Teachers and students alike must constantly inspire themselves to develop into imaginative and creative people in order to succeed as educators. Educational innovation is the term used to describe innovation used in education. What then is the fundamental idea behind educational innovation? A new concept, item, or effort that can be applied as a revitalization to meet educational objectives or resolve issues in the realm of education is known as educational innovation.
It is anticipated that innovations in education would improve and focus on educational quality. Particularly in this age of rapid technological growth, more encouragement for this kind of creativity is required in elementary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, and universities.
Understanding Educational Innovation
Etymologically, innovation comes from the Latin word innovation. It means renewal or change. The verb innovate means to renew and change. Innovation is a new change for improvement, different from previous changes, or intentional and planned previous changes. There are differences and similarities in the terms of change and update.
The word “new” can also mean that the recipient of the innovation has just understood, accepted, or implemented it, although it is not new to others.
However, not everything new fits all situations, conditions, and locations. This includes educational innovation. So what is educational innovation?
According to Ibrahim (1988), educational innovation is innovation to solve educational problems. Therefore, educational innovation is perceived or observed as something new for individuals or groups of people (society) in the form of interventions (new discoveries) or findings (newly found people) used to achieve educational goals or solve national educational problems.
Innovation is the discovery of something entirely new created by humans. After that, discovering something (object) that did not exist before is done by creating a new form.
Discovery is actually the discovery (object) that has existed for a long time but has not been known by humans. Therefore, innovation is an effort to discover new objects by conducting discovery activities.
When we talk about innovation (renewal), we remember two terms, namely invention and discovery. Invention is the discovery of something entirely new from human work. In this context,
Ibrahim (1989) stated that innovation is a discovery that can be considered new to ideas, objects, events, individuals, or groups of people (society). Innovation can result from a discovery or discovery. Innovation is done for specific purposes or to solve a problem.
The process and stages of change in education relate to development, dissemination, planning, recruitment, implementation, and evaluation.
For example, a “top-down model” which is an educational innovation created by certain parties as leaders or supervisors and applied to subordinates such as the educational innovation that has been implemented by the Ministry of Education and Culture so far.
Both of these “bottom-up models” are innovative models obtained, created, and implemented from below to improve the organization and quality of education.
Targets of Education Innovation
Targets of Educational Innovation In its application, educational innovation has targets or forms that are affected, as follows:
1. Teachers
The main target is teachers. As educators, teachers are at the forefront of ensuring student learning continuity in the classroom. The teaching skills of teachers will certainly influence the knowledge and morals of students.
The following are steps that can be taken by teachers for change or innovation:
- Create lesson plans
- Implementing teaching and learning
- Handling administrative tasks
- Building good communication
- Improving teaching skills
- Developing student skills
2. Students
Students are the main targets of education. Student achievements can be used as a benchmark for the success of the learning process.
However, students need to be involved in innovation, even if only in the form of reference, such as learning from innovation or communicating acquired knowledge among students.
3. Curriculum System
The curriculum is a guide for teachers to teach. Therefore, all innovations applied in schools must first be aligned with the curriculum.
Without a curriculum, innovation cannot achieve its goals. Curriculum innovation can be interpreted as ideas to create a new curriculum by maximizing problem-solving potential.
4. School Facilities
School facility innovation cannot be ignored. Without adequate equipment, learning will not be beneficial.
Examples of school facility innovations include setting up reading rooms in classrooms, building basketball courts, and providing experimental equipment.
5. Community
Indirectly, the community becomes the target of innovation. Why is that? Innovation directly impacts students. Now, students who participate in the community environment directly.
Therefore, the community can be a factor that needs to be considered in innovation.
Examples of Education Innovation
1. Flipped Classrooms
The flipped classroom model is an innovative approach where students first engage with new content at home and then apply their knowledge through interactive activities in class.
In this model, traditional homework and lectures are reversed, with students watching instructional videos or reading materials before coming to class.
Once in class, they work on problem-solving activities, discussions, or collaborative projects under the guidance of the teacher.
This approach allows for more personalized learning experiences, as students can progress at their own pace and receive immediate feedback from their peers and instructors.
2. Gamification
Gamification involves incorporating game design elements into educational activities to motivate and engage students.
By introducing elements such as points, badges, leaderboards, and rewards, educators can make learning more enjoyable and interactive.
Gamification can be applied to various subjects and activities, from quizzes and assessments to classroom management and behavior incentives. It encourages students to actively participate in their learning process, enhances their problem-solving skills, and fosters a sense of achievement and progress.
3. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
MOOCs offer free access to courses from top universities and institutions worldwide, delivered online through web-based platforms.
These courses cover a wide range of subjects, from computer science and engineering to humanities and social sciences. MOOCs typically include video lectures, interactive quizzes, assignments, and discussion forums, allowing learners to study at their own pace and connect with peers and instructors from around the globe.
MOOCs have democratized access to high-quality education, making it accessible to learners regardless of their geographic location or financial status.
Read More Implementation of 21st Century Learning Innovation
Detailed Examples of Educational Innovation
1. Interactive Lessons
Interactive lessons leverage technology to create immersive learning experiences for students. These lessons often incorporate multimedia elements, such as videos, animations, simulations, and interactive exercises, to engage learners and reinforce key concepts.
For example, a history lesson on ancient civilizations may include virtual tours of historical sites, interactive timelines, and multimedia presentations to bring the subject matter to life.
Interactive lessons cater to different learning styles and preferences, allowing students to explore topics in a hands-on manner and enhancing their understanding and retention of information.
2. Virtual Reality (VR) in Education
Virtual Reality (VR) technology is revolutionizing education by providing immersive and interactive learning experiences.
In VR-enabled classrooms, students can explore virtual environments, interact with objects, and manipulate simulations in ways that would be impossible in the real world.
For instance, in a science class, students can dive into the depths of the ocean, explore the human body at the cellular level, or visit distant planets in outer space—all from the comfort of their classroom.
VR enhances student engagement, fosters curiosity and exploration, and enables experiential learning across various subjects and disciplines.
3. Blended Learning
Blended learning combines online educational materials and opportunities for interaction online with traditional face-to-face classroom methods.
This hybrid approach allows for greater flexibility and customization in the learning process, as students can access resources and engage in activities both in and out of the classroom.
For example, students may watch pre-recorded lectures or complete online assignments at home, and then participate in discussions, group activities, or hands-on experiments during in-person class sessions.
Blended learning accommodates diverse learning styles and preferences, promotes self-directed learning, and prepares students for the digital age.
4. 3D Printing
3D printing technology is revolutionizing education by enabling students to bring their ideas to life in three dimensions.
In classrooms equipped with 3D printers, students can design and create physical objects, prototypes, and models using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
For example, students may design architectural structures, scientific models, or artistic creations and then print them layer by layer using a 3D printer.
3D printing fosters creativity, problem-solving skills, and innovation, as students explore design concepts, iterate on prototypes, and collaborate on real-world projects.
It also provides tangible learning outcomes and prepares students for careers in STEM fields and beyond.
Factors to Consider in Educational Innovation
To avoid rejection, for example, as mentioned above, the primary factors to consider in educational innovation are teachers, students, curriculum, facilities, and community environments, as explained below:
1. Educator
Teachers become the spearhead of educational applications, they are very influential in the teaching and learning process.
The expertise and credibility of teachers greatly determine the continuity of the teaching and learning process in the classroom and their effects outside the classroom.
Teachers must be able to bring their students to the intended goals.
2. Students
Students are the primary objects in education, especially in the teaching and learning process.
Participants hold a very dominant role. In the teaching and learning process, students can choose learning success through the use of intelligence, motor skills, experience, willingness, and commitment that exist in themselves without coercion.
This can happen if students are also involved in the educational innovation process, even if only introduced to them as a result of changing the plan from planning to application. As a result, what they do is responsibility and must be done consistently.
The role of students in educational innovation is not less important than other elements, because students can be learners, teaching materials among their peers, guides, and even teachers.
Therefore, in introducing educational innovation until its application, students need to be invited or involved so that they not only receive and implement the innovation but also reduce resistance, as described earlier.
3. Curriculum
The education curriculum, narrower still the school curriculum includes pedagogical events and tools is a guide to educational and pedagogical applications in schools. Therefore, the school curriculum is considered an inseparable part of the teaching and learning process at schools.
As a result, in the application of educational innovations, the curriculum plays the same role as other elements in education. Without a curriculum and without following the events contained in it, educational innovations cannot run in line with the goals of the innovation itself.
Therefore, in educational renewal, changes should be in line with changes in the curriculum or changes in the curriculum followed by educational renewal, and it is impossible for changes to both run in the same direction.
4. Facilities
Facilities, including educational facilities and infrastructure, cannot be ignored in the educational process, especially in the teaching and learning process. In educational renewal, facilities are certainly something that influences the continuity of the innovation to be applied.
Without facilities, the application of educational innovations can certainly be ensured not to run well.
Facilities, especially teaching and learning facilities, are essential in making changes and renewals in education. Therefore, when applying an educational innovation, facilities need to be considered. For example, the availability of school buildings, benches, desks, and so on.
5. Social Environment
In implementing educational innovations, there are things that are not personally involved in the changes but can have an impact, both positive and negative, on the implementation of educational renewal.
Communities, personally or not, are involved in education. Because, what is to be done in education actually changes the community to be better, especially the community from which the students come.
Without involving the surrounding community, educational innovations will certainly be disrupted, and may even hinder if they are not informed or involved.
The involvement of the community in educational innovation, on the other hand, will help innovators and the implementation of educational innovations.
Conclusion
Innovation in educational changes cannot stand alone but must involve all related elements, such as innovators, educational discovery organizers such as teachers and students.
In addition, the success of educational innovations is not only influenced by one or two factors, but also by the community and the completeness of facilities.
