Transformational Learning:Transformational Learning: theory, practice and policy in the theory, practice and policy in the construction of strategic innovation and construction of strategic innovation and creativitycreativity

Dr Alan BruceDr Alan BruceULS DublinULS DublinEHU Donostia: July 2010EHU Donostia: July 2010

1. Setting the Scene1. Setting the Scene

Stakeholder and community linkageStakeholder and community linkage Access and social inclusionAccess and social inclusion Technological revolutionsTechnological revolutions Responding to the marketResponding to the market Transnational linkageTransnational linkage

Innovation in a time of changeInnovation in a time of change

Innovation supporting learningInnovation supporting learning Innovation supporting workInnovation supporting work Re-evaluation of traditional methods and Re-evaluation of traditional methods and

structuresstructures Change and transformation needsChange and transformation needs Impact of globalizationImpact of globalization

Contexts of changeContexts of change

GlobalizationGlobalization StratificationStratification Labour market transformationLabour market transformation Rights and inclusionRights and inclusion Access, quality and innovation in educationAccess, quality and innovation in education

Responding to changeResponding to change

FlexibilityFlexibility Diverse learners/digital immigrantsDiverse learners/digital immigrants Learning outcomesLearning outcomes Pedagogical designPedagogical design Integrated learningIntegrated learning Social capital and inclusionSocial capital and inclusion

Globalized imperativesGlobalized imperatives Patterns of constant changePatterns of constant change Permanent migration mobilityPermanent migration mobility OutsourcingOutsourcing Flexible structures and modalitiesFlexible structures and modalities End of job normsEnd of job norms Knowledge economyKnowledge economy Structural inequalitiesStructural inequalities

Globalized cultureGlobalized culture

End of old certaintiesEnd of old certainties No return to ‘normal’No return to ‘normal’ Polymorphic mediaPolymorphic media Fuzzy logic and postmodernismFuzzy logic and postmodernism

Globalized educationGlobalized education

Professional trainingProfessional training Best practiceBest practice Standards and ethicsStandards and ethics Learner centred mythologiesLearner centred mythologies Innovation imperativesInnovation imperatives

Spectres at the gatesSpectres at the gates

Persistence and increase in inequalityPersistence and increase in inequality Permanent hopelessness of excludedPermanent hopelessness of excluded Embedded violenceEmbedded violence Internal underclassInternal underclass Invisibility and ethnic differenceInvisibility and ethnic difference

Urbanized futuresUrbanized futures

Planet of SlumsPlanet of Slums (Mike Davis) (Mike Davis) Informal economiesInformal economies HypercitiesHypercities The normalization of brutalityThe normalization of brutality

Critical perspectivesCritical perspectives Traditional schoolingTraditional schooling Learning systems both reflect and lead Learning systems both reflect and lead

societysociety Information…wisdom…understandingInformation…wisdom…understanding Critical enquiry - back to IllichCritical enquiry - back to Illich Reflection and inquisitivenessReflection and inquisitiveness Engaging with differenceEngaging with difference

Balkan ghostsBalkan ghosts

Boundaries drawn to defend ‘Europe’ Boundaries drawn to defend ‘Europe’ against the Other (against the Other (Slavoj ZizekSlavoj Zizek))

Decalogue and Human RightsDecalogue and Human Rights Ethnic cleansing and the desert of the realEthnic cleansing and the desert of the real Love your neighbor not as mirror image… Love your neighbor not as mirror image…

but as Real but as Real ((The Fragile AbsoluteThe Fragile Absolute))

2. Defining innovation2. Defining innovation Innovation as Holy Grail of crisis resolutionInnovation as Holy Grail of crisis resolution Construction of innovation as a new form of Construction of innovation as a new form of

alchemyalchemy Identified issues link:Identified issues link:

policypolicyknowledge productionknowledge productioninformation explosioninformation explosionownershipownership

Innovation and knowledgeInnovation and knowledge

How does learning sustain innovation?How does learning sustain innovation? Necessary focus on inherited structures and Necessary focus on inherited structures and

delivery mechanismsdelivery mechanisms Access and validation of knowledge have Access and validation of knowledge have

become central concernsbecome central concerns Focus on mediation role, hierarchy and Focus on mediation role, hierarchy and

controlcontrol What is now the role of the University?What is now the role of the University?

Knowledge in transformationKnowledge in transformation

Commodification of knowledgeCommodification of knowledge Impact on education systems (Freire, Illich, Field)Impact on education systems (Freire, Illich, Field) Impact on work (Braverman, Haraszti, Davis)Impact on work (Braverman, Haraszti, Davis) Impact on community - alienation and anomieImpact on community - alienation and anomie From community to networkingFrom community to networking Knowledge and learning now centrally linked as Knowledge and learning now centrally linked as

product and process dimensions in the generation product and process dimensions in the generation of innovationof innovation

The outlook for knowledgeThe outlook for knowledge Miller (2003) fundamentally optimistic about Miller (2003) fundamentally optimistic about

transformational potential of new knowledge architecturestransformational potential of new knowledge architectures

Carneiro (2007) identifiesCarneiro (2007) identifies

Paradigm shifts (industry-globalization-utopia)Paradigm shifts (industry-globalization-utopia)Delivery modes (role-access-customized)Delivery modes (role-access-customized)Driving forces (State-market-community)Driving forces (State-market-community)

Theorizing knowledgeTheorizing knowledge DialogicDialogic learning: interaction- dialogue of equals - learning: interaction- dialogue of equals -

foundations of trustfoundations of trust Expansive Expansive learning: resoles contradictions-learning: resoles contradictions-

dialectical-goes beyond existing to imagine dialectical-goes beyond existing to imagine alternativesalternatives

CollaborativeCollaborative learning: universities-companies- learning: universities-companies-governments-communitiesgovernments-communities

Formulations occur within a structureFormulations occur within a structure The framework and assumptions are those of The framework and assumptions are those of

globalized late capitalismglobalized late capitalism

Innovative knowledge in contextInnovative knowledge in context

If learning, working and production are controlled If learning, working and production are controlled innovation is at best powerless, at worst sinisterinnovation is at best powerless, at worst sinister

At the core of innovation is an ability to assess At the core of innovation is an ability to assess critically and express freelycritically and express freely

Fundamental to innovation is the ability to ask Fundamental to innovation is the ability to ask questions that challenge existing relationsquestions that challenge existing relations

Innovation is re-examining existing reality while Innovation is re-examining existing reality while posing viable alternativesposing viable alternatives

Categories of innovationCategories of innovation

Figueiredo (2009):Figueiredo (2009): IncrementalIncremental: builds on existing thinking, : builds on existing thinking,

products, processes, organizations or social products, processes, organizations or social systemssystems

DisruptiveDisruptive: addressed to people who do not : addressed to people who do not have solutions - compete with nothing since have solutions - compete with nothing since no other solutions existno other solutions exist

Incremental innovationIncremental innovation

Addresses core of what already existsAddresses core of what already exists Airplanes that fly fartherAirplanes that fly farther Batteries that last longerBatteries that last longer Computers that process fasterComputers that process faster

Disruptive innovationDisruptive innovation

Evolves very rapidlyEvolves very rapidly Replaces traditional solutionsReplaces traditional solutions Rooted in simple applicationsRooted in simple applications Personal computerPersonal computer InternetInternet Mobile technologiesMobile technologies

Policy focusPolicy focus

How can we incubate creativity?How can we incubate creativity? Hw can we develop capacity for Hw can we develop capacity for

innovation?innovation? Why have we progressed so little in formal Why have we progressed so little in formal

terms?terms?

3. Creativity3. Creativity

Link between creativity and innovationLink between creativity and innovation Csikszentmihalyi: domain - field - personCsikszentmihalyi: domain - field - person Creative teachingCreative teaching Big and little creativityBig and little creativity Varieties of creativityVarieties of creativity Creativity as decisionCreativity as decision

Creativity for realCreativity for real

Need to acknowledge context in which creativity Need to acknowledge context in which creativity occursoccurs

Need to locate creativity as set of functioning Need to locate creativity as set of functioning elements (Craft 2003):elements (Craft 2003):Cognitive skillsCognitive skillsPersonality traitsPersonality traitsSocialSocialCulturalCulturalHistoricalHistorical

Creativity - the sequelCreativity - the sequel

Not easily definedNot easily defined Packaging the inventionPackaging the invention Copying the uniqueCopying the unique TransferabilityTransferability Rights and acknowledgementRights and acknowledgement

Linking the inventiveLinking the inventive

Innovation (Fagerbert 2003):Innovation (Fagerbert 2003):

Introduces novelty into the economic sphereIntroduces novelty into the economic sphere Tends to cluster in certain sectorsTends to cluster in certain sectors Explains difference in performanceExplains difference in performance

Trends and directionsTrends and directions

AccelerationAcceleration Collaboration and networks (external)Collaboration and networks (external) Functional integration (internal)Functional integration (internal) Collaboration with knowledge production Collaboration with knowledge production

centrescentres Increasing domination by market realitiesIncreasing domination by market realities

Hard realitiesHard realities

Role of the militaryRole of the military Imperatives of war and violenceImperatives of war and violence BiotechnologyBiotechnology Patenting biodiversityPatenting biodiversity GeneticsGenetics Social engineeringSocial engineering Hard futures Hard futures

4. Transformational Learning4. Transformational Learning

Sociology of innovationSociology of innovation Educational systems as networks of actors Educational systems as networks of actors

who reinforce each other in stable who reinforce each other in stable configurationsconfigurations

Stable configurations prevent changeStable configurations prevent change Vested interest acts against innovation - Vested interest acts against innovation -

seen as threatseen as threat

Engaging with systemsEngaging with systems

It is possible to have incremental changeIt is possible to have incremental change Systems react to change even if they do not Systems react to change even if they do not

initiate itinitiate it The promising path is through disruptive The promising path is through disruptive

innovation which produces irreversible innovation which produces irreversible change (Christensen, change (Christensen, Disrupting ClassDisrupting Class, , 2008)2008)

Changing systemsChanging systems

On-line coursesOn-line courses Pilot schoolsPilot schools Project based learningProject based learning Experimental schools in degraded social Experimental schools in degraded social

communitiescommunities Non-formal learningNon-formal learning Abolition of the teacherAbolition of the teacher

Beyond changed systemsBeyond changed systems

Language, mathematics, science and …Language, mathematics, science and … Creative and cultural developmentCreative and cultural development Moral autonomyMoral autonomy Critical thinking distinct epistemologies of Critical thinking distinct epistemologies of

science and engineeringscience and engineering ““Science explains what exists; engineering Science explains what exists; engineering

creates what never existed” (Von Karman)creates what never existed” (Von Karman)

Embedding creativityEmbedding creativity Organic, reflective evaluative follow-upOrganic, reflective evaluative follow-up Analysis and modificationAnalysis and modification Lasting partnerships between research units Lasting partnerships between research units

and schoolsand schools Action research teamsAction research teams Organic link to work and communityOrganic link to work and community Professional passion - out of the strait-Professional passion - out of the strait-

jacketjacket

Supporting innovative learning Supporting innovative learning communitiescommunities

Community developmentCommunity development Social solidaritySocial solidarity Environmental management and conservationEnvironmental management and conservation Arts and cultureArts and culture Sports and leisureSports and leisure Health and well-beingHealth and well-being Social inclusion and demographic changeSocial inclusion and demographic change Advanced technologiesAdvanced technologies

Traditional modelsTraditional models

ConservativeConservative StrictStrict InflexibleInflexible Examination-drivenExamination-driven Resistant to application of new Resistant to application of new

technologiestechnologies

Potential modelsPotential models Pupil centredPupil centred Competence drivenCompetence driven Community focusedCommunity focused Technological supportTechnological support International cooperationInternational cooperation Learning process (application Learning process (application

modes)modes) Individual value (humanistic Individual value (humanistic

approach)approach)

Strategic planningStrategic planning

The innovation imperativeThe innovation imperative Reprising discoveryReprising discovery Challenging certaintiesChallenging certainties Re-asserting valuesRe-asserting values Defining rightsDefining rights

ThemesThemes Innovation and creativity as starting point not Innovation and creativity as starting point not

destinationdestination Responsiveness to permanent changeResponsiveness to permanent change Staff competence and empowermentStaff competence and empowerment Engaging with excellenceEngaging with excellence Doing the unexpected - better!Doing the unexpected - better! Content validity and academic rigorContent validity and academic rigor Customer delightCustomer delight

European trajectoriesEuropean trajectories

Rights of Man: Rights of Man: Liberty, Equality, FraternityLiberty, Equality, Fraternity Thematic mythologies - social inclusionThematic mythologies - social inclusion Legacies of struggleLegacies of struggle Hidden pasts:Hidden pasts:

colonialism, fascism, exterminismcolonialism, fascism, exterminism Neo-liberalism resurgentNeo-liberalism resurgent The Union in crisisThe Union in crisis

American trajectoriesAmerican trajectories Constitutional rights: Constitutional rights:

Life, Liberty,the Pursuit of HappinessLife, Liberty,the Pursuit of Happiness All men are created equal… All men are created equal… but…but… Final frontiers: immigration, assimilation, success, Final frontiers: immigration, assimilation, success,

opportunityopportunity Hidden poisons - slavery, race, eugenicsHidden poisons - slavery, race, eugenics Uncomfortable truths - Uncomfortable truths -

Abu Ghraib to GuantanamoAbu Ghraib to Guantanamo Blogging in the desert - wikileaks and truthBlogging in the desert - wikileaks and truth

Common trajectoriesCommon trajectories Demographic changes: ageing and life Demographic changes: ageing and life

expectancyexpectancy Women and labor market participationWomen and labor market participation ImmigrationImmigration Cultural and religious differenceCultural and religious difference Conflict and stress Conflict and stress UrbanizationUrbanization

Further stepsFurther steps

Increased application on new knowledgeIncreased application on new knowledge Open and distance learning technologies Open and distance learning technologies

facilitating learners and staff competencefacilitating learners and staff competence Transformation of traditional teaching role Transformation of traditional teaching role

to mentoring, guiding and facilitationto mentoring, guiding and facilitation Development of network of innovative best Development of network of innovative best

practice at European levelpractice at European level

From science to wisdomFrom science to wisdom

The strangeness of reality consistently exceeds the The strangeness of reality consistently exceeds the expectations of science, and the assumptions of science, expectations of science, and the assumptions of science, however tried and rational, are very inclined to encourage however tried and rational, are very inclined to encourage false expectations. It is a tribute to the brilliance of science false expectations. It is a tribute to the brilliance of science that we can know such things. And it is also an illustration that we can know such things. And it is also an illustration of the fact that science does not foreclose possibility, of the fact that science does not foreclose possibility, including discoveries that overturn very fundamental including discoveries that overturn very fundamental assumptions, and that it is not a final statement about assumptions, and that it is not a final statement about reality but a highly fruitful mode of inquiry into it.reality but a highly fruitful mode of inquiry into it.

Marilynne Robinson, Marilynne Robinson, Absence of MindAbsence of Mind (2010) (2010)

Fruitful inquiryFruitful inquiry

Innovation based on questions, not answersInnovation based on questions, not answers Humanizing experience by understandingHumanizing experience by understanding Purpose and meaningPurpose and meaning Assimilating past and present - profoundly Assimilating past and present - profoundly

communicablecommunicable Unearthing the human gem - Ernest Mandel Unearthing the human gem - Ernest Mandel

and the abyss of barbarismand the abyss of barbarism

DirectionsDirections

Avoiding innovation mantras and clichésAvoiding innovation mantras and clichés The poetry of open discovery and delightThe poetry of open discovery and delight Rescuing liberation in thought and practiceRescuing liberation in thought and practice Back to the future - the construction of Back to the future - the construction of

cathedrals and creativity in a fractured cathedrals and creativity in a fractured EuropeEurope

Thank youThank you

Dr Alan BruceDr Alan BruceULS DublinULS Dublin

Donostia July 2010Donostia July 2010