Written by Innovation
I define innovation in education as the intentional iteration of teaching practices and learning environments that responsively meet students’ evolving needs to enhance learning.
At the beginning of the course, I defined innovation as the intentional adaptation of teaching practices that responsively meet students’ evolving needs to enhance learning. While this definition is very similar, my understanding of innovation initially focused primarily on the introduction or adaptation of teaching strategies. Over the duration of this course, my understanding expanded to include the intentional design of learning environments and the continuous refinement of practice as essential to innovation.
A key shift in my thinking involved recognizing that innovation is not necessarily about dramatic change but about iterative responsiveness to students and contexts. Runco (2004) observes that while innovation requires change, said change needs to encourage both exploration and experimentation. Rather than focusing solely on producing new outcomes or products, successful innovation often involves thoughtful redesigns of structures that shape learning, suggesting that innovation in education is often incremental rather than revolutionary, as has been the case in my own teaching practice.
The most significant change in my thinking came from considering learning environments as part of the definition of innovation. Initially, I took such environments for granted; however, the course emphasized that they must be carefully and intentionally constructed. Davies et al. (2013) argue that “an enabling environment has to be fostered by teachers” (p. 90), highlighting educators’ role in designing conditions that support innovative thinking. Innovation can best occur through environments that encourage experimentation and risk-taking, yet students are only likely to do so in spaces where they feel emotionally safe and supported.
Through engaging with the course materials and discussions, I now see innovation as the intentional cultivation of classroom environments that encourage iteration. As a result, my definition has evolved to emphasize both environmental design and iterative improvement as central components of innovative teaching practices.
Creativity
Creativity is a developmental and context-dependent process that emerges when learners feel safe to experiment with ideas, take intellectual risks, and produce original responses.
Initially, my definition of creativity was a developmental, context-dependent capacity that demands risk-taking in the production of originality. I recognized the importance of creativity being developmental because anyone can demonstrate creativity at some level. I also emphasized context, recognizing that what may be considered creative in one environment may not be perceived the same way in another. In revising my definition, I changed the term capacity to process because the notion of capacity is already implied in the idea of creativity as developmental. I also wanted to emphasize that creativity does not occur instantaneously but emerges gradually over time.
Similar to my evolving understanding of innovation, this course reinforced the importance of experimentation and risk-taking in creative learning environments. Beghetto (2010) argues that creativity in educational settings depends on environments where learners feel safe exploring uncertain ideas without fear of immediate judgment. This perspective helped me reconsider how classroom expectations, grading practices, and peer-to-peer interactions can influence students’ willingness to experiment intellectually and be creative. If students fear being wrong or judged too quickly, they may avoid exploring creative ideas altogether.
I also came to see originality as an essential element of creativity. Wearing (2015) complements this view by describing creativity as “an act of expression” (p. 4) that involves “experimenting rather than mimicking” (p. 2). This distinction resonated strongly with my classroom experiences, where I’ve noticed that students often hesitate to experiment because they feel pressured to produce the correct or expected answer, often out of fear of poor grades that may affect university prospects.
As a result of these insights, my understanding of creativity shifted toward emphasizing the creative process itself. Creativity emerges when students are given opportunities to experiment with their thinking, take risks in expressing their perspectives, and extend their learning beyond replication to produce originality.
Teaching
Teaching is an intentional, relational, and assessment-informed practice of designing the conditions and learning environments necessary for deeper thinking that is responsive to students’ needs.
At the start of the course, my definition of teaching was an intentional, relational, and assessment-informed approach to imparting knowledge that is responsive to a learner’s needs. Initially, I framed teaching primarily as imparting knowledge. As the course progressed, however, I began to see teaching more clearly as the intentional design and facilitation of the conditions where meaningful learning can occur.
A significant shift in my thinking came from recognizing that effective teaching does not simply involve transmitting information but creating opportunities for students to question assumptions and reflect on their understanding. Case (2005) notes that “as long as critical thinking remains but one type among many forms of thinking, there will never be adequate time devoted to it” (p. 1). This observation reinforced the importance of intentionally prioritizing deeper thinking within the teaching process.
As with my other definitions, another shift came from recognizing the importance of environments in teaching practice. Chanicka et al. (2018) describe the learning environment as a “third teacher” (p. 642), highlighting the idea that classroom structures and experiences themselves shape learning. This perspective helped me consider teaching as extending beyond instructional delivery to include the intentional design of learning spaces and interactions.
From my original definition, I wanted to maintain the relational nature of teaching and its responsiveness to student needs. Teaching involves guiding students through uncertainty and supporting them as they encounter challenging concepts. Rather than focusing solely on outcomes such as completed assignments or correct answers, teaching involves cultivating conditions that foster students’ confidence and independence as learners.
Finally, the role of assessment remained essential to my definition. Assessment should not function solely as a measure of performance but also as a tool that informs instruction and supports student growth. As a result, my revised definition emphasizes teaching as one of intentional design, relational engagement, and responsiveness.
Learning
Learning is an ongoing, developmental, metacognitive process of acquiring, refining, and reflecting on knowledge to develop skills and capacities that challenge one to extend beyond their current understanding and rely on supportive environments.
My initial definition of learning was nearly identical to my revised one: an ongoing, developmental, metacognitive process of acquiring, refining, and reflecting on knowledge to develop skills and capacities. I understand learning as a continuous process of acquiring and refining knowledge, and I wanted to keep those ideas central to my definition.
One concept that significantly influenced my thinking beyond course readings was the importance of appropriate challenge in learning. The University at Buffalo (n.d.) notes that learning is optimal when tasks are slightly beyond what students can do independently but remain within reach. This idea reinforced the importance of designing learning tasks that push students beyond their zones of proximal development or comfort levels. Consequently, I revised the latter half of my definition to highlight the role of challenge within the learning process.
The course also reinforced my belief in the importance of reflection in learning. Learning does not simply involve absorbing information; it requires learners to think about their thinking and evaluate how their understanding evolves. As I identified in my original post, Learning for All (2013) emphasizes the importance of “think[ing] about thinking” (p. 21) to the learning process, while Growing Success (2010) frames learning as a continual and reflective process where learners develop the “capacity to be independent, autonomous, [and reflective]” (p. 28). This emphasis on metacognition aligns with broader educational perspectives that view learning as a dynamic and reflective process.
As a result of these insights, while my definition of learning remained relatively consistent, it also evolved to emphasize the importance of challenge and environment, as learning is not simply the acquisition of knowledge but an ongoing process through which students develop the skills and capacities necessary for continued, gradual growth.
References
Beghetto, R. A. (2010). Creativity in the classroom. In J. C. Kaufman & R. J. Sternberg (Eds.),
The Cambridge handbook of creativity (pp. 447–463). Cambridge University Press.
Case, R. (2005). Bringing Critical Thinking to the Main Stage. Education Canada, 45(2), 45–49.
Chanicka, J., de Silva, R. M., & Merkley, K. (2018). An inclusive design vision for Canada –
schooling as a process for participatory democracy and responsible citizenship. Intercultural Education, 29(5-6), 632-646. https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2018.1508620
Davies, D., Jindal-Snape, D., Collier, C., Digby, R., Hay, P., & Howe, A. (2013). Creative
learning environments in education: A systematic literature review. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 8, 80-91.
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2010). Growing success: Assessment, evaluation, and reporting
in Ontario schools (First edition, covering Grades 1 to 12). Queen’s Printer for Ontario.
https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/growsuccess.pdf
University at Buffalo. (n.d.). Scaffolding content. Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning
Through Research. https://www.buffalo.edu/catt/teach/develop/build/scaffolding.htm
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2013). Learning for all: A guide to practical assessment and
instruction for all students, Kindergarten to Grade 12. Queen’s Printer for Ontario.
https://files.ontario.ca/edu-learning-for-all-2013-en-2022-01-28.pdf
Runco, M. A. (2004). Creativity. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 657–687.
https://link-gale-com.proxy.queensu.ca/apps/doc/A114167293/AONE
Wearing, J. M. (2015, June). Creativity and learning in four metaphors [Conference paper].
Faculty of Education, Queen’s University.