22 ways to innovate at school

During the 5^e Summit of the iPad and digital in education, Ms. Nancy Brousseau shared 22 approaches that promote innovation in schools. (For skeptics: the word "technology" only appears once!)

Nancy brousseau is Director General of the FÉEP (Federation of Private Educational Institutions). At the last iPad and Digital Education Summit, which was held in Montreal on May 18 and 19, 2017, she gave a conference entitled Innovation in education: Resistance is futile.

It is through three questions that she approached the vast subject of innovation in education:

• To do what?
• What to do?
• How to do?

Here is a little report.

Innovation: what for?

It was through two statistics that she approached the question of Why. From the results of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education of Quebec (MEES) about the graduation of high school students, she recalled that only 63 % of them complete their studies within five years. planned. Furthermore, a survey by the FEEP conducted with more than 44,000 students indicates that only 45 % of students say they are motivated by their studies. Also, the closer the end of secondary school is, the more the proportion drops.

Ms. Brousseau shared two thought-provoking quotes: "When the speed of market change exceeds that of the organization, the end is near," says Jack Welch. In addition, according to Erica Jong, “Risking nothing is an even greater risk”.

Innovation: what to do?

Ms. Brousseau then proposed 22 ways to put the school in innovation mode.

1. Personalize: learning, course, curriculum, evaluation ...
2. Relax the unitary model: 1 teacher, 1 group, 1 class, 1 subject
3. Rethinking the use of time: schedule, calendar, period ...
4. Rethinking the use of space: premises, furniture, exterior ...
5. Relax the notion of presence, school attendance
6. Rethinking the notion of group
7. Expand the educational repertoire of innovative and proven methods
8. View research and apply it
9. Promote authentic learning
10. Optimizing the use of technology
11. Empower and involve students
12. Redefine the role of the teacher: coach, advisor, guide ...
13. Define the students' exit profile and update the curriculum accordingly
14. Promote social and collaborative learning
15. Review the role, purpose and model of evaluation
16. Invest your resources on teachers
17. Involve the community in decisions (students, staff, parents, etc.)
18. Find its DNA, its vision, and carry it collectively
19. Open up to the world, network
20. Develop a culture of professional development
21. Develop a culture of collaboration, sharing of expertise
22. Develop a culture of innovation, think differently, be creative

Innovation: how to do it?

Nancy Brousseau believes that you have to start with yourself and mourn your educational past in order to be able to open up to the future. We can even go through these stages: shock, denial, anger, sadness, resignation, acceptance, reconstruction. With the growing capabilities of digital technology and the advent of artificial intelligence, the world is VICA: volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous.

Towards the end of her lecture, Ms. Brousseau shared a disturbing statistic from Charles Fadel, Center for Curriculum Redesign. Are students well prepared for the world that awaits them? Only 34 % from employers and 38 % from young people think so, while 74 % from teachers are convinced ...

To consult Nancy Brousseau's presentation, Click here.