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H. Niemi et al. (eds.), Finn ish Innovations & Technologies in Schools, 99113.
© 2014 Sense Publishers. All rights reserved.
TIINA KORHONEN, JARI LAVONEN, MINNA KUKKONEN,
KATI SORMUNEN, AND KALLE JUUTI
9. THE INNOVATIVE SCHOOL AS AN ENVIRONMENT
FOR THE DESIGN OF EDUCATIONAL INNOVATIONS
ABSTRACT
Teachers engagement in Design Based Research (DBR) is analyzed in the context
of the Innovative School (ISC) model. The ISC model emphasizes the development
of studentslearning and learning environments, teachers professionalism,
leadership and partnerships. The model engages teachers, students, school
principals, parents, and actors of the local community in the design and adoption of
educational innovations. Three Finnish teachers who had participated in DBR
projects focusing on the use of Information and Communications Technology in
education and collaboration in an ISC context were interviewed in order to
understand how they experienced 1) the operations of the school and 2) DBR
projects carried out by teams of teachers and researchers. All the interviewed
teachers agreed that DBR projects in the context of ISC supported them in the
design and adoption of educational innovations. As key success factors, they
emphasized the importance of equality and the sharing of the same world between
teachers and researchers as well as the commitment to collaboration.
Keywords: Innovation, innovative school, design-based research
INTRODUCTION
The context of this chapter involves three Design Based Research (DBR) projects
in which teachers and researchers have engaged in the design of educational
innovations that can be easily adopted by other teachers. The outcomes of these
three projects are innovations that focus on the use of Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) in teaching, learning, and collaboration. The
school culture in the project school has been supportive for the design and adoption
of innovations. Based on this culture, a model for a school environment, the
Innovative School (ISC) model, has been developed. The ISC model emphasizes
studentslearning, learning environments, teachers professionalism, leadership
and partnerships. Consequently, the ISC and DBR models together form a
foundation for designing widely adoptable educational innovations. The project
partners include researchers at the Department of Teacher Education at the
University of Helsinki and teachers at a school in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
The versatile use of ICT in teaching, learning, and collaboration is considered
here as an educational innovation. According to Rogers (2003), an innovation is an
KORHONEN ET AL.
100
object, idea, or practice that appears new to an individual or a group. An innovation
may also be something one has known for some time but has not developed an
attitude towards, adopted or rejected. As totally new ideas are rare, we also
consider a modification of an existing idea an innovation. For example, a novel use
of an ICT tool can be an innovation to the group of people who have come up with
the new use.
There are two main categories of factors affecting whether or not an educational
innovation is adopted by teachers (Fullan, 2007). First, the properties of the
innovation, in this case, the properties of the ICT tools, which consist of hardware,
software, and services, may influence its adoption by teachers and students. For
example, an ICT tool will probably not be adopted into use if its use is too complex
for the classroom environment or if the use of the tool is too difficult to learn. The
properties of an innovation can be approached from the usability point of view.
The usability of an ICT tool indicates the extent to which a user can employ it in
order to achieve the particular goals the designers of the tool have set for its use
(Nielsen, 1993). Nielsen (1993) suggests that the usability of the innovation could
be defined by quality metrics, such as learnability and the ease of use experienced
by users.
Second, the local characteristics of the school site where the innovation is being
adopted may influence the adoption of the innovation by teachers and students.
These characteristics include the teachers pedagogical orientation and their beliefs
regarding teaching and learning, as well as the leadership and support available to
them in the school. In addition, the professional level of teachers pedagogical and
subject matter knowledge may influence adoption (Fullan, 2007). Referring to
Rogers (2003), when a teacher is determining whether to accept or reject an
innovation, he or she will seek information about the innovation and actively
process that information, typically with other teachers at his or her school. The
adoption of an innovation is an individual mental process that begins with an initial
awareness of the innovation and results in the actual adoption of the innovation.
THE INNOVATIVE SCHOOL MODEL
The ISC is a holistic model of a school environment that provides the enabling
factors for supporting the learning and teaching of skills for the 21st century. The
model is based on the description of Finnish school operations in the National Core
Curriculum for Basic Education (NCCBE, 2004), on the outcomes of long-term
collaborative development at several Finnish schools, and on the collaboration
between the authors and the teachers and principals of these schools.
The ISC model, outlined in Figure 1, consists of four interdependent main
factors: studentslearning and learning environments, teachers professionalism,
leadership, and partnerships (Figure 1). A key guiding principle in the model is the
comprehensive and versatile use of ICT in learning and teaching, in a schools
daily operational processes, and as an enabler for both educational and operational
innovations aimed at school development.
THE INNOVATIVE SCHOOL
101
Figure 1. The Innovative School model
In addition to teachers and the school management team, key actors in the ISC
model include the students of the school and other school personnel, as well as
individuals in the schools internal and external partnership networks. The external
partnership networks include parents, local community organizations, and
companies as well as national and international networks. ISC emphasizes the role
of all of these actors as innovators and encourages them to collaborate in the
planning, implementation, and further development of the schools activities.
These developmental activities are ongoing, iterative, and cyclic; are based on
assessment and are aligned with the latest technological and societal development.
Learning
Teaching and learning in ISC focuses on supporting the development of 21st
century skills. The 21st century movement refers to the redefinition of the goals of
education and the way learning is organized to meet the demands of the 21st
century (Trilling & Fadel, 2009). In the 21st century, individuals need to be able to
think critically and creatively, make use of a wide range of tools in creativity and
interaction, engage and interact in heterogeneous groups, and act autonomously
and take responsibility for managing their own lives.
Due to students diverse backgrounds, choosing appropriate teaching and
learning methods to support the learning of 21st century skills is not
KORHONEN ET AL.
102
straightforward. It is important to utilize a variety of teaching methods to engage
students in learning that al lows them to create meaningful knowledge structures.
Meaningful learning is grounded on activity and intention, reflection and self-
evaluation, col laboration and interaction, construction, contextualization, and
cumulative learning (Bransford & Donovan, 2005).
A learning environment refers to the diverse physical locations, contexts, and
cultures in which students learn (Fraser, 1994). In the ISC, students learn in a wide
variety of settings, including out-of-school locations, such as a library, and outdoor
environments, including parks where mobile ICT tools are used for learning. Thus
the term learning environment is used instead of the term classroom with its
traditional connotations: a room with rows of desks and a chalkboard. A learning
environment does not need to be a physical place; it can also be virtual, online, or
remote. Goal orientation and interaction are supported through the ICT tools
available in the learning environment, including basic writing and drawing
applications, social media environments, and various types of mobile devices and
other tools that facilitate flexible, remote, and mobile learning. High-quality
learning materials, including digital learning materials such as learning games and
other interactive learning content, are essential components of the learning
environment.
Teachers Professionalism
Many researchers agree that teacher behavior and practices are important school-
based factors in improving student learning. Therefore, professional teachers are at
the heart of ISC. A professional teacher has a profound and versatile knowledge
base (Shulman, 1986, 1987). Professional teachers are seen as academic
professionals who are committed to their work and are able to plan, implement, and
assess their own teaching as well as their students learning. They formatively
monitor the progress of their students, particularly those with special needs, and try
to support all students learning (DuFour, 2004). Professional teachers collaborate
with other teachers as well as work in teams.
A key idea in ISC is that professional teachers assume new roles as researchers,
meaning makers, scholars, and inventors (Lieberman & Miller, 2004). In fact,
professional teachers can be seen as leaders in their work, as Lieberman points out;
Central to this expanded vision of teaching is the idea that teachers are also
leaders, educators who can make a difference in schools and schooling now
and in the future. (Lieberman & Miller, 2004)
Professionalism is also supported by political decisions. There have been no
inspectors in Finland since the mid-1990s, nor is there national or local testing of
students. To summarize, professionalism describes not only the characteristic of a
teacher but of the entire school as well (Krzywacki, Lavonen, & Juuti, 2013).
THE INNOVATIVE SCHOOL
103
Leadership
The professional culture in a school plays a major role in supporting teachers
collaboration and classroom operations, such as teaching and assessment (Chong,
Huan, Wong, Klassen, & Allison, 2010). The role of the school principals and their
leadership approach, such as the sharing of responsibilities, or shared leadership,
influences teachers collaboration and classroom operations. Teachers are
positively influenced when school leaders encourage collaboration among teachers,
students, families, and other school personnel. (Caprara, Barbaranelli, Borgogni, &
Steca, 2003; Caprara, Barbaranelli, Steca, & Malone, 2006). Therefore, school
principals in the ISC have an important role in facilitating a school culture that
supports teachers collaboration. In practice, this collaboration manifests itself in
various school teams and networks, such as grade level teams and multi-
professional teams.
In the Finnish context, the role of the principal is central to school development
and to the implementation of the NCCBE in the school. Principals are also
responsible for the allocation of the school budget, as well as for quality assurance
and school improvement. Goal orientation, interaction, and the sharing of
responsibilities (shared leadership) are key characteristics of school leadership
(Huber & Muijs, 2010). The characteristic effects of leadership that employees
should demonstrate are participation, empowerment, and commitment.
Partnerships
In ISC, parents are partners in education. A fruitful partnership with parents
facilitates the sharing of responsibility for students weekly activities. In practice,
family events and personal meetings with teachers are organized. ICT offers a
multitude of opportunities for enhancing home and school collaboration (HSC),
and is applied to enable continuous interaction between the school and families
(Korhonen & Lavonen, 2014, Mazza, 2013). The aim of HSC is for parents and
teachers to share educational values and goals, with the important consequence that
mutual trust is established in each others ability to work towards supporting the
childs growth and education.
Further along the road, the goal of ISC is a wider view of partnerships that also
welcomes other members of the local community, such as school support
personnel, daycare providers, public librarians, and senior homes as well as actors
in national and international networks. An essential part of all partnerships is
respect for the thoughts, opinions, and wishes of all stakeholders. Through long-
term collaborative development, more families, teachers, and community members
can learn to work with each other as parts of a community for the benefit of the
children (Epstein, 2009).
KORHONEN ET AL.
104
DBR SUPPORTED SHARED ACTIVITIES IN THE INNOVATIVE SCHOOL
The design of educational innovations is approached through Design Based
Research (DBR). A key principle in conducting DBR is that the researcher is not
separated from the study subject but instead works together with practitioners,
sharing their world (Juuti & Lavonen, 2006). This common world could support
the researchers and teachers in collaborating to identify the challenges in teaching
and learning and in the use of ICT and, moreover, support them in creating
innovative solutions to meet these challenges (Reeves, 2006).
DBR methodology is iterative; research is conducted through cycles that cover
design, implementation, and evaluation of activities. A DBR project produces three
types of outcomes: knowledge of teaching and learning, knowledge regarding a
successful iterative design process, including collaboration strategies between
researchers and teachers, and knowledge on successful design solutions,
educational innovations (Edelson, 2002).
Engeström (2011) has criticized DBR on the basis that it lacks participating
teachers agency. He argues that DBR researchers have ignored the role of teachers
in the design process. In addition, Engeström suggests that DBR is actually linear
when it is said to be iterative. This linearity in particular is argued to cause
problems for the adoption of educational innovations. To address this critique, we
have approached the collaboration with teachers by emphasizing Deweys idea of a
shared activity. In shared activity, all participants have the same interest towards
the accomplishment of the activity. They also share their ideas and emotions
(Dewey, 1916/1980, MW 9:17).
In educational DBR, shared activity means that teachers and researchers design,
implement, and evaluate educational innovations together. Shared activity requires
communication between teachers and researchers. Biesta and Burbules (2003)
characterize communication as a process of the mutual coordination of action, and
therefore, it is not a process in which a teacher simply reacts to a researchers
movements, after which the researcher reacts to the teachers reactions, and so on.
Deweys point here means that successful coordination requires that the teacher
reacts to what the researcher intends to achieve with his activities, just as the
researcher reacts to what the teacher intends to achieve with his activities.
Successful coordination requires that the partners in interaction try to anticipate the
others actions (Biesta & Burbules, 2003, p. 41).
By engaging in shared design, by being exposed to similar experiences in the
learning environment, and by anticipating each others intentions, the researcher
and the teacher could reach a stage where they share the same world. Through
reflection with others who share the same world, new knowledge concerning
teaching and learning is constructed.
In 2010-2014, three DBR projects focusing on the development of ICT use in
education were organized in a school aligning its operations to the key factors of
the ISC model. Following the principles of shared activity and actors as innovators,
participants of the project activities included researchers from the University of
THE INNOVATIVE SCHOOL
105
Helsinki, teachers, students, and school leadership from the school as well as
parents and local community actors.
The aim of the first DBR project was to develop the use of smartphones in
science education with the aim of personalizing learning, especially in situations
where students were to analyze the information they collected in their science
inquiry activities. Together the teachers, students, and researchers designed and
implemented ways to use smartphones in personalized science learning in both in-
school and out-of-school contexts (Sormunen, Lavonen, & Juuti, 2014).
The aim of the second DBR project was to discover how the ICT facilities
already available at homes and in the school can be utilized in HSC. Novel ideas
and innovations regarding the use of existing technology in learning, assessment,
and in the overall collaboration between home and school were created by students,
parents, and teachers (Korhonen & Lavonen, 2014).
In the third DBR project, a new model for School-community Collaboration
(SCC) was developed and researched. The project emphasized the use of ICT and
was realized in collaboration with a kindergarten, a library, a senior home, and a
school. An Action Team for Partnership (ATP) was created and activated within
the framework of Epsteins (2009) theory for school partnership programs
(Kukkonen, 2014).
TEACHERS EXPERIENCE OF ISC AND COLLABORATION
THROUGH DBR PROJECTS
In January 2014, we asked the three participating teachers about their experience
during their participation in the DBR projects to learn how teachers experience the
operations of an ISC and their participation in DBR projects. The questions
focused on a) the operations of the ISC and b) the teachers experiences of their
participation in the DBR projects. The answers were analyzed using inductive
content analysis (Elo & Kyngäs, 2008).
Teachers Experiences on ISC and its Support for the Design of Educational
Innovations
Learning environments. The teachers were asked to evaluate the schools learning
environments, considering both the physical and virtual environments available at
the school. The development of both types of environments should be based on
strategic planning:
It is important [that] the teachers share a common goal on the use of ICT in
teaching and learning and support each other in approaching these goals.
(Teacher 2)
The more ICT tools and resources are taken into use, the greater the need for
practical co-planning, organizing, and support. In addition, versatile physical and
virtual environments require new types of caretaking, such as making sure that
there are charged batteries available for the ICT tools.
KORHONEN ET AL.
106
The school building is rather traditional, providing standard classrooms as well
as special ones, such as a workshop for handcrafts, a small science and technology
lab, and a music class. The teachers feel that the structure of the physical
environment does not sufficiently support the versatile grouping of students and
that there are not enough spaces for individual or small group activities:
Only in one area of the school can two classrooms be connected or
disconnected to support co-teaching. (Teacher 3)
However, the teachers and students used their creativity to create learning
spaces all over the school building. For example, they used curtains and bean bags
to create spaces in the corridors and other common areas of the school:
Bean bags are easy to move and offer flexibility for the creation of learning
spaces. (Teacher 3)
It is important that there are versatile learning spaces where students can
engage in learning either alone or in a small group. (Teacher 2)
In addition to the development of the spaces, a special relationship and trust has
been established between teachers and students regarding the use of the spaces.
Special activities have been developed for breaks between lessons; students can
check out equipment for sports, games, or learning activities for a break, and there
are hobby activity clubs that the students have organized themselves.
The teachers agreed that there are sufficient basic ICT tools, such as computers
and data projectors, in the school. Due to this particular schools involvement in
development activities on the use of ICT in education and collaboration, the school
may have more tools available than an average school. In addition to basic ICT
tools, there are several interactive whiteboards and, moreover, special tools such as
robotics kits. However, the Internet connection and wireless network is
underdeveloped. The city faces challenges in offering these services as the number
of mobile devices introduced for personalized learning overwhelms the capacity of
the wireless network. Furthermore, the teachers feel that not enough technical
support is available to teachers. Moreover, the currently available web-based
learning environments do not support the use of mobile devices; therefore, tools
such as cloud storage services are used as workarounds. From the learning
personalization viewpoint, not enough basic laptops or mobile devices are
available:
From a personalization point of view, each student would need his or her own
equipment. (Teacher 3)
THE INNOVATIVE SCHOOL
107
Teachers professionalism. The teachers were asked to analyze the competence
and operations of the teacher cadre at the school. The outcomes of the analysis
were classified into three main categories: teachers pedagogical competence, their
skills in partnership, and their willingness to engage in lifelong learning.
The teachers and classroom assistants in the school possess a versatile
pedagogical and subject matter knowledge base that enables them to act as
professionals in the school: to plan and organize their work, to take into account
the diverse needs of students, and to evaluate learning and learning outcomes:
Teachers have a high level of competence, and they use this competence in
the teaching and supervision of students. (Teacher 1)
The schools teachers are also skilled in the use of versatile learning environments
and other ICT tools.
Teachers of the school are adept at taking part in partnerships and at networking.
This includes networking inside the school in multi-professional teams, networking
with organizations and companies external to the school, and partnering with
parents. Teachers understand the school as an institution that is part of the
community, and they are continuously developing the schools connections with
the community.
Teachers of the school are eager to learn from each other and are oriented
towards lifelong learning, with support provided through common meetings:
We share experiences and know-how in team meetings and in so-called
pedagogical coffee meetings. (Teacher 1)
The schools teachers want to develop their own work and are interested in
learning new knowledge and skills. They are especially eager to learn about new
innovations and technology and their potential uses in education, while recognizing
that staying on top of continuous change introduces new challenges.
Leadership. The teachers were asked to describe leadership at their school. All
three teachers emphasized in their answers the importance of goal orientation and
versatile interaction:
You can recognize goal orientation in the operations of the school. (Teacher
2)
All topics are discussed with teachers. (Teacher 2)
Teachers main interaction, as a part of leadership, is organized through monthly
meetings, weekly team meetings, and info breaks, with special emphasis placed on
openness and the sharing of information about forthcoming issues. A natural
consequence of this engaging leadership approach is that all teachers assume an
active role in the planning and implementation of innovations in the school.
An important aspect of leadership in ISC is shared leadership:
The strength in leadership is shared leadership. (Teacher 1)
KORHONEN ET AL.
108
The teachers are aware of the sharing of duties between the principal and the vice
principals. The idea of teamwork is also applied at the teacher level. Teachers and
classroom assistants at a grade level form a team. This grade level team is
responsible for co-planning and evaluation:
A grade level team has common tasks and aims. (Teacher 3)
The versatile use of ICT extends to the administrative operations supporting school
leadership; the principals, teachers, and classroom assistants work together to
develop ways to use ICT to support teachers professionalism and co-teaching.
When these education professionals find ways to make use of ICT in various
professional learning, collaboration, and operational situations, they are
unknowingly also acquiring skills in the use of ICT to support their teaching. For
this aim, it is important that the school encourages keeping up to date on
technology development already at both the teacher and the classroom levels.
Partnerships. The teachers also analyzed the networks and partnerships of the
school. They identified the presence of networks on five levels, with ongoing
activities to develop ICT use for supporting networking on each level. There are
several networks inside the school, such as grade level teams and a multi-
professional team:
The multi-professional team (school nurse, social worker, special needs
teacher, and principal) supports the welfare of students. (Teacher 3)
All teachers emphasized that HSC, organized through the parents association and
the class parents committee, is an important form of networking for the school.
Parents are very interested in having an impact on school operations. The
parents club organizes various kind of activities for students, parents, and
teachers in the evenings. (Teacher 1)
Networking with families is a partnership and a resource for our school.
(Teacher 3)
The teachers of the school also take part in several networks at the city level,
including the local curriculum development team, the in-service training team, the
special needs education network, and the consulting teacher network. The school
also networks with several other schools in Finland, for example on the
development of ICT use in education and collaboration:
We belong to a broad network of schools and aim to develop the use of
technology in education through these networks. (Teacher 3)
The school is collaborating with several other local organizations, including the
library, the kindergarten, and the senior home. This collaboration provides students
with possibilities to extend their learning environments into those organizations.
Students have, for example, introduced the use of mobile devices to senior citizens
at the senior home and also to preschoolers at the kindergarten.
THE INNOVATIVE SCHOOL
109
In addition, the school networks with several companies. Teachers of the school
have tested ICT tools, such as educational robotics, educational games, and
whiteboards, in their classrooms and discussed the outcomes of these tests with
representatives of the companies. One teacher (3) thinks that the success in
networking is a consequence of a bottom-up approach:
Networking should start from our needs not come as orders from the city
level. (Teacher 3)
The teachers emphasized that the most challenging aspect of networking is to
continue networking with all important parties. Especially the updates to ICT tools
require continuous learning, such as when parents voice complaints about the
usability of new software introduced for HSC. One challenge in the use of ICT in
networking is the varying readiness of the parties involved. Not all families can
currently benefit from ICT support in HSC due to missing ICT competence, lack of
tools, or lack of support for a common language in the tools. Finding the resources
needed for coordinating the networks is also a challenge. One teacher feels that the
school has too many networks:
In my opinion, there are too many networks and we do not utilize them as
much as we should. (Teacher 2)
Experiences with DBR Projects aiming to the Design of Educational Innovations
All three teachers reported that their engagement in DBR has increased their
teacher competency. One teacher explained:
Through DBR it is possible to contribute to the actions at the school
especially my understanding of the adoption of innovations has especially
increased. (Teacher 1)
DBR has guided teachers to start a new project or action with a literature review
and an analysis of the needs of the participants, to encourage all participants to
work through collaborative and iterative planning and implementation and finally,
to evaluate their actions and learn from mistakes. DBR has offered the teachers
tools for arguing why a certain way of working is successful. DBR thinking has
permeated all actions;
I follow the DBR way of working without actively recognizing it. (Teacher 1)
Now, I do not give up, I start a new iteration cycle after failure. (Teacher 2)
All my actions and Professional Development Programs (PDPs) are more like
iteration cycles. (Teacher 3)
All three teachers emphasized that, at least in the beginning of their collaboration
in the DBR projects, they felt that the participating university researchers were
analyzing actions in the classroom rather theoretically. Collaboration within a DBR
KORHONEN ET AL.
110
project is an interaction where both parties are needed and benefit from the
collaboration;
Sometimes theory and practice are far away from each other. Patience,
iteration, and trust in the collaboration are needed to succeed in designing
innovations that work in school practice. (Teacher 3)
In an optimal situation, the collaboration is the sharing of different
competencies. (Teacher 1)
The teachers understand the benefit of the DBR collaboration after a few design
cycles;
As a trainer, I have learned how to look at situations in the classroom from
the point of view of different theories (Teacher 3).
This indicates that DBR is supporting researchers and teachers in sharing the same
world.
Typical DBR projects are holistic and long in duration. DBR needs commitment
from both the teachers and the researchers side. All the teachers see that
additional resources are needed to free teachers from their classroom role for
meetings and joint DBR activities. Moreover, school principals need to be
committed and supportive for the DBR project. To prepare them for their in-service
role, student teachers should also become familiar with the basics of iterative
school development and research orientation, such as DBR:
School development projects await new teachers after their graduation.
(Teacher 2)
DBR orientation should be included in teachers pre-service training.
(Teacher 1)
DISCUSSION
Educational research is criticized on the premise that the outcomes of the research
do not transfer to educational practice or to initial teacher education or Professional
Development Programs (PDPs). In particular, research outcomes suggesting the
versatile use of ICT tools in education have not been adopted by teachers in
Finland and many other countries (European Commission, 2013; OECD 2004,
2006). Due to the lack of collaboration between researchers and teachers, PDPs
focus too often on just the use of new ICT tools without a link to current research
on the pedagogical use of ICT tools. Here, we have analyzed and argued how the
ISC model and the DBR approach could be combined in order to support the
design and adoption of educational innovations; here the use of ICT in teaching,
learning, and collaboration. This combination creates a novel collaboration model
for researchers and teachers.
THE INNOVATIVE SCHOOL
111
According to teacher interviews, the teachers and researchers did share the same
world through their engagement in DBR projects. However, this was not the case at
the beginning of the project. Over time, the teachers learned to plan, implement,
and evaluate DBR project activities. Especially, they adopted the iterative thinking
of DBR. In addition, as they gained knowledge of everyday school practice, the
researchers were able to move closer to the teachers world.
All three interviewed teachers emphasized the common value base between
teachers and researchers that allows them to collaborate successfully on DBR
projects. The versatile use of ICT in ISC as an educational innovation is
challenging as it sets new requirements, poses new challenges for school activities
and, moreover, requires common planning. Therefore, it is important for ISC to
establish permanent collaboration practices and to encourage the shared leadership
approach, versatile environments, and functioning networks and partnerships that
support the collaboration. The teachers emphasized that shared leadership with
clear structures and role descriptions, openness in administration, and teacher
collaboration provide support for DBR and other activities in ISC. In addition, it is
important to establish a culture of sharing and trust.
We analyzed the teachers experiences regarding shared activities in the context
of three DBR projects. According to the interviews, it is important to start a DBR
project with common planning or by co-writing a research plan. In the beginning of
the project, participating teachers should be introduced to research literature in the
field of the project. The researchers and teachers should also carry out a mutual
reflection on current activities in the teachers classrooms. In addition to the
planning, design, and implementation phases, the teachers should also take an
active role in the reflection session to discuss the outcomes of each DBR cycle.
These characteristics emphasize the teachers agency in a DBR project, which
Engeström (2011) has criticized to be missing in DBR.
A key underlying idea in DBR is the aim to design innovations that are widely
adoptable. From the participating schools point of view, the DBR project would
support teachers in making permanent positive changes, or progress, on the school.
This progress can manifest itself in the development of teachers professionalism
or as enhancements to the schools learning environments. The innovative nature
of ISC supports the adoption of designed educational innovations. At the same
time, ISC itself is also further developed through DBR projects, encouraging
teachers who want to change school operations to be active in these projects. The
essential part of both the ISC model and the DBR model is collaboration, the
sharing of experiences in the school and in school networks that enables the design
of new educational innovations for learning and teaching 21st century skills.
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Tiina Korhonen
Koulumestari School and Learning Center Innokas, City of Espoo
Department of Teacher Education
University of Helsinki
Jari Lavonen
Department of Teacher Education
University of Helsinki
Minna Kukkonen
Koulumestari School and Learning Center Innokas, City of Espoo
Department of Teacher Education
University of Helsinki
Kati Sormunen
Koulumestari School and Learning Center Innokas, City of Espoo
Department of Teacher Education
University of Helsinki
Kalle Juuti
Department of Teacher Education
University of Helsinki
