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What is disruptive innovation and how can a small town intermediate school with a 91 accountability rating benefit from it?
Disruptive Innovation is something that challenges an existing, functioning system and in turn, affects that system. However, the definition does not stop there. According to Clayton M. Christensen, for a technology or innovation to be categorized as “disruptive,” it must be attained by a population that did not have equal access (2014). He goes onto say that this usually occurs by making the technology more accessible and more affordable.
This is the very reason that disruptive innovation is so important - what was once delivered to the few can now be consumed and utilized by all.
In the realm of education, this is invaluable. Technology allows for extreme differentiation and personalization of learning, with the overall goal being higher student success rates.
Working in my current school district, we experience an interesting phenomenon. Blended learning models, mainly station rotations and flipped classrooms, are evidenced at both the elementary level and the high school level. But when students enter our intermediate campuses, teachers are more reluctant to embrace this type of innovation and continue to educate their students in the traditional classroom setting. There could be multiple reasons for this resistance. One challenging aspect is that our school’s accountability rating continues to be top tier. This feeds the narrative that we don't need to seek to change how we instruct students. Another challenging aspect is our teachers’ perception of our students’ maturity level. As they enter the world of preteen independence and adolescent hormones, students are labeled as those who are not able or do not care to take charge of their learning. A blended learning environment requires the students to take more ownership of their learning which requires the teacher to pass control to the students. That can be a scary, risky situation for a teacher.
This is where I see an opportunity for innovation in my organization, specifically the intermediate campus where I serve. Whether it is a maker space or the introduction of a blended learning environment, I want teachers to experience success beyond that traditional setting. If a group of teachers can taste the benefits of a personalized learning experience for their students, this could be a catalyst for organizational change.
References
Clayton Christensen Institute. (2014). Part 6—Technology as a disruptive force in education [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0ENX-GTUf4
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