Several interesting points by Joshua Kim, on the nature of innovation in higher ed.
A focus on institutional learning innovation may involve the decision that all new classroom spaces and renovations will result in active learning spaces, with flat floors and moveable furniture. Or it may revolve around an initiative to embed academic librarians with professors throughout the course development, teaching, and redesign process.
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One example comes from the world of online learning. On its own, an online learning program is not all that innovative. What is innovative is when the school tries to figure out how to bring the lessons, methods, techniques, and resources from online courses to residential courses.MOOCs are not innovative. What would be innovative is to leverage what is learned from MOOCs to improve traditional online and residential courses.
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Getting resources for pilot projects is usually much easier than transitioning the new practices to the normal operations of the school. Learning innovations that do not change how the institution works are ultimately useless. Learning innovation initiatives must be aligned with the strategic goals of the institution.
Source: Defining Learning Innovation | Technology and Learning
I've seen similar things with pilots - short-term funding to explore an idea that doesn't get translated into something ongoing and sustainably funded, so it disappears after the pilot. Innovation has to be sustainable to make a real difference. It's also incredibly important to avoid getting distracted by The Latest Shinyâ„¢ - learn from it, but the innovation is in how we translate what we learn into the institution, rather than just duct-taping on something new.