Educational innovations as a school answer to diversity

Abstract

This paper reports ongoing research analysing the kinds of educational innovation that Sevillian primary and secondary schools are creating to give an answer to the question of diversity. The overall aim of the study is to collaborate with schools to cope with change through the identification, description, comprehension and analysis of innovations directly linked to inclusive education. To achieve this aim we used a gradual research design developed into two phases, both combining data collection strategies and analysis of varied extent, intensity and quality. The first phase of the research was the identification of all the innovations linked to diversity carried out in the province of Seville during the 1996–97 academic year. To achieve this we designed and ratified a questionnaire to be distributed among a sample of primary and secondary schools. The completed questionnaires were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively in order to identify the kinds of innovation that schools have undertaken, as well as toidentify atypology of innovations. Case studies in the second phase will be aimed at gaining a deeper knowledge of the different kinds of innovation which emerged in the first phase. In the results we discuss the general and specific kinds of innovation, classroom processes and strategies to promote inclusive education in the case studies from the province of Seville.