This post is one of the THREE sentences to be completed. If you have found that at the time of your reading, this post has the LEAST number of comments, highlight the blank area below to read the 100 word instruction and complete it in EXACTLY 100 words.
Risk brings with it opportunity. And we take risks because of the opportunities beyond the risk. For example, 33 years ago, I risked the majority of ALL my future income to marry my wife. Today I still feel it was a good decision. Innovation is a risky business that also provides great opportunities. This game seeks to understand the kind and nature of risks in innovation. Thinking of yourself as a teacher trying to innovate a new online learning approach, complete the following sentence in EXACTLY 100 words.
The role of risk in developing innovative education is . . .
18 comments:
The role of risk in developing innovative education is to provoke different thinking and challenge the ‘norms’ that were the innovations of their time. Because it is accompanied by opportunity it provides incentives to step beyond what is known. Risk suggests what is possible - but not yet accepted - and renders the familiar less appealing. Opportunity attracts hope – risk evokes threat and fear, yet little of value comes without risk. Knowing how to balance risk and opportunity creates space for me to innovate and sustain energy when (un)anticipated risks appear. We accept risk when we take on opportunity.
to seek out opportunities to gain greater insight into the subject or oneself by placing individuals in situations they are not comfortable with. However before we progress too far down this path, we should consider whether we are engaged in providing education or training. If Education is “the gradual process of acquiring knowledge”, and “Training is the teaching of vocational or practical, and relates to specific useful skills”, are we more likely to be training? If so, substantial leaps in learning often require ‘safe’ simulations, of either extreme or outrageous proportions to generate attitudinal change or quantum leaps in skill.
In creating a new online approach to learning, a consideration on student/learners context should be put in consideration. This should also include the infrastructure essential for the approach and learners support mechanism should be addressed. Learning in this context will be rewarding if students/learners will find the strategy enjoyable and fun. This will lead them to participate and by doing so learning occurs. On the other hand, if this approach is approach is not well supported, frustration among learners will be observed resulting to lack of participation. Using appropriate pedagogical theories and design innovation in the learning process is rewarding.
The role of risk in developing innovative education is to step out of the box in the hope that you will create a hook that interests your student to learn more. Sometimes the result will be that students/colleagues may think you are crazy, but that doesn't matter if the students remember the point you were trying to get across or it motivates them to investigate the problem/topic more. The risk therefore should not be on whether the learning objective is achieved but whether we end up with egg on our face. Teacher evaluation scores are not the goal of innovation.
The role of risk in developing innovative education is twofold. Firstly, for students, the experience is more enjoyable if they stay in the ‘flow’ zone between anxiety, where the challenge exceeds their learning skills, and boredom, where there isn’t enough challenge (Csikszentmihalyi). Taking risks can lead to anxiety, but it’s necessary to extend skills and progress to greater challenges. Secondly, teachers and developers, to be innovative, have to explore beyond familiar learning processes, which can also cause anxiety. But on the other hand it makes teaching much more exciting. Taking risks builds tolerance for anxiety, and extends the flow zone.
The role of risk in developing innovative education is to inspire the learners by exciting them. Risk has accompanying physiological responses. If these can be harnessed they may enhance the learner's experience, but in my experience individuals repond variably. Educators need to be mindful of betraying the learner's trust. Trust is an essential ingredient and once the learner feels betrayed, this unspoken rapport is broken. Learners may not have anticipated risk. We need to be mindful of how individuals respond to risk and stress. Challenging educational environments are not always suitable for every learner. Predicatably, learners will react with unpredictability.
to allow for student development in ways that are not allowed in traditional teaching modes. For example, the scripted lecture in which information is passed on to students, or essays in which students are required to ‘answer’ a question on the list, circumscribe what students learn and, to an extent, how they are expected to respond. By contrast, more innovative pedagogic methods—such as getting a student to design a research essay topic—are much more risky: the peaks and troughs of student achievement are magnified. Yet, educators should take these risks in order to encourage and nurture critical thinking.
The role of risk in developing innovative education is as an agent provocateur of the inner recesses of the student’s mind. When placed in an environment that is interesting and fun, the student is challenged to forgo the conventional and open to assimilating new ideas and processes that otherwise would have seemed droll and decidedly unappealing. This approach will lead to the student willingly grasping that which is being taught, rather than being “dragged to the blackboard” in a manner of speaking. Being part of the process compels greater mental stimulation than being the target of a torrent of information.
It is important to engage students initially and make them want to find out more about the subject. As a teacher of an online careers and work subject, the issue is sparking an interest in students for something which they may see as outside their curriculum area. Gaining life skills in terms of career management is something students still may see as innovative, but could be integral to their career planning. Students too often think in terms of grades and results rather than in terms of life skills and longterm objectives. The increased use of web and online learning helps.
The role of risk in developing innovative education ... well thinking of the reverse ...what if innovation was risk-free? If it was totally 100% risk free maybe we would innovate more often? Maybe we would just keep changing things over and over and over...So perhaps the role of risk is to keep us "honest" - hey make us evaluate, invest and commit to the innovation as the stakes are higher. Risk also give us that unmistakable buzz of adrenalin when we try something challenging and pull it off - then it makes us do it all over again.
The role of risk in developing innovative education is to provide the teachers and the students with chances to experience a learning mode which is whatsoever different to the traditional way of learning. If we look at things in an optimistic approach, the risk here always serves as benefits. If the innovative education turns out to be a success, win-win situation will occur. If the innovative education does not receive the desired result, the teachers will anyway learn from that and it doesn’t really do bad to the students. It at least lets them try a different way of learning.
The role of risk in developing innovative education is dependant on whether innovation is approached as a project or as a process. The inherent risk of approaching educational problems as innovative projects is that once 'problems’ are addressed, they migrate towards the ‘norm’ and are therefore no longer innovative. However, if problems are approached through a process of innovation, a culture of innovation not only addresses the educational problems of today but drives educational innovators towards dealing with future potential problems. Further risk is predicting and getting support for future educational needs without knowing what those needs will look like.
The role of risk in developing innovative education is to promote learning considered ‘outside the square’. Why would we do this? Because positively engaging adults in learning today is an immense challenge and to keep in touch with the times, we as educators, need to always consider innovation and new ways of making that positive engagement. As educators, this risk doesn’t come without its falls though. However the key is to learn from the fall, know why it happened and to get right up and persevere. Risk can have a price – however as the saying goes ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’
The role of risk in developing innovative education is to create opportunity. Asking learners to step out of their comfort zone can be challenging but when successful can lead to great outcomes. Creating the shock factor in training assists a learners motivation and can take their minds off the trivial tasks that occupy their daily life. When learners are faced with innovative experiences they are more likely to take away new ideas and think outside the square. We take risks everytime we facilitate training. Innovative learning ensures we do not risk a learners opportunity to learn in a new way.
Can we afford to be complacent and not use innovative approaches to education as we attempt to engage the “generations of the future” who are eager to learn in new ways, who’re already using just in time and interactive ways to learn, who will move into jobs and careers where such creativity is sought after and who will interact with colleagues on a global platform? The online unit we teach revolves around lifelong career management where much is explored and learnt through self reflection; it is our challenge to engage students in this process in an entertaining & dynamic fashion.
to improve education, for the student and the teacher. Risk could also be called an opportunity for improvement. By taking chances and sharing the outcomes (good and bad) we can collectively work as one to improve the learning experiences of our students and the professional experiences of educators and support the direction of their university or school. Do educators think they are taking risks, when they are developing strategies for authentic learning, group discussions etc. Students would like us to use traditional teaching methods but literature abounds with positive feedback on different strategies which have to used in their classes.
The only constant is change, change implies risk. There are many risks in developing innovation in education. Firstly it will provide stimulation, for both the students and the teacher. Repeating that which has occurred before can lead to refinement and improvement but after a number of repetitions leads to staleness. Secondly, staying abreast of modern techniques, or in fact developing new techniques that will prove more effective than traditional methods. Thirdly it can cater for different learning needs and presentation techniques for students. Risk provides challenge and challenge often leads to new learning and learning is what education is about.
an uneasy bedfellow. Its uneasy because the outcome is usually unknown but no pain, no gain comes to mind. There is the pain of extreme anxiety wondering whether the technology will work – increased blood pressure, hyperventilation are typical symptoms. There is the pain of extreme embarrassment standing in front of a class with failed technology; the pain of poor evaluations when student don’t respond well. There is the joy of doing something new that works; getting feedback from students who appreciate you going out on a limb. What about the inevitable promotion - sadly its more likely to be pain.
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