Why Is Innovation Important in Education?
On 15 November, the European Education Area (EEA) is hosting the 2024 European Innovative Teaching Award ceremony. The event will celebrate the creativity of 96 educational facilities in promoting well-being in schools. The EEA launched the Innovative Teaching Award in 2021. Since then, almost 400 Erasmus+ projects have received a prize for their creative approach to finding classroom solutions. But why is innovation in education important?
Parents and educators are painfully aware of the complexities today’s students face. They consider it part of their duty of care to develop fresh resources to prepare children, teens, and young adults for ever-accelerating lives. This post examines how and why educators across the globe have embraced innovation in education.
By now, children, teens, and young adults have learned to approach modern life with more agility than most of us. Yet it is our responsibility to support and protect them. Educators across the world have developed new resources, thus prioritising innovation in education. As the European Education Area prepares for its annual Innovative Teaching Award Ceremony, it is only fitting to look at some of the most creative approaches to teaching.
Innovation Across the World
Innovation in Education goes far beyond embracing new technologies. According to Unicef “It’s about solving a real problem in a fresh, simple way to promote equity and improve learning.” The global aid organisation invests considerable resources into supporting teachers, schools, and governments to strengthen education systems and ultimately ensure that children thrive. From collaborating with grandparents and young parents in setting up early childcare to providing solar-powered tablets to Sudanese children, Unicef has grasped the importance of finding innovative educational approaches.
In the US, the Institute for Innovation in Education analyses current educational structures to identify areas of improvement and develop fresh ideas, especially to work with “traditionally underrepresented student groups (including students who experience racialized marginalization and students with disabilities)”.
Australian universities are also innovating. Speaking to BBC News, Dean of Studies at UTS Insearch Tim Laurence, said:
Part of the Australian way of education is developing students’ abilities to think and process information and make decisions using the same models that successful Western businesses use [to innovate]. It might open their eyes to [different] ways of doing things that are possibly more entrepreneurial, more flexible and more innovative.”
In South America, the Peruvian government in collaboration with Unesco has worked to boost innovation in education through various initiatives. News outlet, India Today, reports that “India’s education system is evolving rapidly, demanding future-ready classrooms that adapt to emerging technologies and innovative teaching methods.
Closer to home at the Academy for Educational Innovation in Larissa, Greece, educators can participate in various Erasmus+ programmes to explore new methodologies and creative innovations.
The above examples provide a tiny insight into the energy flowing into educational innovation worldwide. The reasons behind this fervent drive depend on the learning needs of students and may differ considerably. However, experts and scholars have identified several core causes.
Why Innovation Is a Must
One only has to bring to mind the fundamental differences in the world of today’s children to recognise the need for innovation immediately. Yet in many ways, education has not kept pace. Schools have embraced technology and prioritised mental health, but the new needs of children, teens, and young adults remain pressing.
In the past, children went to school with kids from the area, never venturing far afield. Today’s kids find themselves in little multicultural societies in the classroom and bombarded with global news and images online. As a result, they have much more to handle and process, meaning educators must equip them with the right tools.
If you speak to teachers at all levels, you will hear stories of social problems, behavioural issues, and pupils struggling in different ways. One teacher told me that today’s teachers must do the work of a social worker, such is the multitude of problems.
The good news is that educators have stepped up in many imaginative ways with education departments and governments providing much-needed support. Looking at some of the innovative initiatives, the future of education looks bright.
Erasmus+ Teaching Innovation Initiative
The European Commission and Education Area have made education innovation a top priority. Numerous initiatives, each with a specific innovation target, document the EU’s commitment to quality education across all member states.
Many Erasmus Plus programmes already deliver educational innovation in spades. Teachers and higher education staff attending Erasmus+ programmes broaden their horizons, returning home with a bag full of ideas and a renewed passion for teaching.
From learning through music and social and emotional learning courses right through to mindfulness for the classroom, the abundance of innovative approaches has never been greater.
The prestigious Innovative Teaching Awards have propelled many European educators to conceptualise, design, and execute highly creative projects. Let’s pick out a few of the 96 laureates:
Art Therapy for Autism by Școala Gimnazială Specială, Romania
In this programme, teachers of ASD pupils learned how to place art therapy firmly at the heart of the curriculum. The benefits to students have been well-documented, and the organising institution and participating educators continue to drive this excellent innovative project.
Better Mental Health of Students Through Innovative Methods, Techniques and Competencies of Teachers, North Macedonia
Another worthy winner, this project saw teachers become well-being advocates for their students through art therapy and mindfulness. The entire school and teacher/student community experienced a significant improvement in mutual support and a decisive shift toward acceptance and empowerment.
Language, Culture, and Living Together, France
The organisers of this project aimed to promote positive diversity, communication, and collaboration among pupils, teachers, and parents. Well-being among pupils and closer ties blossomed during sports and community activities, with a special focus on children without French skills.
These projects are but sparks in a sky full of education innovations. Wherever you look on the globe, you will find creative educators with novel ideas and bags of energy for boosting student learning experiences. You quickly realise they all want to help them thrive in today’s oft-overwhelming world.