Suggestions on successful implementation of innovations in education

The aims of education are closely related to values. Aims change with values, change with time and change with the needs of society. Innovation means releasing the old and adding the new, as per the requirement of the modern times. Innovation deserves special attention in order to keep pace with changing conditions in society for the growth of an organization and to solve the problems by adopting better ways.

Educational innovation is a novel educational practice. Work experience or socially useful productive work is an innovation even though the idea may be similar to an old idea of basic education, where the idea of a craft was the central idea. An educational innovation should also have efficacy for achieving an educational objective. An educational innovation, therefore, is new but it is efficacious. The third aspect of educational innovation is the willing aspect. It is deliberately introduced after giving due thought to it with the realisation of its significance in education. Lastly, innovations should be specific. Reforms in education denote broader meaning, which may comprehend a number of changes. As such, 10+2+3 is an educational reform but the specific changes brought in its curriculum, methods etc. are innovations, which are specific.

The contemporary innovations may be better classified according to various aspects of school system viz. curriculum, instruction, methodology, examinations, administrations, and organisations.

For example, innovations related to the curriculum are vocationalisation of education, socially useful production work, environmental studies and population education. Under instructional methodology, there are innovations related to education technology like programme learning, multimedia packages etc. With regard to examinations, we have objective type tests, internal assessment, grading system, open-book examinations and question bank. This is apart from school complex, institutional planning, and team-teaching etc. and other innovations related to school, administration and organization which include mobile schools, seasonal schools, three-hour schooling, summer schools and other administrative structures.

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Various educational innovations may be classified according to their objectives:

1. Quantitative change or expansion.
2. Qualitative change to improve teaching-learning.
3. Bringing social transformation, bringing the school closer to society and achieving broader national objectives (socially useful productive work etc.)

Out of all aforesaid innovations, the first category includes innovations like objective type tests, which are widely accepted by all. Innovations like school complex have succeeded in some places in our country. Vocational education at the Higher Secondary level is a commendable effort in Tamil Nadu, while in Delhi it is disappointing. Team-teaching and use of educational technology, for example, are not really widespread. In spite of the availability of teaching gadgets, few institutions use and take advantage of available materials.

Most of the recent educational innovations have not made a real dent in the educational field. They have remained at a superficial level and merely serve the purpose of window dressing. This shows that internally there is something wrong with the management of innovations in schools and colleges. A few suggestions have therefore been made.

An innovation requires the creation of a favourable attitude before it could be accepted by principals and teachers. Once they develop a favourable attitude towards innovation, there is more likelihood to accept the change. This happens when people find it meaningful. The innovation, therefore, should be thoroughly discussed with the personnel to help them to perceive its meaningfulness from the viewpoint of overall educational objectives and needs of an institution.

Innovation once selected should be well-planned and meticulously designed. All its aspects should be spelled out in detail revealing the funds required, the size of the task retraining teachers and cost of their training, the amount required for the equipment, the need of advisors, relevant literature and the major consequent changes expected among the students, teacher, and parents.

Another important fact about management of innovations is that when an innovative practice is introduced to replace an old or traditional method or practice, there is usually a resistance to the change. The resistance is due to the fact that when a man is used to a certain type of practice or situation, the habits persist even in the new situation. This habit does not apply only to practice but also to attitudes and value system.

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The greater the divergence from traditional method, the greater is the likelihood of resistance. The main problem of managing innovation is to find ways of reducing the resistance to make changes as smooth as possible.

First, those involved in implementation in whatever form should be informed of the relative advantage and other characteristics of the new practices for the purpose of comparison. This requires an accumulation of data of better results as well as communication.

Secondly, the functionaries must feel that they have a part in deciding or making choices. The joint decision taken on the basis of merits of a practice would develop sense of involvement, responsibility, and cooperation.

Thirdly, those involved in the implementation should be clear about the operation and the criteria by which the result of its operational efficiency may be evaluated.

Once the resistance disappears then the idea of educational innovation gains ground. Moreover, they should have a feeling that innovations are not being imposed on them. The failure or the success of an innovation is a failure or the success of the staff and not of principal or some external agency.

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About the author:

Capt. S.N. Panwar is an Education Officer (Retd.) from Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan.