A new wave of learning in Finland: Get started with innovation!

Abstract

This chapter describes the grass-roots nature of the Innokas Network and explores how networking can support teachers in adopting strategies for teaching twenty-first century competencies. The context for this study is the Innokas Network, a Finnish school development network. The goal of Innokas Network is to initiate educational reform for the learning of twenty-first century competencies as a new wave of learning arising from widespread innovation on the grass-roots level. The key question driving activities in Innokas Network is how we can teach and support the learning of twenty-first century competencies in practice. Innokas Network is focused on answering this question through the Innovation Education approach, within the framework provided by the Innovative School model (ISC). To study teachers’ experience with such networking, thoughts and ideas for supporting teachers in teaching of twenty-first century competencies were collected from Innokas Network teachers during the 2013-2014 school years. The results indicate that teachers experienced the Innovation Education approach practiced in the network, when implemented through ISC principles such as educational innovations, peer-to-peer learning, teamwork, and partnerships, as helpful in teaching twenty-first century competencies. In addition, teachers mentioned the motivational effect provided by taking part in nationwide network activity as well as the enabling effect of the limited but well-coordinated support provided by the network.