The New "Buzz" Word

The New “Buzz” Word

By: Karen Handlos

Innovation seems to be the new “buzz” word in education. How can teachers become more innovative in their practices so that students are truly learning their content and translating it into practice beyond the classroom?

According to the U.S. Department of Education, innovation is the spark of insight that leads a scientist or inventor to investigate an issue or phenomenon. Innovation is driven by a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement. Innovation is based on curiosity, the willingness to take risks, and experimenting to test assumptions. Innovation is based on questioning and challenging the status quo. It is also based on recognizing opportunity and taking advantage of it (www.ed.gov).

Innovation can be displayed in many forms. For some it may mean incorporating the use of technology into student learning, creating schedules that maximize student learning time as well as teacher collaboration time, performance tasks created by and for students, various classroom configurations, multiples measures of student assessments, students that are highly engaged in learning; making and applying real-world connections and so on.

Within a classroom it is important for innovation to start with knowledge of the students with whom teachers are working. The knowledge grows into pedagogical techniques and strategies that “hook” students into their learning, meets and challenges students where they are, and creates avenues for them to want to learn more and do more.

Students also need to understand the “why” to their learning; its importance and relevance to the real-world. When they do they begin to connect with their learning and apply it to their lives. They become actively engaged within the learning process and they begin to critically think and question their learning. They create a desire to not just know the content but to make relevance of it, retain it and use it to solve new problems and create new solutions.

"Immerse your students. Let them see it, feel it, engage with it, create something with it, and learn to love it. Find hands-on experiences that bring together their imagination, your passion, their passion, and their learning. Students don’t mind hard work if they connect with it." -Doug Bergman 2011

As the new school year is underway, think about ways to shift the learning in your classroom this year; from a culture of compliance to one of questioning, dialogue, and inquiry.