learners from adding, changing and are then applied and configured for
modifying content – ensuring that a particular group of learners in a
they remain consumers rather than completely new way.
producers of learning products and
The technologies with the greatest
resources. They fundamentally inhibit
innovative impact on education are
distributed innovation. The jury is still
perhaps those that have supported
out as to their overall value.
the deinstitutionalisation of learning.
Conversely, the use of ‘generic Learning outside school has, for
workplace technologies’ has in fact example, been supported by text
fundamentally changed the way messaging, instant messaging, social
children approach ideas generation networking sites such as Facebook
and knowledge creation – even and Bebo (depending on your age),
using common word processing has search engines such as Google and
been significant in helping learners Just Ask, online sources such as
change the way they learn: digital Wikipedia, image and video sharing
opportunities to save, change, edit, sites such as Flickr and YouTube and
return to, resave, manipulate, share access to mobile technologies from
and distribute are taken for granted laptops and iPods to mobile phones.
– although they were so much harder Each of these has contributed to the
using analogue technologies. The development of an unstructured,
use of networked technologies in unregulated learning environment
education that enable teachers and that provides real opportunities and
learners to be connected at any possible threats to young people.24
time at any place to other people is That environment also has significant
similarly transformative. It is often not potential to further democratise
the cutting edge technologies that learning. Innovation at the margins,
make the greatest difference, but the as seen here, can often have the most
application of technologies that have radical impact on the mainstream
been around for some time, which education system.25
Managing drivers system leadership, community
engagement in learning and
and barriers to personalising learning
innovation » Futurelab’s work on enquiry-led
The interplay between these learning and student-centred
drivers and barriers to innovation in curriculum called Enquiring Minds
education explains the difficulties of
» Creative Partnerships –
innovating at scale within the sector.
engaging the creative and cultural
However, there have been some
sector most systematically in
interesting examples of recent success
school based learning
involving intermediary organisations
in the education sector that have » Musical Futures run by the Paul
systematically managed these Hamlyn Foundation that
competing drivers and barriers to supports innovative pedagogical
innovation. Examples include: approaches to teaching music
40 www.innovationrelay.net/ircnetwork/faq.
cfm.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to the following people for Caireen Goddard, Valerie Hannon,
their contribution to this publication. Richard Harrison, David Jackson, Ruth
Their experience and writing has Kennedy, Charles Leadbeater, Hugo
been a major inspiration and their Manassei, Denis Mongon, Sophia
comments and suggestions have Parker, Gene Payne, Barbara Spender,
been invaluable: David Albury, John John Thackara, Chris Vanstone, Gareth
Bessant, John Craig, Gavin Dykes, Wynne and Rowena Young.
Lorna Earl, Keri Facer, Michael Fullan,
Where is the Silicon Valley for public services in Britain?
Highly innovative sectors of the economy benefit from an infrastructure of
science and innovation parks, business incubators, R&D labs and the like.
What would the equivalent infrastructure look like to support innovation that
tackled chronic disease, youth crime, climate change or teenage pregnancy?
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