Why Innovation Is Important in Education


William Pollard, American Physicist

Innovation is a pillar of education. After all, education itself is an innovative experience, dedicated to exploring new ideas to solve problems big and small. But why is it important to innovate within the education field specifically? In this blog, we’ll discuss innovations that have benefited different educational institutions, list the benefits of innovating in education, and provide a few examples of innovative teaching.

Importance of Innovation in Education

Innovation in education encourages students, teachers, and communities to explore different tools and methods to uncover something entirely new and adapt to change. Innovation in education helps foster creativity and embraces new ways of looking at problems and solving them. For example, a once failing school in Manchester England became one of the highest achieving in the region after they implemented new iPads and cutting-edge digital projectors to help teachers get organized and encourage students to become more engaged. With this new system, students also have the ability to design their own digital courses, which then become available worldwide. 


Additionally, The Phoenix School in Roseburg, Oregon, found a way to gear its programs toward students who have struggled in a traditional academic environment. To help struggling students find real-life applications for their studies, the Phoenix School created a hands-on 3d printing program that has allowed students to explore subjects like geometry in an entirely new way. This hands-on approach to education resonated with the students and gave them tangible and practical applications of the information they studied in other classes.

In short, innovation improves upon existing educational standards and allows both students and teachers to use creativity and a higher level of thinking to devise new ways to solve complex problems. 


What Are the Benefits of Innovating in Education?

The benefits of advancement and embracing change in education are manifold and there are too many to list in one short blog. Therefore, we decided to narrow down our top three benefits innovation can bring to education. 


Propelling Greater Engagement 

As we discussed in the section above, some students do not respond to traditional classroom methods. A focus on innovation gives teachers more flexibility and allows them to experiment with new methods to see what their students respond to. Not all students benefit from lectures and PowerPoints - some need a more interactive approach. Using video games to teach certain concepts or implementing apps like Socratic to have an interactive approach to quizzing students. 


Encouraging Forward Thinking and Future Planning

Innovation in education also involves adjusting curriculums to better prepare students for the future. This involves evaluating the relevancy of current standards to ensure that students are armed with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate the world. This includes initiatives like the US Office of Educational Technology’s Future Ready program which promises to reimagine the role of technology in education and identify specific technological skills students should develop. 


Increased Accessibility and Equitability

Developing new ways to increase the accessibility of learning materials and technologies is critical to creating an equitable educational system. For example, the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines were created to provide instructional goals, assessments, methods, and customizable materials that can be adjusted to meet individual students’ needs. This means that students with learning disabilities are able to participate equally in learning exercises instead of being disadvantaged by a curriculum that does not take their specific needs into account.


What Are Examples of Innovation in Education?

The impact of innovation in education is directly related to the educational field’s ability to adapt to change. For example, many schools and educators have continued to develop teaching innovations in the new normal throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Incorporating Zoom and other e-learning tools in schools across the country enabled educators to deliver quality instruction and support to their students despite not being able to meet face-to-face. In addition to embracing new technologies, educators had to adapt and develop new ways to connect with and support their students virtually. This involved a wide range of innovative teaching methods like: 

  • Fostering a sense of community virtually by breaking students into smaller groups and setting aside time for one-on-one virtual meetings with students who are struggling.
  • Taking a multimedia approach to teaching and using interactive games or tools to help students get into the spirit of collaboration. 
  • Breaking up the monotony of virtual learning by creating assignments like podcast presentations and video essays.
  • Exploring the concept of peer teaching and encouraging students to teach the class about a particular subject they are interested in. 

The capability to reshape traditional educational methods in the face of immense and often sudden change ultimately strengthens the educational process as a whole.


XR Technologies Is Innovating Math Education

Innovation and education are all about problem-solving, which is something we’re well versed in. Crossroads Education can help you solve critical problems like teacher shortages, lacking support systems, and student disengagement with our XR Technologies program. XR Technologies was created to help school leaders deal with their math department hurdles by enabling schools to outsource a portion of, or the entirety of, math department functions. We’re here to help support your school and provide your students with access to quality education. Connect with us today to learn more. 

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