Innovation and Teaching

Over the last couple of weeks I have presented two workshops/presentations to staff at Macquarie University on Innovation in Teaching at part of the programme offered by the Learning and Teaching Centre of the university.

Below is a copy of the presentation (in movie format) developed and used in both workshops.

Innovation can be seen as being radical or incremental as outlined in the slide below (taken from a presentation given by Valerie Hannon).

The notion of Next Practice was presented. The model presented is based upon that developed by the Innovation Unit in London.

The following framework was presented as a scaffold for developing innovation. It has been developed from frameworks developed from Next Practice Programme: Third sector development through brokerage (2010) and Innovation Self Evaluation Activity (2008).

I found the conversation stimulating and encouraging. I'm always interested how people take forward ideas they are presented.

Redesigning Learning

The redesign of learning spaces is linked to rethinking and redesigning schools. This clip from Teachers.tv, System Redesign - How to Transform Your School is an excellent resource for opening up the thinking and conversations about redesigning the system of schooling. I'd be interested in others responses to the clip.

There has for a long time been a sense that there is a lack of congruence between school buildings/learning spaces, teachers/teaching and learners/learning.

A former colleague and mentor of mine, Kate Clancy (an outstanding educator and now Principal of Santa Sabina College, Strathfield, Australia) has, for many years, described this problem as learning taking place in 19th Century schools, with 20th Century teachers and 21st Century learners.

The video clip is a nice synthesis of some of the current thinking around redesigning. It draws upon some recent work from the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, an organisation I was fortunate enough to visit in 2006 to examine innovation. iNet is the international network that evolved from SSAT. It connects nicely with the concept of Next Practice – an area I am particularly interested in exploring further with schools.

What if … ? questions can open up thinking beyond current practice and shape new practices.

I was recently in a school that has established a strong working partnership at the leadership level with it’s neighbouring primary schools and the secondary school. The possibilities are endless for redesigning learning by exploring some of the "What ifs?".

What if …

• There was shared leadership across the schools to improve numeracy for all students

• Stage 3 and Stage 4 teachers worked together to address transition in investigating, planning, implementing and evaluating programmes

• Teaching expertise were shared within and between the schools and was made available to other teachers and to the students

• The network of neighbouring schools saw themselves as a learning precinct with shared responsibilities to the communities they served.

The list could go on!

Creativity and Innovation: Beyond Best Practice presentation

The responses to my presentation at the recent ACEL conference have been very positive.

I am always interested in what others take away with from presentations and am happy to receive correspondence to explore ideas further.

From the emails I have received since it would seem that the following were key messages taken away:
1. Teaching should be seen as the Learning Profession - this my catch phrase at the moment.
2. Teaching, as a profession, should claim learning as its territory.
3. Best Practice should be seen as indicative practice rather than prescribed practice.
4. The challenges posed by the concept of Next Practice are worth exploring further.

The Innovations Unit in England has been pioneering the way with Next Practice in schooling and education.

I have included in the Links for this Blog some of the useful references developed by The Innovations Unit on Next Practice.

Innovations Unit

I have had a fabulous time visiting the Innovations Unit. The Unit was established as part of the DfES.

I have had the opportunity to talk with:
Anne Diack, Director
Deryn Harvey, Director
Valerie Hannon, Director
Paul Mortimor, Associate and Head Teacher.

I was also able to meet with David Jackson from NCSL (Networks) who has arranged for me to visit NCSL at Cranfield. They had initially declined my request to visit.

I came across some interesting ideas and practices.

• There is legislation through The Power to Innovate that legitmises the importance of teachers thinking outside of the box.
• Teachers don't realise their power.
• Move beyond the notion of the best can lead the rest.
• Disciplined Innovation - to move beyond the "sowing 1000 seeds and letting 1000 flowers bloom"
• Next Practice thinking as well as Best Practice thinking
• Systems supporting innovation not only financially but more importantly in thinking.
• Those engaged in innovation are trying out on behalf of the profession

Five Stages of developing Next Practice

1. Needs analysis

2. Horizon Scanning

3. Mobilisation

4. Generating Creative Options

5. Field Trial