Advertisement

Journal of Educational Change

, Volume 14, Issue 3, pp 283–301 | Cite as

Conceptualising educational changes: A social innovation approach

  • Krista Loogma
  • Külliki Tafel-Viia
  • Meril Ümarik
Article
First Online:

Abstract

The intention of the authors in this article is to contribute to the discussion concerning educational change by implementing the concept of social innovation. We argue that the application of the concept of social innovation makes it possible to better understand the process of implementation as well as sustainability and the social impact of educational changes. In the article, an integrated model of social innovation has been constructed and applied in conceptualising two consequent radical educational changes accompanying the post-communist changes in Estonia. As a result, the authors conclude that the concept of social innovation provides a promising framework, which facilitates the understanding and analysis of radical educational change. The social innovation approach is useful in identifying the different levels of change and assessing how deep the changes have been. However, in education systems in neo-liberal countries, where competition is one of the basic values, educational changes, even though becoming part of the everyday practices of actors, may redistribute power, rather than having an empowering effect for the majority of the main actors.

Keywords

Social innovation Educational change Systemic change Social institutions Social demand Empowering 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgments

This article has been prepared and accomplished within the research projects funded by the Estonian Research Council ‘Education Change as Social Innovation” (SF0130018s09) led by Head of the Centre of Educational Research at Tallinn University, Professor Krista Loogma and by the programme of European Structural Fund “Eduko’.

References

  1. Anderson, S. E. (2010). Moving change: Evolutionary perspectives on educational change. In A. Hargreaves, A. Liebermann, M. Fullan, & D. Hopkins (Eds.), Second international handbook on educational change (pp. 65–84). Dordrecht: Springer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Arnhold, N. (2003). Educational transition in Eastern Germany: Between emancipation and adjustment. In E. Polyzoi, M. Fullan, & J. P. Anchan (Eds.), Change forces in post-communist Eastern Europe. London, NY: RoutlegeFalmer.Google Scholar
  3. Bogason, P. (2000). Public policy and local governance: Institutions in a postmodern society. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.Google Scholar
  4. Empowering people, driving change: Social innovation in the European Union, May 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2011. From http://ec.europa.eu/bepa/pdf/publications_pdf/social_innovation.pdf.
  5. Evans, L. (2008). Professionalism, professionality and the development of education professionals. British Journal of Educational Studies, 56(1), 20–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Fullan, M. (1999). Change forces: The sequel. London: Falmer Press.Google Scholar
  7. Fullan, M. (2001). The new meaning of educational change (3rd ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.Google Scholar
  8. Fullan, M. (2003). The emergence of conceptual framework. In E. Polyzoi, M. Fullan, & J. P. Anchan (Eds.), Change forces in post-communist Eastern Europe (pp. 111–116). London, NY: RoutledgeFalmer.Google Scholar
  9. Fullan, M. (2007). The new meaning of educational change (4th ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.Google Scholar
  10. Gopalakrishnan, S., & Damanpour, F. (1997). A review of innovation research in economics, sociology and technology management, omega. The International Journal of Management Science, 25(1), 15–28.Google Scholar
  11. Hämäläinen, T. J. (2007). Social innovation, structural adjustment and economic performance. In R. Heiskala & T. J. Hämäläinen (Eds.), Social innovations, institutional change and economic performance: Making sense of structural adjustment processes in industrial sectors, regions and societies (pp. 11–51). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar in association with Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund.Google Scholar
  12. Hargreaves, A., & Goodson, I. (2006). Educational change over time? The sustainability and non-sustainability of three decades of secondary school change and continuity. Educational Administration Quarterly, 42(1), 3–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Hargreaves, A., & Shirley, D. (2009). The inspiring future for educational change. The fourth way. Thousand Oaks: Corwin.Google Scholar
  14. Healey, P. (1997). Collaborative planning: Shaping places in fragmented societies. London: Macmillan.Google Scholar
  15. Heiskala, R. (2007). Social innovations: Structural and power perspectives. In R. Heiskala & T. J. Hämäläinen (Eds.), Social innovations, institutional change and economic performance. Making sense of structural adjustment processes in industrial sectors, regions and societies (pp. 52–79). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar in association with Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund.Google Scholar
  16. Heiskala, R., & Hämäläinen, T. J. (2007a). Introduction: Historical transformation challenges established structures. In T. J. Hämäläinen & R. Heiskala (Eds.), Social innovations, institutional change and economic performance. Making sense of structural adjustment processes in industrial sectors, regions and societies (pp. 1–7). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar in association with Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund.Google Scholar
  17. Heiskala, R., & Hämäläinen, T. J. (2007b). Social innovation or hegemonic change? Rapid paradigm change in Finland in the 1980s and 1990s. In R. Heiskala & T. J. Hämäläinen (Eds.), Social innovations, institutional change and economic performance. Making sense of structural adjustment processes in industrial sectors, regions and societies (pp. 80–94). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar in association with Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund.Google Scholar
  18. Holt, K. (1971). Social innovations in organizations. International Studies of Management and Organization, 71(1), 235–252.Google Scholar
  19. Innes, J., & Booher, D. (2003). Collaborative policy-making: Governance through dialogue. In M. Hajer & H. Wagenaar (Eds.), Deliberative policy analysis: Understanding governance in the network society (pp. 33–59). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Kesküla, E., Loogma, K., Kolka, P., & Sau-Ek, K. (2012). Curriculum change in teachers’ experience: The social innovation perspective. Pedagogy, Culture and Society, 20(3), 353–376.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. Lauder, H., Brown, P., Dillabough, A., & Halsey, A. H. (2006). Introduction: The prospects for education: Individualization, globalization, and social change. In H. Lauder, P. Brown, A. Dillabough, & A. H. Halsey (Eds.), Education, globalisation and social change (pp. 1–70). Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
  22. Linton, J. D. (2009). De-babelizing the language of innovation. Technovation, 29, 729–737.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. Loogma, K., Kesküla, E., & Roosipõld, A. (2010). The transformation of the teaching profession in Estonia. In J. Mikk, M. Veisson, & P. Luik (Eds.), Teacher’s personality and professionalism (pp. 11–30). Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Wien: Peter Lang Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften.Google Scholar
  24. Loogma, K., Ruus, V., Talts, L., & Poom-Valickis, K. (2009). Õpetaja professionaalsus ning tõhusama õpetamis- ja õppimiskeskkonna loomine. OECD rahvusvahelise õpetamise ja õppimise uuringu TALIS tulemused. [Teachers’ professionalism and the creation of a more efficient learning and teaching environment Results of OECD international survey of learning and teaching TALIS]. Tallinn: Tallinna Ülikooli haridusuuringute keskus.Google Scholar
  25. McLaughlin, M. (2008). Beyond ‘misery research’—new opportunities for implementation research policy and practice. In C. Sugrue (Ed.), The future of educational change. International perspectives (pp. 175–190). London, NY: Routledge.Google Scholar
  26. Moulaert, F., Martinelli, F., Swyngedouw, E., & Gonzales, S. (2005). Towards alternative model(s) of local innovation. Urban Studies, 42(11), 969–990.Google Scholar
  27. Mulgan, G. (2006). The process of social innovation. Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization, 1(2), 145–162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  28. Mulgan, G., Tucker, S., Ali. R., & Sanders, B. (2007). Social innovation. What it is, why it matters and how it can be accelerated. Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship. Working-paper. Retrieved January 20 from http://www.youngfoundation.org/files/images/03_07_What_it_is__SAID_.pdf.
  29. Mumford, M. D., & Moertl, P. (2003). Cases of social innovation: Lessons from two innovations in the 20th Century. Creativity Research Journal, 15(2&3), 261–266.Google Scholar
  30. Nussbaumer, J., & Moulaert, F. (2004). Integrated area development and social innovation in European cities. City, 8(2), 249–258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  31. OECD. (2001). Reviews of national policies for education. Estonia. Paris: OECD.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  32. OECD. (2009). Creating effective teaching and learning environments: First results from TALIS. 2009. Teaching and learning international survey. Paris: OECD.Google Scholar
  33. Picles, J., & Smith, A. (1998). Theorising transition: The political economy of transition in post-communist countries. London, NY: Routledge.Google Scholar
  34. Pollert, A. (1999). Transformation at work in the new market economies of central and Eastern Europe. London: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
  35. Polyzoi, E., & Cerná, M. (2003). Forces affecting the implementation of educational change in the Czech Republic. A dynamic model. In E. Polyzoi, M. Fullan, & J. P. Anchan (Eds.), Change forces in post-communist central Europe: Education in transition (pp. 34–54). London: Routledge Falmer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. Polyzoi, E., & Dneprov, E. (2003). Harnessing the forces of change: Educational transformation in Russia. In E. Polyzoi, M. Fullan, & J. P. Anchan (Eds.), Change forces in post-communist Eastern Europe (pp. 13–33). London, NY: RoutledgeFalmer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  37. Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York: Free Press.Google Scholar
  38. Ruus, V.-R. (2004). Eesti Õppekavareform 1987–2002 [Estonian curriculum reform 1987–2002] Õppimine mitmest vaatenurgast. In A. Liimets & V.-R. Ruus (Eds.), Learning from different angles. Tallinn: TPÜ Kirjastus.Google Scholar
  39. Ruus, V.-R. (2005). Millise õppekavaga jätkab Eesti kool? [Which school curriculum for the future?]. Riigikogu Toimetised, 11, 86–94.Google Scholar
  40. Ruus, V. -R. (2011). The history of Estonian education—the story of the intellectual liberation of a nation. Estonica. Encyclopedia about Estonia. Retrieved March 8, 2011 from http://www.estonica.org/en/Education_and_science/The_history_of_Estonian_education_%E2%80%94_the_story_of_the_intellectual_liberation_of_a_nation/.
  41. Ruus, V. -R., Henno, I., Eisenschmidt, E., Loogma, K., Noorväli, H., Reiska, P., & Rekkor, S. (2008). Reforms, developments and trends in Estonian education during recent decades. In J. Mikk, M. Veisson, & P. Luik (Eds.), Reforms and innovations in Estonian education (pp. 11–26). Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Wien: Peter Lang Publishers House.Google Scholar
  42. Ruutsoo, R. (2000). Sotsiaalteaduste võimalused: Demokraatia diskursus ja diskursiivne demokraatia Annekteeritud Eestis [Possibilities of social sciences: Discourse of democracy and discursive democracy in time of occupation in Estonia]. In V. Ruus (Ed.), Kõnelev ja kõneldav inimene. Eesti erinevate valdkondade diskursus [Talking and speaking person. Discourses from different areas] (pp. 24–62). Tallinn: TPÜ Kirjastus.Google Scholar
  43. Saar, E. (2002). Kihistumise süvenemine Eestis 1990. Aastatel. Kas paratamatus? [Increasing stratification in Estonia in 1990s. Inevitability? In: E. Saar (Ed.), Trepist alla ja üles—edukad ja ebaedukad post—kommunistlikus Eestis [Upstairs and downstairs—successfuls and unsuccessfuls in post-communist Estonia] (pp. 275–302). Tallinn: TA Kirjastus.Google Scholar
  44. Sahlberg, P. (2010a). Rethinking accountability in a knowledge society. Journal of Educational Change, 11, 45–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  45. Sahlberg, P. (2010b). Global educational reform movement and national educational change. Paper presented at the EUNEC Conference, Brussels.Google Scholar
  46. Sarv, E.-S., & Heinla, E. (2008). Sissejuhatus [Introduction]. In E.-S. Sarv (Ed.), Osalusdemokraatia toimimisest Eesti üldhariduses [Participative democracy in Estonian Schools] (pp. 5–7). Tallinn: TLÜ Kirjastus.Google Scholar
  47. Scott, W. R. (2001). Institutions and organisations (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
  48. Scott, W. R. (2008). Approaching adulthood: The maturing of institutional theory. Theory and Society, 37, 427–442.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  49. Silla, E. (2002). Haridusuuendus rahvusvahelise kogemuse kontekstis Eesti praktika näitel [Educational Innovation in the context of international experience: The Estonian case], Magistritöö [Masters Thesis], Tallinna Pedagoogikaülikool.Google Scholar
  50. Tuomi, I. (2007). The new meaning processing paradigm. In: R. Compañó, C. Pascu, A. Bianchi, J.-C. Burgelman, S. Barrios, M. Ulbrich & Maghiros, I. (Eds.), The future of the information society in Europe: Contributions to the debate (pp. 197–227). EC JRC, IPT.Google Scholar
  51. Tynjälä, P., & Nikkanen, P. (2007). The role of VET in Creating innovative networks and learning region in central Finland. Paper presented at annual conference of European educational research ECER, 2007. Ghent.Google Scholar
  52. Ümarik, M., Loogma, K., & Hinno, K. (2010). Structural decoupling between VET and the employment systems: Challenges manifested in assessment of practical training. Journal of Education and Work, 23(2), 145–160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  53. Unt, I. (2008). Õpetajate ja õpilaste otsustamisvõimalustest koolielus [Participation in decision-making of teachers and students in school-life]. In E.-S. Sarv (Ed.), Osalusdemokraatia toimimisest Eesti üldhariduses [Participative democracy in Estonian Schools] (pp. 39–55). Tallinn: TPU.Google Scholar
  54. Waks, L. J. (2007). The concept of fundamental educational change. Educational Theory, 57(3), 277–295.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  55. Wallace, M. (2003). Managing the unmanageable? Coping with complex educational change. Educational Management Administration Leadership, 31(9), 9–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  56. Wallace, M., & Pocklington, K. (2002). Managing complex educational change: Large-scale reorganisation of schools. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
  57. Webster, C., Silova, I., Moyer, A., & McAllister, S. (2011). Leading in the age of post- socialist education transformations: Examining sustainability of teacher education reform in Latvia. Journal of Educational Change, 12(3), 347–370.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  • Krista Loogma
    • 1
  • Külliki Tafel-Viia
    • 1
  • Meril Ümarik
    • 1
  1. 1.Centre of Educational ResearchTallinn UniversityTallinnEstonia

Personalised recommendations

Cite article

Buy options