How can schools become effective organisations at encouraging and sharing effective practice and innovation? Dr Anne Bamford [email protected].

How can schools become effective organisations at encouraging and

sharing effective practice and innovation?

Dr Anne [email protected]

Context

Schools need to develop the capacity for managing change and innovation. ‘Schools’ include teachers, principals, administrative staff, students, government (local, state, national), community.

Technology is driving an insatiable rate of change and the need for innovation.

Government ‘initiatives’(perceived lack of ownership, more in an already overcrowded curriculum)

Life in organisations is uncertain and complex Need to build innovation capacities in schools Innovation needs to be ‘cultured’ and learnt.

Schools are…

• Organised Anarchies (Cohen and March 1989)

• Ambiguity models (Bell 1989)

• Looseness of articulation between sub-units (Bidwell 1965)

• Structures of incompatibility between bureaucracies and educating children (Horne 1992)

Is innovation the ‘I’ word?

• Passionate teachers are lifelong learners and reflective individuals who constantly innovate.

• Passionate teachers are risk-takers• Innovation is rewarding “How I always thought

I would teach.”• Not about doing ‘more’ but doing things

differently.• Innovation must be about doing things ‘better’,

innovation is transformative.

When the slateboard was invented in the late 1800’s it

was thought to be a major event

that would change schools

forever!

Innovation is like a chameleon blending so easily with its surroundings that we are almost unaware of the way it has impacted on the learning environment.

Need to involve the school in planning,research and evaluation capacities

Conceptualising classroom conditions Selecting, adapting or developing

effective models of practice (pedagogy)

Building communication capacitiesDeveloping reflective, evaluative and

research capabilities.

Marginalisation of the role or teachers, students and

community• Teachers, students

and community need to feel a sense of satisfaction, interaction, order, discipline, commitment

Sample projects

• Adobe project• Eapi Project• Schools Plus (EU)• Ednets• Innovations Network

Adobe visual literacy

EAPI: Education and Arts Partnership Initiative

EDNET

Schools Plus

Some indicators of successful schools as innovation organisations…

• Collaboration/partnerships/building networks• Direct engagement of teachers and students in

the innovation process• Affinity between school ‘players’• Extensive and context specific learning repertoires• Sustainability (of resources not necessarily the

project)• Structural as well as pedagogical adjustments• Ongoing reflection and capacity building

• Cultural linkage• High degrees of participation• Tight coupling of core values

but teacher and student autonomy and discretion.

• Enhanced communication• Strong goal orientation

(focus of innovation)• Passion and commitment• Publication and

communication• Industry partners (active

partners in educational research, development and innovation)

School ‘twinning’• 3 year cycles of innovation

funding• First hand and transferred

innovation.• Peer-to-peer (innovation is

catchy!)• Rewarding teachers for sharing

expertise (recognition of intellectual property).

• Innovation builds innovation• Microcosms in a global network• Actual meetings and virtual

spaces (Ednets embedding ICT in innovation/discipline based settings)

• Pebbles in a pond

Seamlessness…

• Seamless classrooms (blur work and play)

• Seamless curriculum• Seamless ICT• Seamless transitions (preschool,

primary, secondary, tertiary)• Seamless school, community, industry• Seamless classroom, local community,

national identity, international focus

Ways to get started…

• Innovation networks• Innovation seminars• Multimedia studies• Industry promotion• Innovation ambassadors (including children)• Awards programs

Processes of innovation

• Use initiative• Identify,assess and

manage risk• Generate and use

creative ideas and processes.

• Carry out agreed responsibilities

• Match personal strengths to aspects of innovation

• Learn from mistakes

• Use time, energy and resources effectively and sustainability

• Seek advice• Be flexible• Build networks• Communicate to

influence• Monitor and

evaluate

Provocations…• Innovation sets up a series of expectations in the schools

and communities. How do we develop and extend these in the longer term (sustainability vs prolonging)?

• How can innovation in industry or society be more rapidly and effectively introduced to schools?

• How can we really determine the nature of quality innovations?

• How can the children be more directly involved in innovative communication strategies?

• What constitutes innovative evidence? Redefine ‘hard’. How can schools be more directly involved in evidence gathering?

• How can we make research more accessible to schools?

Educators need to make a leap of faith and a willingness to

turn themselves over to the task of

designing meaningful learning

experiences for young people.