New directions in schooling. International trends in educational innovation

Abstract

Quite often research reminds us that since the XIXth century school innovations have been emergig recurrently. Despite this, schools all over the world keep looking so similar because the model behind them is universal. It could be argued, however, that such a model has been evolving incrementally with progressive changes in processes and technologies, but the point is that there is no evidence of a radical transformation.

This contribution presents, first, the concept of educational innovation and then analyzes why there is nowadays a growing broader social consensus about the need to promote educational innovations and, at the same time, a consequent major effort by an increasing number of schools worldwide to jump into the bandwagon of educational innovation. Second, some emerging trends are presented, and they show that, although the problem seems to be rightly framed everywhere, there is not yet a universal response and many different directions are being explored. Third, some of the risks of this exploratory process are listed, in particular in relation to equity, evaluation and the innovation fatigue. Finally, some possible policy directions to promote a convergence of public discourse and school practices are suggested in view of promoting a true systemic innovation.