world’s top thought leaders , is a wakeup call for the global community on the critical nature of the education challenge around the globe. It also provides a much needed path forward, articulating an ambitious call to action that includes major shifts in how we use educational resources as well as for a serious scale up of investment from both developing countries and the international community. Ultimately, the report argues that it is possible to create a learning generation, where all children and youth have the skills needed to thrive in the 21st century. Indeed, this would, the report argues, be the “largest expansion of educational opportunity in history.” While the focus of the commission is on low- and-middle-income countries, many of the issues raised are consistent across the globe.

The commission puts forward a series of clear action steps to achieve this goal. Key findings from the report outline strengthening performance by allocating resources more efficiently and learning from results-driven systems. It also proposes that education ecosystems capitalize on creative approaches and improved types of financing mechanisms. And finally, it recommends that leaders prioritize inclusion to reach the most disadvantaged children by investing in sectors beyond education that also play a role in learning, such as health. In short, the commission looks to four transformations in the areas of performance, innovation, finance, and inclusion to achieve the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 4.

Five top takeaways on fostering innovation

The commission makes a persuasive argument for doing something radical. Alongside many other important recommendations, it highlights the potential of innovation—an area of particular interest at the Center for Universal Education at Brookings—to transform education systems. We find five top takeaways around spurring innovation from the report, all of which should be given serious consideration. They include the role: (1) skills, (2) teachers, (3) technology, (4) non-state actors, and (5) accreditation play in supporting and delivering innovations in education.

• Skills needs are changing. The commission makes a strong case for cultivating a breadth of skills for children and youth to compete in the 21st century economy. As it stands today, already some 40 percent of employers find it difficult to recruit employees with skills like critical thinking and communication.  But as the report emphasizes, cultivating a breadth of skills is largely a delivery challenge , which requires education systems to capitalize on opportunities to innovate at all levels of the ecosystem.
• Education systems must work to expand and strengthen the education workforce. The commission provides evidence for strengthening the education workforce with the rising demand of teachers . Much can be learned from the health sector here, which has helped expand access to care by diversifying the roles of health workers. Expanding the roles of teachers could enable them to become facilitators of learning rather than transmitters of content, or leverage community members to help unburden tasks. Tools such as the Stanford Mobile Inquiry-based Learning Environment platform could also play a critical role in unburdening teachers by giving them options to easily engage and simultaneously assess students while encouraging critical thinking.
• The application of technology to learning offers huge opportunities . From enhancing learning to improving data collection to driving down costs, the commission takes a strong focus in how technology functions across innovations. Examples like Can’t Wait to Learn show the massive potential of gamified tablets to reach children in conflict and help children acquire 21st century skills such as social and analytical skills. Other platforms like KA Lite offer offline versions of Khan Academy to provide content where internet access is limited.
• Partnerships with non-state actors are critical for improving educational capacity. Delivering quality education is a team effort, which requires the full participation of a diverse set of organizations. In fact, the commission provides evidence that a majority of innovations are already delivered by non-state actors. Therefore, it encourages governments to turn to the full potential of the education ecosystem to meet the challenges ahead. With appropriate regulation and effective partnerships, civil society organizations, businesses, and employers can work closely with governments and educators to play an important role in building a learning generation.
• Flexible accreditation systems are increasingly important. Ultimately, investments in alternative learning pathways like open educational resources such as massive open online courses must be supported by the entire environment to achieve results. To support the delivery of innovations, the commission affirms the need for countries, industries, and employers to broaden their approaches to skills verification. In order to match the diversity of flexible learning opportunities, “employers—individually or by sector—should be encouraged to endorse and certify pathways of online learning, including through recognition mechanisms such as badges , which signal the acquisition of skills to education institutions and employers through metadata and proof-of-work.”

Generally, our research hopes to raise questions and generate ideas to better deliver the breadth of skills to all children in the world—the skills they will need to succeed in a rapidly changing world where more likely than not the jobs they will hold have not yet been invented.

Need for non-linear progress

The Center for Universal Education has been happy to play a role in the commission’s efforts, first in our recommendations in 2015 to establish such a commission, which were taken up under Norway’s leadership at the high-level Oslo summit the same year, and then in our contributions as a research partner through a series of soon to be released background papers, including one on innovations and technology. Generally, our research hopes to raise questions and generate ideas to better deliver the breadth of skills to all children in the world—the skills they will need to succeed in a rapidly changing world where more likely than not the jobs they will hold have not yet been invented. The Learning Generation does just that, and with a more ambitious vision and voice than ever before.

Now, we are expanding our scan of education innovations across the globe. Central to our research is the question of how to achieve the rapid progress called for by the commission. In fact, we think many innovative models hold promise to help education “leapfrog.” In other words, we are interested in the potential of innovative models to jump ahead in children’s educational access to quality, relevant learning. We will look specifically at dimensions of the teaching and learning environment, the progression and recognition of learning, and catalytic tools that could be leveraged to improve learning such as technology. We see immense value in innovation, and we hope to discover conditions of education that can produce a leapfrog effect and contribute to what the commission ultimately calls for—the largest scale up in quality learning the world has ever seen.

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College of Medicine Peoria

Equity innovation medicine (equimed) program, intro heading link copy link.

EquIMED is a longitudinal, four-year elective offering medical students the opportunity to experience health care and health care delivery models in low resource settings.

Students accepted into the program gain a deep understanding of the barriers that exist in rural, urban, and global health care settings. Core to the elective involves developing innovative tools to solve fundamental problems. Students will draw from clinical experiences to solve real-world problems.

Participants also will:

• Gain competency in interdisciplinary problem-solving
• Learn about engineering design and process improvement
• Experience austere medicine first-hand at one of many international sites
• Understand the process of change management
• Build relationships with their cohort

Brett Austin Heading link Copy link

Choosing to apply to [EquIMED] was definitely the best choice I made during med school. I learned so much more than I could have hoped for: cultural humility, keeping a humble and open mind and approaching situations without preconceived notions. You can’t come up with a solution to an ill-defined problem, and there is always more to learn and practice. Finally, my participation in [EquIMED] and the impact on residency cannot be overstated as every application and interview asked about the program. Brett Austin  |  Class of 2022, Internal Medicine Resident, The Mayo Clinic

Curricular Overview Heading link Copy link

EquIMED spans all four years of medical school. Learning activities include lunch and learn seminars, medical colloquia, online learning, global rural health simulation training, a two-week immersive rotation at a global rural site, local rural site, or local urban site, and a capstone project.

• Seminars, online lectures and EquIMED colloquia (32 hours)
• Global Rural Health Simulation (80 hours)
• Austere Innovation (80 hours)
• EquIMED Capstone Project (40 hours)

Application Information Heading link Copy link

Additional Information:

• Accepts 8 students per year
• About 1/3 of the program is independent, self-directed
• Students may concurrently enroll in EquIMED and UICOMP’s  Rural Student Physician Program
• This is a longitudinal elective. Credit is awarded in M4 year upon completion of requirements

Amber Bennington Heading link Copy link

I didn’t have a single interview for residency that didn’t touch on [EquIMED]. They [the interviewers] were super excited to talk about the projects and started asking what would this [project] look like if we used it in our community? I even had people ask if they could partner on the project. Amber Bennington  |  Class of 2022, Pediatrics Resident, University of Arizona College of Medicine

Frequently Asked Questions Heading link Copy link

What is the equimed program.

Equity Innovation Medicine (EquIMED) — formerly Innovation in Rural Global Medicine (IRGmed) — is a four-year elective available to medical students at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria. It teaches students the tools and techniques of innovation required to create sustainable change, improve access to health care, and reduce health disparities in underserved communities both globally and in the US. This unique program incorporates the expertise of OSF Innovation located in the Jump Trading Simulation and Education Center to help students create and develop solutions to real-world health challenges.

The EquIMED program strives to continually grow our partners, the longest standing of which is Mbarara University of Science and Technology (https://www.must.ac.ug/) , with prototypes being developed with academic partner innovation programs, such as Bradley University.

First and Second Years

Through the established partnership, EquIMED students not only experience health care delivery and public health from expert practitioners, they also learn from experts in the fields of engineering, medical visualization, human-centered design, advanced analytics, and performance improvement through multiple interactive small group seminars and simulations.

Students complete a 2-week course that includes a variety of classroom and simulation sessions to provide students with an understanding of clinical care practice in austere settings, cultural humility, and the innovation design process. Students then complete a 2-week immersive experience in a resource-limited environment where they work with key stakeholders to develop innovative prototype solutions to address local health challenges. Some prototypes will then be further developed in partnership with multidisciplinary teams at Bradley University.

Fourth Year

Students complete a capstone project that includes a final paper, poster, and presentation to demonstrate what they’ve learned about how innovation can be used to reduce health disparities and improve care in the most vulnerable populations in the U.S. and globally, including many resource-limited communities.

Where will the students be during their two-week immersive experiences and what will they do there?

Students have the option to be placed at one of the global rural, U.S. rural, or U.S. urban partner sites. In AY 2019-2023, immersive experiences were completed in Mbarara, Uganda at our partner site, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (https://www.must.ac.ug/) , at the Consortium for Affordable Medical Technology (CAMTech) (https://camtechuganda.must.ac.ug/) , Danville, IL and Streator, IL. Global and U.S. sites may vary from year to year.

Students are assigned problem statements specific to their placement site, and onsite, they will work to present research summaries, learn from local subject matter experts, identify gaps in care delivery, observe existing processes, and finally develop prototype solution pitches.

What kinds of health challenges are the students working on?

The previous health challenge topics included: improving access to prenatal care; early screening and diagnosis of depression; empowerment and education of “patient attendants” as part of a clinical team; access to sustainable mobility devices; alternative casting materials, adherence to diabetic treatment, food insecurity and utilization of a mobile clinic to reach vulnerable populations.

EquIMED leadership will work collaboratively with partner sites to identify specific, pertinent, and current health challenge topics that exist in their communities. Students will be assigned topics in the fall semester (M3 year) prior to departure.

What makes this course relevant nationally and globally?

Low-resource communities in the U.S. and around the world face significant disparities in health outcomes. These are complex challenges that will require creative and innovative solutions not only to reduce cost but also to improve access to quality care and improve health outcomes in our most vulnerable populations. By collaborating with U.S. and global partners, information and solutions can be shared across borders to improve the lives of people in the U.S. and around the world.

When you talk about innovative solutions, what do you mean?

Innovative solutions could include a digital tool or technology, a better way of identifying at-risk individuals or communities, or improving education and communication through the use of technology. The key components of this innovative approach are developing solutions that are sustainable, highly scalable, applicable in multiple low-resource settings, and improve health equity among vulnerable populations.

Contact Us Heading link Copy link

Erica litzsey, john vozenilek, testimonials heading link copy link.

I love the way the [EquIMED] program is set up. In the first years of medical school, we learn about challenges people face, you learn about what health inequity actually is, the need to address social determinants of health and what it means to be an innovator on a broad level. In our third year, we got to be innovators and go to into community and practice what we learned about. During our fourth year, we got to be leaders, advisors and clinical experts with our projects. Saad Kothawala  |  Class of 2022, Emergency Medicine Resident, UICOMP

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S.4950 - A bill to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act regarding Native American programs. 118th Congress (2023-2024) | $(document).ready(function () { $('#alert-BILL-451935-766').congress_Alert({ type: 'BILL', id: '451935', buttonDivId: 'alert-BILL-451935-766', buttonText: 'Get alerts', buttonTextIfLoggedIn: 'Get alerts', buttonTextIfHasAlert: 'Cancel Alerts', buttonTextIfHasDialog: 'Edit Alerts', dialogDivId: 'alert-dialog-BILL-451935-766', titleText: 'To get email alerts ', alertSourceType: '', alertMessageText: "", titleTextIfLoggedIn: 'Get email alerts ', titleTextAddendum: '', titleTextIfHasAlert: 'Cancel this alert?', showEditDialogue: 'true', editAlertDialogTitle: 'Track Changes - Choose one or more (Optional) Help ', hideEditLink: 'false', dataSet: '', countLimitReached: 'true', cannotAddNewAlertDialogTitle: 'Cannot add new alert', cannotAddNewAlertDialogMessage: '' }); });

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A bill to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act regarding Native American programs.

Announcing The Top 100 Internship Programs of 2024

Founded by WayUp in 2017, National Intern Day highlights outstanding interns and internship programs every year. Yello is proud to be part of National Intern Day since our merging with WayUp in 2021. To that end, we hope National Intern Day serves as a reminder to employers to recognize how investing in a diverse internship program can be an investment in their own future.

Offering a standout internship program that fairly compensates interns and provides unique learning and growth opportunities has become increasingly important for employers looking to build their talent pipeline and position themselves as an employer of choice. In the data we’ve collected from hundreds of employers about their internship programs, a few key trends stand out:

• Internships remain an incredibly effective way for employers to familiarize and develop a pipeline of qualified candidates for early talent roles. Many nominations highlighted an outcomes focused approach with a focus on providing full time employment opportunities to their interns.
• 99% of employers that nominated their programs offer paid internships, with many offering additional perks like EAPs (Employee assistance programs), mental health resources, health and wellness benefits, housing stipends, relocation assistance, and even 401K matching in some cases. 
• Employers are more frequently involving intern alumni in their programs, including alumni-led panels and having alumni mentor current interns and serve as an exclusive professional network. Leaning into your alumni network can be a great way to provide guidance and nurture current interns.
• Organizations continue to put a heavy focus on gathering feedback during and after their programs to make improvements and remain attractive employers for Gen Z talent. This allows them to tailor their programs to the needs of their interns and provide better development opportunities.

We hope National Intern Day continues to serve as a reminder to employers to recognize how investing in your internship program is an investment in your own future.

We received hundreds of thoughtful nominations this year getting a spot on the Top 100 List was extremely competitive. In addition to the Top 100 Internship Programs List, we’re pleased to announce the winners of 5 specialty awards that we introduced last year:

• #1 Program Winner
• DEI Champion Award
• Intern Growth Award
• Innovation Award
• Small but Mighty Award 

It’s our pleasure to reveal 2024’s #1 Program Winner: Synchrony Financial!

Synchrony Financial’s internship program is dedicated to every element of the intern experience, from networking opportunities to a supportive peer environment to gaining hands-on experience in real-world business scenarios. Interns have access to a wellness coach and fully paid and furnished housing, as well as a dedicated intern space to connect with each other.

Synchrony’s program balances career and personal development so well, in fact, that their pathway to full-time employment is close to 100%!

We’re also excited to announce this year’s other winners:

Ge appli ances, a haier company – dei champion award winner.

GE Appliances’ internship program demonstrates their commitment to DEI through a variety of efforts with measurable outcomes. With 8 employee resource groups focused on providing diverse perspectives, interns have the chance to partake in mentorship programs and networking and volunteer events. Their Inclusion and Diversity Week promotes training and discussion about timely topics that affect employees (including interns). To top it all off, they even provide local housing and have a network in place for those without vehicles to commute to work together.

Unilever – Intern Growth Award Winner

With a structured program for interns to develop technical and soft skills, nurture their curiosity about career possibilities, and mentorship opportunities, Unilever upholds a culture of continuous learning. Interns at Unilever have the opportunity to create personalized career development plans with their mentor, join an exclusive alumni network, and receive continued support through post-internship check-ins.

Endeavor (WME, IMG, On Location, 160/90) – Innovation Award Winner

Endeavor offers interns the chance to not only work in the entertainment industry, but to make their mark on it. Their interns have the opportunity to work with sports broadcasters, fashion designers, and grammy award-winning musicians. Interns also get to work alongside talent representatives, marketing agencies, and global clients in a collaborative environment that encourages innovation and teamwork, preparing interns for real-world challenges. Plus, they get to attend company-sponsored events like Dodgers and Mets games.

Keiter CPA s – Small but Mighty Award Winner

Despite being a small organization, Keiter CPAs offers a multitude of opportunities for their interns. Working alongside firm leadership and clients, interns are treated as firm members. They offer an extensive onboarding process, hands-on development opportunities, industry and soft-skill training, and even a helicopter ride around Richmond, VA! The buddy program also ensures that interns have a friendly point of contact for day-to-day questions and familiarizing themselves with the firm culture.

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Announcing the top 100 internship programs of 2023.

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