Can Open Innovation Enhance Education Success?

May 28, 2012 By IdeaConnection

Open innovation doesn’t just have to apply to the world of business. There’s an interesting blog post on the edutopia website about using open innovation in school.

The blog’s author discusses how technologies such as Web 2.0 tools have transformed the classroom but have not changed the way students learn.

They are still being taught in the time honoured tradition of teacher-led instruction whether in class or by teacher-created videos and interactive lessons that can be accessed at home. But there could be another way.

 

Working through Challenges

The post asks us to imagine a classroom scenario where students are free to pose questions or challenges to each other via their phones, and other students are allowed to chip in with solutions, discussion and debate. Collectively they come to a conclusion as to who is right. The teacher in this type of set up acts more like a facilitator.

“We have just created a self-sufficient, democratic classroom that empowers students within the learning process,” writes Dustin Haisler, the blog’s author.

Dustin suggests how such a lesson can be created and offers up some ideas to get the ball rolling. For example:

  • “Let the students come up with ideas for prom (i.e. theme, venue, etc.)
  • Let students submit challenges or questions that would like answered by the administration.”

This is a neat scenario and one that fully engages students to think and apply what knowledge they have learned to different scenarios. It fosters creative and imaginative thinking at an early age, surely a healthier practice than a passive absorption of facts?


Share on      
Next Post »

Add your Comment

[LOGIN FIRST] if you're already a member.

fields are required.




Note: Your name will appear at the bottom of your comment.