Innovation in Education Systems

Innovation is the lifeblood of progress, but it doesn’t happen by chance. It’s cultivated in environments where team members feel safe to share ideas and challenge the status quo. Creating a culture of innovation means nurturing an environment where bold ideas can flourish. It’s about openness, diverse perspectives, and the freedom to experiment. When people feel empowered to speak up, creativity thrives, and true innovation follows. So, how do you create such a culture? 1️⃣ Embed a Growth Mindset: Encourage continuous learning and development across all levels of the organization. Provide resources for professional growth and celebrate learning milestones, fostering an environment where knowledge and skills are constantly evolving. 2️⃣ Facilitate Cross-Functional Collaboration: Break down silos and encourage teams from different departments to work together. Cross-functional projects can bring fresh perspectives and spur innovative solutions that wouldn’t emerge in isolation. 3️⃣ Implement Structured Feedback Mechanisms: Establish regular feedback processes focused on constructive criticism and actionable insights. Ensure psychological safety so team members feel secure, viewing feedback as an opportunity for growth rather than critique. 4️⃣ Encourage Calculated Risks: Promote a culture where calculated risks are welcomed. Empower your team to explore new ideas and approaches without fear of failure. Recognize and reward innovative efforts, even when they don’t result in immediate success. By embedding these principles into your organizational culture, you can pave the way for continuous growth and success. Let’s create spaces where innovation is not just an aspiration but a tangible reality. #Leadership #Innovation #FutureOfWork

Schools of the future will be judged on one thing: time autonomy. Not grades. Not facilities. Not tech. 👉🏻 Just: Can you own your hours? Because the world isn’t moving faster. It’s getting weirder. More fluid. More asynchronous. More, I’m in flow, I’ll be in that lab later ... energy. Meanwhile, most curricula .... Shuffle the kids. Change the subject. Bell rings. Repeat. Sigh. No wonder students are tapped out before the work even starts. But here's what some schools are quietly testing: --- Flow-based scheduling --- Mixed-age collaboratives --- Self-directed learning blocks --- Real-world, real-time project immersion This isn’t just future of education talk. It’s architecture. System(s) design for sovereign learning. I think we all know, if ChatGPT / AI can do it, it’s low-status. If it needs contradiction, tension, or lived experience? That’s the new top-tier. That’s the future-proof stuff. Honestly, I don't care about your facilities. We launched one school with a table and whiteboard (below) in the Okavango Delta. It’s gonna be in the weird perspective mashups, culture fluency, emotional range where the magic happens. More control over your time will be the move. Forty-minute blocks? Legacy stuff. Design with courage around deep focus, not just deep knowledge.

I’m delighted to be able share the Government of Ireland AI Advisory Council’s Advice Paper on AI and Education, the culmination of several months of work by a really distinguished and hard-working sub-group of the Advisory Council, which I was privileged to chair.  Council's role is to provide expert advice to the Irish Government on all aspect of AI and the AI and Education paper is one of a series of advice papers including advice on "AI and the Creative Sector" and a report on "Biometrics and Facial Recognition Technology", all published today at https://lnkd.in/enJfxtSk The AI and Education paper considers implications from the emergence of generative AI as a popular and accessible tool across all education levels. The paper recommends that Government create and publish coordinated and consistent guidelines for the use of GenAI in education, should lead the development of AI literacy training for students and for educators as part of our professional development, and should establish a system to ensure equitable access to GenAI tools in education specifically addressing monetary barriers and issues of language support. Finally the advice paper recommends that Government facilitate a national conversation around AI and its implications, benefits and pitfalls for the education sector and involving teachers and their unions/representatives, parents/guardians, policymakers, tech companies, students and educational technology innovators. This is a really important time in the education sector and it is critical that we use AI tools in the best ways that we can, and for the benefit of our students. A lot of hard work and consideration went into producing this advice, I thank my colleagues on that working group and I hope this advice paper is useful. Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics, Dublin City University

The Future of Education: Upgrading Teaching Methodologies and Empowering Educators As we navigate the complexities of the 21st century, it's become increasingly clear that our education system needs to evolve. With technological advancements, shifting workforce demands, and diverse learning styles, schools must adapt to prepare students for success. One crucial aspect of this transformation is upgrading teaching methodologies and supporting teachers' professional development. By doing so, educators can create engaging, personalized, and effective learning experiences that cater to the unique needs of each student. Here are a few ways schools can upgrade their teaching methodologies: 1. *Incorporate technology*: Leverage digital tools, such as learning management systems, educational apps, and virtual reality, to enhance student engagement and accessibility. 2. *Personalized learning*: Implement tailored learning plans that cater to individual students' strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. 3. *Project-based learning*: Encourage students to work on real-world projects that foster critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. 4. *Collaborative learning spaces*: Design classrooms that promote interaction, flexibility, and comfort, allowing students to work together effectively. 5. *Continuous teacher training*: Provide educators with ongoing professional development opportunities to stay updated on best practices, technologies, and pedagogies. For example, a school in Finland implemented a project-based learning approach, where students worked on real-world challenges, such as designing sustainable communities or developing innovative products. This led to improved student engagement, motivation, and academic performance. By upgrading teaching methodologies and empowering educators, we can create a more effective, inclusive, and inspiring education system that prepares students for success in the 21st century. What are your thoughts on the future of education? Share your insights and experiences in the comments below! #school #teaching #teachers #emotionalintelligence #education #learning

Why Parents Are Choosing Schools With Fewer Than 100 Students: A Case for Micro-Schools The educational landscape is experiencing a profound transformation that extends far beyond pandemic disruptions. According to a 2023 Gallup poll, parental satisfaction with traditional education dropped from 51% in 2019 to 42% by 2022, reflecting a desire for learning environments characterized by greater intimacy, agency, and meaning. (i) The Rise of Micro-Schools: A Rejection of Scale Without Soul Micro-schools—typically serving 15 to 100 students—are rapidly gaining traction as alternatives to large, impersonal institutions. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that between 2020 and 2024, the number of micro-schools in the United States increased by 78%, now numbering approximately 2,400 registered institutions nationwide. These schools transcend mere size considerations; they represent a paradigm shift toward personalization and community. Research from the Christensen Institute shows that micro-schools operate with 60-70% lower administrative overhead than traditional schools, allowing them to direct up to 85% of resources toward direct student learning experiences. The teacher-to-student ratio typically ranges from 1:5 to 1:12, compared to the national average of 1:16 in private schools and 1:23 in public institutions. A 2023 study in the Journal of Educational Innovation found that micro-school students demonstrated 27% higher scores on measures of intrinsic motivation and 32% higher scores on measures of learner agency compared to peers in conventional settings. The most successful micro-schools function as "learning communities" rather than hierarchical institutions, with 86% incorporating student voice in curriculum development. (ii) A Global Phenomenon, an Indian Momentum In India, this approach is gaining remarkable momentum. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2023 indicated that 14% of surveyed parents expressed interest in alternative schooling models, up from just 3% in 2018. Projections from the India Alternative Education Consortium suggest that by 2030, over 2.5 million Indian students may opt for micro-schooling solutions—representing approximately 1.5% of India's school-age population. A 2024 report by the Observer Research Foundation found that micro-schools are developing most rapidly in tier-2 cities like Pune, Ahmedabad, and Bhubaneswar, where they've grown by 112% since 2021. India’s policy frameworks still lag in recognizing this growing movement. If designed right, micro-schools could be a vital spoke in the larger wheel of educational reform—especially in rural areas and underserved communities. They can offer a model of distributed excellence. #MicroSchools #AlternativeEducation #SmallIsPowerful #EducationReimagined #BeyondMainstream #ChildCentricLearning #PersonalizedEducation #LearningRevolution #FutureOfLearning #PostPandemicEducation

“𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭? 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝.” (Here’s the hard truth) ↳ We’ve optimized everything: systems, workflows, calendars. But in the process, we’ve accidentally optimized out the space to think. ↳ Most teams aren’t lacking tools. They’re lacking permission to experiment. ↳ And most leaders don’t need more answers. They need better questions — and the patience to listen. Efficiency is great for execution. But creativity is what drives evolution. And without innovation, speed just takes you to irrelevance faster. So, what actually fuels innovation in modern teams? 1️⃣ 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 → Constant output kills original thinking. → Give your people time to breathe, explore, and imagine. 2️⃣ 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 → When leaders say “What if?”, the whole team starts thinking bigger. 3️⃣ 𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐔𝐧𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 → The best innovations started as half-formed thoughts in safe rooms. 4️⃣ 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬 → True breakthroughs come when design, strategy, tech, and ops collide. 5️⃣ 𝐀 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐖𝐡𝐲, 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐰 → Lock in the vision. Loosen the execution. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫? When creativity leads → Innovation compounds. When leadership empowers → People contribute their best. When you stop chasing efficiency → You start creating value that lasts. 📌 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. That comes from people who feel free to explore. 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬. It’s a culture — led by those bold enough to slow down and think different. 💬 What’s one thing you’ve done to bring more creativity into your team? ♻️ Repost if you're ready to lead beyond the checklist. And follow ASHISH SHUKLA for weekly insights on leadership, creativity, and innovation strategy 🚀 artist: Thomas Deininger #creativity #leadership #innovation

🚨 𝙂𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮’𝙨 𝙄𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝘾𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙨: 𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙒𝙚 𝙎𝙤 𝘽𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙛𝙚𝙧? 🚨 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵, 𝘆𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱. 𝑩𝑨𝑫𝑳𝒀. The latest Clarivate ISI study reveals a harsh reality: Only ONE German university (Technical University of Munich, ranked #24) made it into the Top 50 universities whose research influences patented innovations. Meanwhile, the U.S. dominates with 30 universities in the ranking. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲? The situation isn't much better. While Cambridge, Oxford, ETH Zurich, and Université Paris Cité perform well, European universities as a whole struggle to translate research into patents and impact. ❌ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱? 📌 Lack of seamless industry-academia integration 📌 Fragmented and inefficient tech transfer offices 📌 Bureaucracy, high costs, and slow administration choke innovation 📌 Risk-averse and limited entrepreneurial mindset in academia 🚀 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲? ✅ Make tech transfer a strategic priority for universities ✅ Stronger industry-academia partnerships with incentives for commercialization ✅ Simplified IP regulations to accelerate licensing & spin-offs ✅ Cut bureaucracy & create innovation-friendly policies ✅ A shift in academic culture—rewarding impact, not just publications 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲! How do we fix this? 🚀👇 #Innovation #TechTransfer #ResearchImpact #EuropeTech #DeepTech #Startups #Research

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹—𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱? In research conducted with Johnathan Cromwell, Kevin J. Johnson, and Amy Edmondson, we studied more than 160 innovation teams—including those in a Fortune Global 500 company—and found that it's not just how much teams learn that matters, but when and how they learn. We identified four core modes of team learning: 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘃𝗲 — assessing goals, roles, and strategies 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 — brainstorming, prototyping, testing new ideas 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 — scanning the environment for trends, signals, and shifts 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 — drawing lessons from others who’ve done similar work The most effective teams didn’t try to do everything at once. They began and ended with reflexive learning, anchoring their work in shared understanding. They placed exploratory learning (experimental and contextual) in the middle. This rhythm—reflection → exploration → reflection—helped them reduce friction, integrate insights, and build real momentum. We also found that vicarious learning can be combined with reflexive learning in the same project phase with positive results. But when teams mixed reflexive with experimental or contextual learning in the same phase, performance suffered. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆: Innovation doesn’t thrive on more learning. It thrives on structured learning. Teams that sequence and separate their learning activities make faster, clearer progress. We’ve summarized the findings from our research, published in Administrative Science Quarterly—a leading journal in organizational research—in this new Harvard Business Review article. Link in comments.

Is AI replacing the scientist, or giving us "superpowers"? I’m pleased to share my latest academic paper, "The Algorithmic Turn: Re-operationalizing the Ten Pillars of Scientific Inquiry in the Age of Artificial Intelligence." In this study, I argue that we are witnessing an epistemological shift. We are moving from the era of "artisanal science"—constrained by human cognitive bottlenecks—to an era of Augmented Inquiry. Key insights from the paper:  The Shift: How AI transforms the 10 core characteristics of research, from "Purposefulness" to "Generalizability." Case Study: How Synthetic Data allows us to test policy interventions for refugee populations without risking their safety or privacy. Efficiency: A comparative analysis showing how AI can reduce qualitative coding time from ~1,000 hours to just 2 hours.  The Governance Warning: Addressing the risks of "Epistemic Colonialism" and the urgent need for Open Science to protect SDG 4 (Quality Education). The future belongs to the "Algorithmic Auditor"—the researcher who can orchestrate silicon precision with human ethics. Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/dFCa-QCb #ArtificialIntelligence #ResearchMethodology #SDG4 #Governance #PublicPolicy #UniversityOfPotsdam #HigherEd #AI

No More Backbenchers! A simple shift in classroom seating—triggered by a Malayalam film—is sparking a real movement in Kerala schools. Today's article in The Times Of India reports this case of reel affecting change in real! Traditional rows of benches are built for passive listening. We've all grown up in school where one person talks, the rest receive. But learning doesn’t happen in a straight line—it happens in spirals, sparks, and shared stories. What if our classrooms reflected that? Flexible seating isn’t just a design choice—it’s a pedagogical statement. It tells children: “Your voice matters. Your way of learning is valid.” From U-shaped arrangements to open circles, bean bags, standing desks, and learning nooks, schools across the world are waking up to this truth: The way we seat children can shape the way they think, collaborate, and grow. Why does this matter? - It fosters small group collaboration and peer learning. - It enables pair work and student-led exploration. - It allows for quiet corners and reflective time. - It frees the teacher from the “front”—and places them in the center, as a facilitator. - It breaks down power hierarchies. Everyone is equal. No stigma about where you sit. As Dr. U Vivek notes in the article, “This new arrangement gives the teacher a bird’s eye view… but more importantly, it gives each child the space to be seen, heard, and understood.” Flexibility in seating reflects flexibility in thinking. In fact, school designers and architects like Rosan Bosch have long championed learning spaces that are modular and organic—environments that invite movement, creativity, and play. Her work with Vittra School in Sweden is a powerful reminder that space IS a teacher. Similarly, Danish Kurani's work in school design emphasises the need for voices of practitioners and students in the design process. He believes that new teaching methods can't be adopted without the change in the classroom design. Similarly, the STUDIO SCHOOLS TRUST in the UK, the Reggio Children (Reggio Emilia) approach in Italy, and Big Picture Learning schools in the U.S. all embrace flexible learning environments. These aren’t “alternative” anymore—they are becoming essential. If we want to create classrooms of curiosity, critical thinking, and compassion—let’s begin with the seating. It’s not about removing backbenchers. It’s about removing the very idea of front and back. And here’s the best part—this is the lowest-stakes ‘edtech’ upgrade we can make. No fancy gadgets, no big budgets. Seems like a no-brainer to me! Let’s stop teaching. Let’s start facilitating. Let’s redesign learning—one seat at a time.