EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION

MA. DOLORES C. SIGUA

Effective innovations of scale that can help produce the needed high-quality learning outcomes across our educational system is badly needed. Educational innovations should be primary focused on teaching and learning theory and practice, as well as on the learner, parents, community, society, and its culture. Intensifying the integration of successful international learning modes and creating conditions in schools and colleges that foster and support innovators and educational entrepreneurs or edupreneurs can be the first step to innovation. However, here, in the Philippines there are so many programs, tasks, and activities that the teachers are required to do. Take for example COT (classroom observation tool), and technical assistance to teachers – like mentoring. But these programs based from my assessments are not properly implemented. Most teachers submit themselves for COT just for the sake of compliance. They only prepare their lessons well when they will be observed. In return, this just result to a waste of time money and effort. Thus, the quality of teaching is not improved. How can we really innovate education? It’s a daunting task but it can be done. Assessment of what is needed is necessary to be able to come up with the right strategy in innovating education. When we apply technology in teaching, there is no assurance that it will improve the quality of education. There should be a solid theoretical foundation for the application of technology in education. Theoretical foundation which can be based on purposeful, systematic research, and a sound pedagogy. In the US they found out that there is also a need to improve students’ work ethic and attitudes toward learning, their development of various learning skills, as well as making learning more productive. I believe, this is also one area that we can improve in the Philippines. More and more students are getting disengage from school or from learning. Often, they are just contented with surviving the day. I think our government should also look on this. On how we can make the students to love learning, to enjoy going to school. It also is true that, just like US, we have to bring the different school levels – elementary, junior high school, senior high school, college, and technical courses – into one cohesive system. Often, these school levels are not aligned with each other making it difficult for students to adjust. Also, it can also lead to students not getting the necessary skills for there is no continuation of what they are learning. It is our job to realize these situations and create policies that will innovate our education to give our students a better chance of surviving and flourishing in their work place.