The Laboratory for Educational Innovation Research was established by the decision of the Academic Council of the Institute of Education in December 2014. We are open to collaborate with all who are interested in the research of innovative ecosystems and processes in education.

Prospective goal

Studying processes of generation and diffusion of innovations in educational ecosystems and identifying factors affecting their prevalence and sustainability. Based on this knowledge the development of assessment methodology for the potential of innovative projects. Development of a consulting support system for the community of innovators, venture capital, public authorities and charity. 

Conceptual framework

Our understanding of innovation in education is borrowed from the OECD study Measuring Innovations in Education (2014), which in turn draws on the definition of the Oslo Manual. This is the broadest approach that considers innovations to be any new products and services offered by educational organizations, new or improved pedagogical and organizational practices, new forms of external relations of educational organizations. Such an approach in a sense leaves out the analysis of the educational innovations effectiveness. However, the concepts of diffusion rate and sustainability of innovation are an indirect expression of their effectiveness. Ineffective innovations do not spread well and take root.

One of our tasks is a more complete conceptual understanding of innovations in education, the creation of a pragmatic taxonomy of innovations. Therefore, the approach described here is not final.

A cross-disciplinary approach to the study of innovation is being envisaged, which includes the use of philosophical, historical, and sociological research. We do not exclude the expansion of methods in the future.

Big challenges the center seeks to face:

Transformation of education as a public institution: a fork - 1. maintaining the fundamental (cementing) role of the institution of education and the growth of non-systemic innovations around it that meet the new requirements of society; 2. The transformation of the institution of education, thanks to the “pulling” of initially unsystematic initiatives into the system.

New people in education (Zoological approach - the emergence of a new kind): Today new factors are involved in education that can have a serious impact on the transformation of the institution: 1. start-ups and entrepreneurs offering new solutions and approaches;  2. factors receiving education - life-long learning, silver age, etc.

Topics:

Educational innovations (top-down and bottom-up):

• “top-down” innovations (reforms), their principle of distribution and implementation, adoption by all participants of the system;
• “bottom-up” innovations transforming the education system (transition from the gauge effect to the green field), unsystematic initiatives (Who? What? Why?).

Entrepreneurship in education:

• inside the system, in parallel with the system;
• survival;
• acceleration.

Foresight:

• identification of educational transformation trends;
• dynamics and structure of changes;
• weak signals (weak signals or jokers).

Precedents

Innovations in education are studied by leading research organizations and universities:

• In the OECD, this is the Center for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI), with an extensive pool of projects, including a large-scale Open Educational Resources (OER).
• In Harvard, this is The Office of Educational Innovation and Technology (OEIT), where the main focus is predictably technological and mainly software development is being conducted for teachers and researchers.
• In Stanford, this is the H-STAR, the Human-Sciences and Technologies Advanced Research Institute.
• In MIT, this is The Education Innovation Laboratory, more focused on racial inequality.
• In Denmark, there is the cooperation of the Copenhagen Business School, the Copenhagen Technical University and the University of Copenhagen. They are working on the project for the development and implementation of educational innovations “Innovation Suit”.
• In Hungary, Centre for Higher Education and Innovation  Research.