A significant barrier to innovation is standardised assessment tests. They add pressures to teachers and in some cases drive classroom practice.
In a recent discussion with a class teacher I suggested that a writing requirement set was not particularly authentic.
Whilst agreeing, she stated that the writing would give her something to "level" - in other words, a major lesson objective was to provide her with a means of standardising some assessments.
Sure, students focus on the assessment result. The put less emphasis on creativity and innovations in their learning. In turn, teachers are not motivated to suggest innovative practice in teaching.
However, things could be different if teachers add the "innovative learning" as one of the assessment criteria in the course. While students pay most attention on the assessment result, they will be driven to use the innovative teaching practice in their learning for getting higher marks in the course.
Yes, agree that the barrier should be the parents are too concentrated on their children assessment result. In Hong Kong, many parents are examination oriented approach to their children. The parents determine their children success on the test/quiz/exam marking. Moreover, the Hong Kong education system is teacher-oriented, which student only needs to follow the instruction and guidance. It will affect the creation and innovation of the student.
Sure, students are easily influence by the assessment system. More importantly, their behavior mode is easily shaped by the system and it is hard to change even if they graduate and enter college where the evaluation system is changed.
Besides assessment system, culture is also an important barrier of innovative practice. Once new management and pedagogy mode is introduced to different countries, the effects may be not that good, that is why famous global consultant companies find it hard to solve problems in Chinese companies.In the area of education, the influence of culture may be more significant since students are not only taught of knowledge and skills but the way of thinking.
So I try to summarize a little bit. Barriers include:
(1) Standard assessment method in school Because of the education system in Hong Kong which focuses on examination result, teachers tend to use standardize method to evaluate students' performance. In turn, students' behaviour are shaped by the system and they just follow instructions to learn and are not trained with any innovation or creativity. Teachers do not suggest any innovative ways of teaching as well.
(2) Culture values from school and parents While a school uses traditional ways of teaching, the principal may observe that some new management introduced in other schools may not have good effect. As a result, the principal tend not to make any change and no innovation in teaching takes place. Parents, on the other hand, follow and agree with the old methods. Although they may have some new ideas for the school, they yet do not raise them as they believe the old method from the school should work.
I think if the barriers can be overcome, there could be success in innovative practices on teaching. So, the possible success factors for innovation could be:
(1) Include innovative learning as an assessment criteria Seeing the fact that students focus on assessment result, if teachers require students to show their creativity in the course, and drive them through assessment to use some innovative ways of learning in their learning progress, it would be possible that the innovative teaching can be put into practice.
(2) More communication between school and parent Both principals and parents follow the traditional culture. However, they may have some new ideas on teaching and learning, but do not voice out - both parties think their ideas will not be accepted due to the other sides' traditional culture values. If schools and parents can communicate better, the cultural barrier could be overcome and perhaps innovative teaching practices become possible.
Besides culture and education, the innovation obstacle should be the problem on intellectual property. Because nowadays, Hong Kong people are still weak on the copyright concept. The idea stealing are series barrier to affect the creative idea. People are still easy to get the software, books and other resources by using peep-to-peer sharing software such as BT and other 'download accelerator' software. It affects the intention of creativity about song composer, screenwriter, software developer and designer since their intellectual property has become public-sharing! The creative workers are lose confidence to the social culture when this 'free-downloading' activity occurs.
Moreover, this is a money-oriented world. Money-driven is the main purpose to the company, organization and enterprise. The boss always want get 'instant-money'. They need the revenue immediately. However, they want to cut the budget, cut the research and development (R&D) time for their product life-cycle. This can affect the quality of innovation also! Because the innovated product and invention need time, idea and capital. Reduce time and money can direct influence the innovation.
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A significant barrier to innovation is standardised assessment tests. They add pressures to teachers and in some cases drive classroom practice.
ReplyDeleteIn a recent discussion with a class teacher I suggested that a writing requirement set was not particularly authentic.
Whilst agreeing, she stated that the writing would give her something to "level" - in other words, a major lesson objective was to provide her with a means of standardising some assessments.
Sure, students focus on the assessment result. The put less emphasis on creativity and innovations in their learning. In turn, teachers are not motivated to suggest innovative practice in teaching.
ReplyDeleteHowever, things could be different if teachers add the "innovative learning" as one of the assessment criteria in the course. While students pay most attention on the assessment result, they will be driven to use the innovative teaching practice in their learning for getting higher marks in the course.
Yes, agree that the barrier should be the parents are too concentrated on their children assessment result. In Hong Kong, many parents are examination oriented approach to their children. The parents determine their children success on the test/quiz/exam marking. Moreover, the Hong Kong education system is teacher-oriented, which student only needs to follow the instruction and guidance. It will affect the creation and innovation of the student.
ReplyDeleteSure, students are easily influence by the assessment system. More importantly, their behavior mode is easily shaped by the system and it is hard to change even if they graduate and enter college where the evaluation system is changed.
ReplyDeleteBesides assessment system, culture is also an important barrier of innovative practice. Once new management and pedagogy mode is introduced to different countries, the effects may be not that good, that is why famous global consultant companies find it hard to solve problems in Chinese companies.In the area of education, the influence of culture may be more significant since students are not only taught of knowledge and skills but the way of thinking.
ReplyDeleteSo I try to summarize a little bit. Barriers include:
ReplyDelete(1) Standard assessment method in school
Because of the education system in Hong Kong which focuses on examination result, teachers tend to use standardize method to evaluate students' performance. In turn, students' behaviour are shaped by the system and they just follow instructions to learn and are not trained with any innovation or creativity. Teachers do not suggest any innovative ways of teaching as well.
(2) Culture values from school and parents
While a school uses traditional ways of teaching, the principal may observe that some new management introduced in other schools may not have good effect. As a result, the principal tend not to make any change and no innovation in teaching takes place. Parents, on the other hand, follow and agree with the old methods. Although they may have some new ideas for the school, they yet do not raise them as they believe the old method from the school should work.
I think if the barriers can be overcome, there could be success in innovative practices on teaching. So, the possible success factors for innovation could be:
ReplyDelete(1) Include innovative learning as an assessment criteria
Seeing the fact that students focus on assessment result, if teachers require students to show their creativity in the course, and drive them through assessment to use some innovative ways of learning in their learning progress, it would be possible that the innovative teaching can be put into practice.
(2) More communication between school and parent
Both principals and parents follow the traditional culture. However, they may have some new ideas on teaching and learning, but do not voice out - both parties think their ideas will not be accepted due to the other sides' traditional culture values. If schools and parents can communicate better, the cultural barrier could be overcome and perhaps innovative teaching practices become possible.
Besides culture and education, the innovation obstacle should be the problem on intellectual property. Because nowadays, Hong Kong people are still weak on the copyright concept. The idea stealing are series barrier to affect the creative idea. People are still easy to get the software, books and other resources by using peep-to-peer sharing software such as BT and other 'download accelerator' software. It affects the intention of creativity about song composer, screenwriter, software developer and designer since their intellectual property has become public-sharing! The creative workers are lose confidence to the social culture when this 'free-downloading' activity occurs.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, this is a money-oriented world. Money-driven is the main purpose to the company, organization and enterprise. The boss always want get 'instant-money'. They need the revenue immediately. However, they want to cut the budget, cut the research and development (R&D) time for their product life-cycle. This can affect the quality of innovation also! Because the innovated product and invention need time, idea and capital. Reduce time and money can direct influence the innovation.