Innovation-Ways forward for SA education

Microsoft/DECD day 15th November 2013

Dr Susanne OwenPrincipal Officer Strategic Research and Innovation

Leader Innovative Learning Environment project (ILE)

**Innovation: ‘a significantly improved product (good or service)’ or ‘new organisational approach’ (OECD in DECD Research & Innovation framework, 2010:1)

Why innovate?What does innovative schooling look like?

Does it work?What’s happening with innovation in DECD?

What are the links to PIL?

Why innovate?

• Knowledge is recognised as central in transforming societies and economies & concerns re economic loss from underutilisation of human potential

• Little higher order thinking & individualised learning occurring & new educational possibilities are arising from ICTs (OECD 2007 TALIS research of 70000 teachers in 24 countries re 15 year olds: OECD, 2008)

• Measuring learning outcomes highlights need for finding new ways to change outcomes and to re-focus on the learning environment

• Traditional schools not necessarily delivering well for 21st century agendas & for some students/groups (PISA, OECD)

• Secondary student disengagement concerns: reduces to about 40% by age 15 (Wilms, Friesen & Milton, 2009)

• Technology development has re-set the boundaries of educational possibilities • Research base on learning is growing but “great disconnect” to policy and practice

Why Innovate?

the nature of innovationthe nature of innovation ….? ….?

Incremental Innovation

•Minor modifications to existing product

•Swims with the tide

•Starts with the present and works forward

School improvement ?

Radical Innovation

•Significant breakthrough representing major shift in design

•Swims against the tide

•Starts with the future and works backwards

Transformation ?

From presentation by Valerie Hannon, Innovations Unit

What does innovative education look like?

Educational innovation (OECD, 2011)

OECD Innovative Learning Environments project (ILE) involving 26 countries 3 phases for OECD work: research, case studies, systems change

Make learning and learner engagement centralIs where learning is social and often collaborative.

Is highly attuned to learners’ motivations and emotions.Is acutely sensitive to individual differences including in prior knowledge.

Is demanding for each learner but without excessive overload.Uses assessments consistent with its aims, with strong emphasis on formative.Promotes horizontal connectedness across activities and subjects, in-/out-of-

school.

Involves risk-taking, multiple perspectives & in-depth understanding?????

In addition to these aspects, innovative schooling involves significant changes in the teacher’s role, & role of the learner, resources, organisation & pedagogy, content

Learners

‘Teachers’

Content

Resources

Organisation

Innovations in the

profile of the learners

Innovations regarding

those engaged in

teaching and orchestrating

learning

Offering new foci for content,

competencies and

knowledge

Innovative uses of

infrastructure,space,

community and

technology

Innovative approaches

to scheduling, groupings,

pedagogies, assessment,

guidance

Does innovation work?

What’s happening with innovation in DECD?

Learning Together program

Learning Together programASMS

2011-2013 achievements

• 7 sites successfully supported in OECD submisssions, including ASMS detailed academic case study

• Other sites recognised by DECD• Workshops conducted with over 1000 attendees• Website established www.innovations.sa.edu.au + 7

newsletters• Innovation Community of practice meetings/

communicating regularly with over 25 sites• Practitioner research grants/academic support: 11

published reports

Practitioner research topics relevant to innovation

• How effective is a mentor program in developing enhanced technology skills and understandings that enable 21st century pedagogies to be developed amongst teaching teams?

• What is the relationship between pedagogy, engagement and literacy?• What are the learning opportunities that open up through the use of digital gaming technologies?• If autonomous learning is a desired outcome for students, how do we intervene? With students? With

teachers?• What impact has the introduction of personalised learning had on student engagement and the

wellbeing of staff at Prospect Primary School?• How have changes in learning spaces impacted on learner engagement and wellbeing? How do the

Learning Advisors’ beliefs about learning spaces drive their practice and impact on children’s wellbeing and engagement at BANB-7?

• What does it mean for a student to ‘flourish’? (Are rates/levels of ‘flourishing’ different in AIL and Junior High? Why? What facets or features of the innovation or junior high models have the most impact on ‘flourishing’?. What is it we do in Yr 9 Academy of Innovative Learning (AIL) that makes the teaching and learning personalized? How does this differ to the Junior High model?

• How does reconceptualisation of the physical space transform pedagogical practice and impact on relationships and student learning?

• What pedagogical practices have a positive impact on student learning outcomes in Maths?• How can we use student voice, leadership and mentoring to develop a culture of resilience in

adolescent learners?• Can we design learning experiences with our children that mindfully and explicitly shape and develop

their Executive Function?

2011-2013 achievements• 7 sites successfully supported in OECD submisssions, including ASMS detailed academic case study plus many others recognised by DECD as

significantly inonvative• 7 newsletters & website www.innovations.sa.edu.au• Workshops regarding innovation: Over 1000 attendees

DECD Brighter Futures Blueprint for Action : ‘positivity, finding solutions, creativity and

innovation’ & evidence-informed policy, establishment of networks of preschools & schools with strong community partnerships

2013 -14 DECD innovations work:• Practitioner research grants to emerging innovation

sites• Exploring innovation school visits & learning

program• Building innovation community of practice

What are the DECD innovation links to PIL?

PIL focuses on 3 key areas:

• Building capacity for educational transformation : mentors

• Growing learning communities & collaboration• Expanding T& L practices

Cf DECD innovation: CoP, exploring innovation learning program, research into T& L innovative practices

PIL : 21st C learning design, with students as:

•Skilled communicators, using multimodal, audience focused•Self regulated learners: own learning goals, success criteria, planning & responding to feedback•Collaborator: working together, shared decision making•Knowledge construction & application, interdisciplinarity, big ideas•Real work problem-solving & innovation•Using ICT for research, presentations, design

Cf. DECD innovation: changing role of learners, teacher, content, organisation & pedagogy, resources

References. Australian National Audit Office.(2009) Innovation in the public sector: Enabling better

performance, driving new directions. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia Fisher, K. (2003). Clicks, Bricks and Spondulicks. Summary of OECD conference. URL:

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/28/27/2494207.pdfGrunwald Associates. Walden University. (2010> Educators, Technology and 21 st Century

Skills. Dispelling five Myths. Report Summary. Retrieved from URL: www.waldenu.edu/degree-programs/masters/36427.htm

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (2007) Understanding the social outcomes of learning. OECD Publishing: Paris.

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (2008) Trends Shaping Education. OECD Publishing: Paris

Sebba, J., Brown, N., Steward, S., Galton, M. & James, M. (2007). An Investigation of Personalised Learning Approaches Used by Schools. London: Department for Education and Skills.

Wilms, Friesen and Milton. What did you study in school today. Retrieved from URL: http://www.ccl-cca.ca/pdfs/otherreports/WDYDIST_National_Report_EN.pdf

DECS innovations websiteDECS innovations websitewww.innovations.sa.edu.auwww.innovations.sa.edu.au

Dr Susanne OwenDr Susanne Owen• Principal Officer, Strategic Research & Principal Officer, Strategic Research &

Innovation Innovation • Leader ILE projectLeader ILE project• Susanne.owen@sa.gov.auSusanne.owen@sa.gov.au