All around us we hear this word: “innovation.” When we talk about innovations in education, we are not just talking about the technological side. Generally speaking, they focus on making positive changes that benefit students directly.
Why are innovations in education important?
From artificial intelligence to social media, technological innovations influence our values and lifestyle. It is clear that education must keep up with these changes. We can already see a discrepancy between the way new technologies are reshaping the profile of future generations in the labour market and the current ways of transferring information.
Innovation in education is particularly important, given that the young minds shaped by the education system today will bring about tomorrow’s change. This is a necessary investment to continue to progress with the same speed and quality as we do now.
How do we innovate education?
For some teachers innovation means the flexibility to choose what and how to teach, for others it means the possibility to create a comfortable space to make mistakes and ask questions. Innovative solutions need to be found for teachers to teach students how and to explore, to work with them, why, on different subjects.
Students need to be challenged to think critically, communicate lucidly and synthesize the solutions they find. In addition, they should develop creative and practical skills.
The adoption of different teaching methods, as well as new subjects in the curriculum are just some of the innovations that can be brought to the education system. Using videos and debating are examples of tools that can be easily used in the classroom.
Examples of innovations in education
- To improve student communication skills, a school hosts a student-run TV studio. During each show, students highlight each other’s creative achievements. As part of the Respect Project, designed to promote politeness and manners, students create and edit videos that highlight the value or manner of the month. These videos are broadcast on student news. Through the TV studio, students need to collaborate and become 21st century media producers by filming, producing, directing and performing live broadcasts.
- In aid of informal education comes the Creative Education educational platform. It provides materials (books, articles, study houses, examples from the market of ASA YES and ASA NO) for young people to start with some know-how before starting their studies and even during their bachelor’s, master’s and even doctoral studies.
They say that every challenge is, in reality, an opportunity. This is how we can also get the impact that the pandemic has had on education. This crisis has brought to the attention that the digitization of education is essential. The use of new technologies and the involvement of creativity in the teaching process have put teachers to the test. This may only be the beginning of a general innovation in education.