Innovation in VET: networks and niggles

Abstract

This article draws upon research funded by the National Council for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) on trends in teaching and learning in vocational education and training (VET) in Australia and internationally in the United Kingdom and Europe and from a series of workshops on innovation in teaching and learning in VET which the authors conducted in March 2009 in Australia. We discuss attitudes and perceptions held by Australian VET practitioners about innovation in VET that emerged from the workshops and the research and draw attention to the central role that networking plays in the process of innovation. These findings then serve as a lens for examining innovation theories and models of innovation that are applicable to change and improvement in education. We argue the focus should be shifted from leading edge innovation and ‘natural’ innovators to environments in which mainstream VET professionals work. We conclude that innovation ecology is a more helpful model to understand innovation in VET teaching and learning practices.

Keywords:

• innovation
• vocational education and training
• teaching and learning