Improvements, learning and change LO25909

From: Cheryl Doig (principal@fendalton.school.nz)
Date: 01/16/01


Replying to LO25890 --

Burt, your work sounds really interesting - I'd love to have a copy of
your final paper. This is my first journey into the digest, and I want to
pick up on this idea of innovation. This is the area I intend to study as
part of my doctoral work, so I would appreciate any useful ideas, websites
or thoughts in this area. My key area is education as I am a primary
school principal in New Zealand. My concern is that when I look at the
material on innovation, especially in education, I see little element of
risk. What people describe as innovations are little more than add-ons or
minor changes to an existing system.

If only 1/10 of innovations succeed then it is unlikely much innovation
would occur in schools because the risk of failure would be seen as too
great. Those that entertain risky behaviour are often considered to be
'unsafe' or out of control. How do others view the relationship between
initiaitve, innovation and risk in the education setting? Should we be
focusing more on continuous improvement? When does change really become
innovation?

Cheryl Doig

-- 

Cheryl Doig <principal@fendalton.school.nz>

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