EDU2002: Global Innovations in Education

Lecture 1: Introducing the concept of innovation in education

Dr James Stanfield & Gopal Iyer

Tuesday 3rdth October

• What is EDU2002 and how will you be assessed?• Guest speaker• BREAK• What is the status quo in education and why are

some people are very critical? • Gopal review of the reading• What does innovation in education look like to

you?

Plan of action

The module will aim to:• introduce students to the concept of innovation in education by

looking at a range of contemporary issues and themes;• introduce students to the latest innovations in education in the

UK and abroad;• enable students to critically assess and analyse the successes

and failures of different innovations;• encourage students to consider potential future innovations and

how they could impact on education and teaching.

Outline of Syllabus• Innovation – for what purpose?• Innovations in external relationships• Innovation in curriculum• Innovation in teaching style• Innovation in classroom and school design• Innovation in the methods of assessment• Patterns in innovation• Barriers to innovation

The role of technology will not be discussed in this module

Designing a 21st Century School

Newcastle City Council have decided to build several new schools in the city that meet the changing needs of children and the wider community in the 21st century. They would like these schools to be designed by groups of students on the BA (Hons)

Education at Newcastle University.

The Council has not provided any recommendations relating to the size of the school, the age of the children that should attend the school, or the curriculum and

assessment system which should be used.

However, in a controversial move, the Council has requested that these new schools must be technology free zones. This decision follows a recent

OECD report which found that simply increasing the number and use of computers in a school was unlikely to result in significant improvement in “educational

outcomes”.

Interested parties are asked to prepare a 20 minute presentation to introduce their new school design to the Council on Tuesday 21st November (2-5pm) 2017.

AssessmentProject presentation – Tuesday 21st Nov 2017

2,500 word essay – Wednesday 31st Jan 2018

Readings• A reading will be set for each week (apart

from week 1) • These will be emailed to you on Thursday

together with a reflection sheet• Gopal will lead a discussion on each

reading • We expect you to reference each reading in

your assignments

The website• https://ncledu2002.wordpress.com/• A one stop shop for everything you need• After each lecture, a brief review will be

added to the website• This will include questions for you to

consider and links to examples of best practice, interesting blogs, podcasts and videos

• We recommend that you spend 1 hour a week reading the review of the lecture and following any of the links that you find interesting

Guest speaker

Definition of innovation

”Educators need to think of innovating as those actions that significantly challenge key

assumptions about schools and the way they operate. Therefore, to innovate is to

question the 'box' in which we operate and to innovate outside of it as well as within."

Elliot Washor, 2009.

What does the status quo (the box) look like

in education?

Gopal’s review of the reading

What does innovation in education look like

to you?

Vicki Albritton, Georgia, USA

“Innovation in education must include the student voice. Innovation means that risk-taking is OK and that failure isn’t the end. Innovation is often messy — scary and beautiful and nerve-wracking and exhilarating, all

at the same time.”

Mahrukh Bashir, Depok, Lazuardi, INDONESIA

“To me, innovation in education means looking beyond past and current ideas to search for ideas that will work in the future. That is the

world in which our learners will live”.

Malgorzata Guzicka, Legnica, POLAND

“Innovation is a continuous process. It involves continuous learning (also from our students). It involves searching for ideas, collaborating with other teachers, and keeping students engaged

and motivated. It helps us to stay motivated and engaged.”

Hyuk Jang, Busan, SOUTH KOREA

“I think of the expression ‘Don’t put new wine into old bottles’ when talking about innovation in education. The world is

changing. However, people still teach and learn in a way that was invented in the Industrial Revolution. It doesn’t work any more. It can’t solve complex problems created by the current

social system, and it doesn’t educate students to be more creative. I believe education now should be individualized, free

to access with resources online, and focused on real life knowledge and application.”

Carla Staffa, Minnesota, USA

“It looks like chaos. By that I mean not the structured rows of students we’ve had in the

past, but experimentation, iteration and failure. That’s where innovative education rests for

me.”

QUESTIONS