Defining Innovation

Innovation is one of those buzz words floating around right now.  "We should be innovative!" "We need innovative ideas!" "Our kids should be innovators!"  But what does this word mean?

In his book, The Innovator's Mindset, George Couros states that "...innovation is a way of thinking that creates something new AND better."

For many, innovation is synonymous with change.  Changing routines or methods can be innovative because it requires a conscious deviation from the status quo.  This change can be mandated from our superiors or by law, but it can also be the result of an internal need to fix something that isn't going quite right.  Whatever the catalyst, change is the first step in innovation.

Doing something for the sake of change has sometimes given education initiatives a bad rap.  When we look at change (innovation or initiative), it is important to identify how this new thing will give us a better outcome.  So what happens when we try it and we don't get the spectacular results we were anticipating?  For most of us, it means the outcome wasn't worth the change so we revert back to the status quo.  I think this is where the breakdown happens.  So far, this isn't innovation.  It was just change.

The next step must be reflection on the process used to create the change.  It is important to remember why the change was implemented in the first place.  There was something that wasn't quite right and somebody was looking for a way to make it better.  It may not be better yet, but that doesn't mean that we haven't taken the first step toward true innovation.  Taking risks and learning from mistakes are crucial to true innovation.

Without this process, we are simply left with what we have always had and a series of failed experiments in our wake.  And when we talk about this in the education context, our wake includes students who deserve better.  They deserve a system that continually strives to do better, be better, and make change that results in better learning experiences in the classroom.  We don't get that by trying and then giving up, or worse, never trying at all.

So, what is the value in attempting to innovate our practices?  By challenging the status quo, you enrich your understanding of why things are they way they are.  It might turn out that you have a new or renewed appreciation for the process or product.  But if you try, and reflect, you will be better prepared to innovate in the future.