Teaching Innovations - Report Example

Running head: Teaching innovations Teaching innovations Name Institution Department Date Introduction Innovation is not only meant to be understood, but is also supposed to increase the human capacity to develop and manage it. For this reason therefore, innovation during a teaching career is meant to positively increase the educative; social and cultural understanding by the students on all what they are taught at school and by the society (Larkley, & Mayhard, 2008). Since these innovations are dependent on the tutor, some of these characteristics have to be attained through innovation. One of these is that the innovation has to be problem-based. For an innovation to be viable, it must be directed towards solving a certain problem. Another factor that’s important is that the innovation must engage all the concerned stakeholders to create a cohesive and supportive environment for implementation. Other than the above factors, innovation can bring about authentication and pressure to the participants for effective implementation and success. The following analysis will be about some two innovations experienced in my tenure as a teacher at which one emerged successful while the other was a total failure in its implementation. Positive innovation One of the most successful innovations was the improvement of reading and writing skills using the computer. This type of innovation required the participation of students to online reading and writing activities with several other students from various schools in different continents. The project was meant to increase the morale of the students on global scales by trying to outwit other students from other continents on the reading and writing skills. Through the global competition and use of computers, the students were set to establish a self drive towards the mastery of the English language, both written and spoken, over their peers and this would automatically improve on the attitude and interest of the language. While starting the project, there had been massive weaknesses by the students on their reading and writing skills and this was affecting their overall communication skills both within and outside the school’s premises. The parents had started raising concerns on the ineffectiveness of the curriculum in shaping up their children on academic matters especially on the communication skills. For example, during an annual general meeting, a parent had commented on the inability of her son to effectively express himself orally and through writing to an audience exceeding the family members. Being embarrassing to the teachers, there was a need to clearly establish the problem and effectively formulate a solution. Despite the rigidity of the curriculum formulated by the government requiring strict adherence to the syllabus, an innovation into the teaching methodologies seemed to be the only solution to this. Improvement on this was not meant to be an easy task though, since it incorporated several stages that include communicating the purpose of the project to students, winning their trust and cooperation, effectively implementing the process, support and nurturing its development and the final feedback from the administration, the parents and most importantly, the students (Barr, 1998). Introduction The introduction of the innovation process could not commence without establishing the real cause of the problem (Inbar, & International Institute for Educational Planning, 1996). Taking into account that no bilingualism was practised throughout the country, and that all classes were conducted using the English language, the need to know the real cause of poor communication skills was inevitable. Forming groups of ten, the students were required to list the factors that affected their communication skills through an interactive forum. To start with, the interactive forum was in itself a part of the improvement program since it would increase the students participation in peer discussions and substantially improve on their confidence, skills and personality. Some of the issues raised concerning poor communication skills were media influence, unstable family backgrounds and fear of expression. Having highlighted the causes of the problem, the class timetable was redrafted to allow for more time in the computer laboratories for online peer-to-peer interactions and these lessons were to run three days a week for two hours each day. In addition, research on the best sites for this interaction was conducted to prevent worsening of the situation since some sites can be deceptive (Jones, Kirkup, & Kirkwood, 1992). It was discovered that at a certain site, there were interactive chat services for students and that the topics discovered were both based on creativity and used impeccable English language. The computers were installed with certain language sensitive software that corrected the grammar of any written content in whichever tense. Teaching Having great excitement from the students on the idea, the other step was on implementing this innovation. To start with, content, creative and technical knowledge is very important (Dickins, 1998). The technical knowledge on the usage of the computers was the first knowledge introduced to the students. The online interaction process had to be clearly demonstrated for its effectiveness. Content knowledge came second and for this reason, there were compulsory grammar questions that each student was allowed to attempt before proceeding with the online engagement. These questions were meant to serve as the theme for each day in the interaction process and they also served as creativity questions. Having the students answer questions regarding the influence of media and family relationships in the child’s development, the communication skills were improved and mostly the writing skills since the software could not allow for the sending of unedited content. With time, the students were developing a competitive culture among their peers with keen projected towards their written content. At this point, the trust and cooperation of the students towards the success of the project was evident since they started holding after-sessions forums to discuss the developments of their argumentative online interactions. The site rated the students based on the correctness of grammar before editing and this was stored to compare with the future ratings on the sessions that followed. Support The greatest support was from the students who agreed to the program and whole-heartedly took part in its implementation. The administration was also very supportive in the drafting of the timetable as well as availing the computer facilities for this project. The school’s leadership empowered both the students and I to carry out the activity of communication skills development. Through total support, inspiring communication innovations becomes very easy (Hamilton, 1996). Second innovation This innovation was meant to sensitise the students on their environment, culture and natural disasters that had negatively affected the country. In its part, the project was meant to integrate these three issues and address them as one irrespective of their differences. Having been hit by a massive heat wave, the students seemed ignorant of its cause and I saw it as my mandate to increase their knowledge on the matter. Since its a common known factor that environmental degradation affects the climatic conditions (Williams), the project was meant to have students tabulate using the computer the effects of environmental degradation on the country, the climatic trends and thereby formulate disaster control and prevention data that would be helpful in the school and around the communities as well (1996). Introduction Without considering the current knowledge of the students on the matter, I went ahead and ordered the students to study on their own on the relationship between environmental degradation and the weather, any recent disaster, and formulate a viable relationship that was to be tabulated to project any harsh climatic conditions. This type project required a lot of resources, time, commitment, and knowledge (Baez, 1976). Teaching Presenting the students with computers for analysis, I directed on the best program to use for the job and left the students to implement the innovation on their own. Among the programs that they were meant to use is the Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint. The whole process seemed so simple that I found no reason for participation. There were no references form the meteorological departments on the past weather conditions. The teaching process contained no demonstration on the data analysis, hence no technical knowledge, no content knowledge on the environment and disaster and there was no creativity knowledge on the proper data analysis for future projection. Support Despite having some support from the school’s leadership, most of the staffs were against its implementation process as well as commenting on the overworking of the students during the innovation process. After some time, the students’ support wore off and their trust, dedication and cooperation declined to an extent that force had to be used to ensure the students’ participation. This lack of total support from any quarter resulted into a total failure of the innovation with some students formulating totally ineffective projections. Impacts The most important aspect for effective implementation is defining the purpose for the innovation. This aspect together with communication is done in the introduction stage of the innovation. If the purpose of innovation is not properly defined and communicated to the affected sectors, the whole project is doomed to fail. This was clear in the above demonstrations at which the goals for improved communication skills were comprehensively outlined as compared to the sloppy analysis for the case of disaster prevention. Therefore, the introduction process has to be carefully carried out to convince the sponsors and mentees on its purposes and the intended solutions. After this, the teaching process has to be equally implemented through careful methodologies in a bid to earn the trust and support of its intended mentees. During this process, the mentees have to receive all the available knowledge which include the content, technical and creative knowledge. If the students receive content knowledge and lack the technical knowledge in innovation, then the whole project cannot proceed due to the gap in understanding the innovation’s practicality. Failure to consolidate knowledge in the teaching process results into innovation failure due to the lack of trust and cooperation from the mentees (Smith, 2004). The process requires proper nurturing process for sustainability and success. Support from all the concerned stakeholders should exist for proper implementation process to occur. If the mentees are not supportive to the mentors, then the innovation process cannot effectively proceed (Clark, 1987). The same is true if the teachers are not given enough time and resources to carry out innovative teaching. Appreciation from the school’s leadership increases the morale of the teachers and encourages further innovations for curriculum development. Therefore all these mentoring factors need to be well implemented for the whole process to be successful. Conclusion All the teaching innovations are influenced by the purpose and methodologies of implementation. Innovation is defined by being engaging, problem based authentic as well developing interest and pressure among the students. Group work and collaboration with peers encourages the students to be interactive and creative and hence shapes up the confidence and personality of a student. The purpose, process and support for an innovation implementation should influence the success of an innovation as well as develop trust, and cooperation from the mentees. This change in character by the mentees makes simpler the nurturing and support process by the mentors. References Baez, A. V. (1976). Innovation in science education, world-wide. New York: Unesco Press. Barr, M. J. (1998). Mentoring relationships: a study of informal/formal mentoring, psychological type of mentors, and mentor/protégé type combinations. New York: Nova Southeastern University. Clark, M. L. (1987). Mentoring relationships: a descriptive study. Dayton: Wright State University. Dickins, P., & Germaine, K. P. (1998). Managing evaluation and innovation in language teaching: building bridges. London: Longman. Hamilton, J. (1996). Inspiring innovations in language teaching. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. Inbar, D., & International Institute for Educational Planning. (1996). Planning for innovation in education. Paris: Unesco: International Institute for Educational Planning. Jones, A., Kirkup, G., & Kirkwood, A. (1992). Personal computers for distance education: the study of an educational innovation. London: P. Chapman. Larkley, J. K., & Maynhard, V. B. (2008). Innovation in education. New York: Nova Publishers. Smith, C. (2004). Innovation and Education: Problems and Potential. Melbourne: Victorian Schools Innovation Commission. Williams, M. (1996). Understanding geographical and environmental education: the role of research. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. Read More