Educational Organization Receptivity to Pedagogical Innovations in the aspect of Innovation

Characteristics

Nijole Zinkeviciene

Kaunas University of Technology, the Institute of Educational Science,

Donelaicio 20, 3000 Kaunas, Lithuania

Paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research, University of Hamburg, 17-20

September 2003

The world nowadays faces an abundance of inevitable changes. Technological and social progress is

getting surprisingly rapid together with intensive competition between countries and in every separate country.

Freedom and democracy have become the overall aim of the progressive mankind. Change becomes a natural

phenomenon in these conditions. According to Drucker (2000), if an organization – whatever it is – does not

strive for changes and is not able to change itself, it is doomed to failure. That is why educational organizations

face the necessity to become receptive to change and innovations.

Fullan (2001) states, that nowadays the main problem is no longer the absence of innovations at school,

but the presence of too many disconnected, episodic, fragmented, superficially adorned projects. Schools that

take on or are forced to take on every policy and innovation that comes along may look innovative at a distance

but actually have a severe case of “projectitis” or meaninglessness. There is a growing abundance of innovative

ideas around the world. The goal is to appreciate the necessity and richness of external knowledge, but not

become victimized by it.

As the article deals with pedagogical innovations, it is necessary to disclose their relations to educational

innovations. Consequently, the essence of pedagogy and educational science should be revealed.

According to Jucevičienė (1997), pedagogy is the initial phase of the educational science. It could be

called “mastership research” and related to educational practice – teaching/learning process. The boundaries of

educational science are much broader. It is considered to comprise pedagogy, educational philosophy, history of

education etc. Consequently, pedagogy is considered to be a constituent part of educational science. It could be

called “mastership research” and related to educational practice – teaching/learning process. The boundaries of

educational science is much broader. It is considered to comprise pedagogy, educational philosophy, history of

education etc. Consequently, pedagogy is considered to be a constituent part of educational science.

According to Prigozin’s (1989) classification of social innovations, pedagogical innovations are teaching

and educational methods. Zagvezinski, Gilmanov (1997), Voronov (2001), Sovetova (2000) point out that the

directions of all pedagogical innovations are associated only with the educational process, whereas educational

innovations are a broader concept which comprises phenomena reflecting the sound changes in educational e\

system, as a new change is related to new quality and inevitably reflects diverse managerial aspects and

educational systems. Thus pedagogical innovations are considered to be one of the groups of educational

innovations.

In relation to the above mentioned context, we have tried to answer the following research questions:

How to increase receptivity to pedagogical innovations at educational organizations?

What peculiarities are revealed by implementing pedagogical innovations through international/European

projects?

Research methods: scientific literature analysis, case study, document analysis, questionnaire.

The article consists of an introduction, theoretical part, research set up, analysis of the case study results and

conclusions.

The concept of receptivity. According to Webster’s Third New International Dictionary (1993),

“receptive” means “able or inclined to receive; open to ideas, impressions or suggestions.” This definition is the

background for the assumption that receptivity means ability to receive ideas, impressions and suggestions and a

wish to do that. Ability to receive is based on physical and mental factors, or competence, whereas a wish to

adopt ideas derives from motivation and circumstances. When talking about receptivity to innovations, we have

in mind not bare openness to every innovation, but an inclination to the reasonable and rational ones.

Recognizing rationality in an innovation is not an easy thing. One of the most important tasks while

making a decision whether an innovation should be adopted or rejected is to find out which characteristics of

innovations it possesses.

Characteristics of innovations

Zaltman, Duncan and Holbek (1973) distinguished nineteen attributes of an innovation that make it more

or less attractive and acceptable for an organization. Most of them are characteristic of a business organization:

expense, profitability of investment, effectiveness, risk and indetermination, scientific status. These authors, as

well as Rogers (1995), emphasize relative advantage of an innovation, its compatibility, complexity, ownership,

publicity, flexibility. But Zaltman, Duncan and Holbek (1973), differently from Rogers (1995), do not divide

attributes of innovations into primary and secondary. They treat all of them as equally important.

The author of this article support Roger’s (1995) characteristics of innovations, as they are better

acceptable in educational context.

Rogers (1995) points out five characteristics of an innovation which are independent. They are also the

main criteria assessing an innovation: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, observability.

Relative advantage. It is a degree to which an innovation is perceived as better than the idea it

supersedes. The degree of relative advantage may be measured in economic terms, but social prestige,

convenience and satisfaction are also important factors. It does not matter so much if an innovation has a great

deal of objective advantage. What does matter is whether an individual or organization perceives the innovation

as advantageous.

Individuals or organizations making decisions about whether to implement an innovation or nor, must

search information about its advantage and make sure how much better the new idea is in comparison with the

former experience. Thus, relative advantage is a very important part of this information.

Compatibility. It is a degree to which an innovation is perceived as being consistent with the existing

values, past experiences, and needs of potential adopters. An idea is incompatible with the values and norms of a

social system will not be adopted as an innovation that is compatible. The adoption of an incompatible innovation

often requires the prior adoption of a new value system which is a relatively slow process and dangerous in

educational context. If an innovation is compatible with the organizational culture, its plans, resistance to its

adoption and implementation will be lower and there will be fewer conflicts.

School values are the background of its culture. An innovation has to enrich and develop school culture,

not to destroy it. Compatibility of innovation with the former idea may accelerate or retard its adoption rate. The

former experience is like a standard to which new ideas will be compared.

Complexity. It is a degree to which an innovation is perceived difficult to understand and use. Some

innovations are readily understood by most members of a social system; others are more complicated and will be

adopted slower. Educational innovation serves the school vision, mission and goals. It must be understandable

and clear to its implementers. Good results cannot be expected if the implementers do not understand the essence

of an innovation. Even if it is clearly more advantageous than the former ones, its implementation requires extra

knowledge and skills. It is necessary to acquire them first, before starting the implementation. Otherwise, the

mistakes can have a destructive impact.

New teaching means will be more effective if followed by methodological recommendations (teacher’s

book, instructions), because a new thing might be not completely understandable for the user.

Trialability. It is a degree to which an innovation may be experimented with on a limited basis. New

ideas that can be tried on the installment plan will generally be adopted more quickly than innovations that are

not divisible. An innovation that is triable represents less uncertainty to the individual who is considering it for

adoption, as it is possible to learn by doing. A possibility for an organization to try an innovation allows

modifying it or rejecting, in case it proves to be unsuitable.

Trialability is a very important characteristics of innovation, especially if a new, not known before

innovation is implemented. School as an organization differs from that of business, as the bad quality of its

activity is hard to correct. Thus schools should not take risks of taking on absolutely alien and new things without

trying them.

Trialability of educational innovation - is its implementation in limited environment. Its results help to make

a decision whether to implement this innovation in a wider environment.

Observability. It is a degree to which the results of an innovation are visible to others. The easier it is for

individuals to see the results of an innovation, the more likely they are to adopt it. Such visibility stimulates peer

discussion of a new idea, as friends and neighbors of an adopter often request innovation- evaluation about it.

School is a specific organization which more than any other has to avoid mistakes in its activity. Thus

implementation of an innovation the results of which are poorly foreseen or hardly forecasted is especially risky

and not always safe.

School nowadays faces strong competition, and it is necessary to get the society informed about what is

going on there. By disseminating its experience, promoting the results of its activity the school creates its image

and "a sound name". From this point of view observability is important for the school, too.

Innovations with clear relative advantage, compatibility, trialability, observability and less complexity will

be adopted faster that others (Rogers, 1995).

Research methodology and organization

The innovation characteristics mentioned above allow creating the instrumentation of successful

implementation of pedagogical innovations and carrying out a research.

In order to analyze the characteristics of innovations affecting the success of their implementation a case of

an international project was chosen. A questionnaire was worked out for analyzing CD Horticulture as a

pedagogical innovation.

The structure of the questionnaire: 1) instruction; 2) block of closed questions; 3) block of demographic

questions. Closed questions were chosen because of the long questionnaire what usually makes a respondent

tired. The other reason is that we wished concrete and precise information.

For analyzing CD Horticulture as a pedagogical innovation in the aspect of the characteristics of innovations,

Kaunas Agricultural College was chosen. This institution participated in Leonardo da Vinci project NYMPHEA

ACTUAR and through this project a new educational innovation - CD Horticulture - was created.

Kaunas Agricultural College is located in Mastaičiai (Kaunas district), 15 kilometers south from Kaunas.

There are about 800 full time, 400 extramural students and 92 teachers here.

The teachers of this college were asked to fill in the questionnaire. All the teachers who participated in the

research had a diploma of higher education. Most of them had been working at school for more than 6 years.

They were all certified teachers.

The research data were processed according to the plan - all categories were analyzed according to the same

sequence of calculation procedures. The research was carried out in March-April 2002. For processing the

statistic data the method of descriptive statistics was applied. Microsoft Excel 2000 software was used.

The context of the research: the case of Leonardo da Vinci project NYMPHEA ACTUAR

NYMPHEA AISBL is a non-profit international organization, founded in 1992. It unites European vocational

training centers, educational institutions, professionals and regional groups. This organization initiated Leonardo

da Vinci project NYMPHEA ACTUAR where one of the partners was Kaunas Agricultural College.

NYMPHEA promotes international co-operation of European regions in the field of vocational training and

local development. One of its most successful projects is "NYMPHEA European Certificate". NYMPHEA

ACTUAR is a part of it.

NYMPHEA European Certificate is a transnational system to certify, conceived and developed with support

of the European Commission, to:

Enrich peoples' professional skills to work within a European perspective, be effectively ready to travel and

work across Europe.

Make to know the value of one's own European skills within the European workforce.

Benefit from the activity and support provided by the network.

The aim of this project is to organize NYMPHEA certification in the fields of horticulture and nature (the

importance of green areas, their establishment and maintenance) that enriches teaching and learning as well as

transparency of professional qualifications in the partner countries.

A candidate has to demonstrate:

knowledge of every European country's economic situation in his professional sphere, European

legislation;

ability to communicate in foreign languages and exchange information in professional situations;

work experience in other European countries.

There are two possibilities to acquire this certificate:

1. To include it into the course of vocational training centers and other vocational training institutions;

2. To provide it in the ways of self-study or distant studies, with the help of vocational training centers and

other vocational training institutions.

Together with NYMPHEA European certificate, there are teaching material systems that effectively help to

develop professional language competences.

The project NYMPHEA ACTUAR is a preparatory part for obtaining the NYMPHEA certificate. Its aim is

to create a modern teaching tool for learning European languages. CD ROM is meant to learn horticultural,

floricultural, agricultural machinery terminology, the most common professional activity phrases and every-day

vocabulary. This compact and wide teaching tool will hopefully help students and young workers to prepare for

business trips and work across Europe.

The project started in March 2000 and ended in August 2001. Kaunas Agricultural College joined it eagerly.

A project group was created. The work started with a list of large amount horticultural technologies in English -

Spanish - German - French in computer medium. The task was to prepare a Lithuanian version. The other

partners were working on their versions. The main work was carried out by students after classes. They had

special time for consultations and project activity set by the school authorities. As the primary version was

Spanish, it was necessary to match all German, English, French equivalents and choose the most' appropriate

Lithuanian word or phrase.

Each theme of horticulture, gardening, floriculture is divided into smaller topics, e.g. decorative horticulture

is divided into soil preparation, propagation, grafting, compost and containers, primary seed treatment, sowing,

installation of irrigation equipment, incorporation of liquid fertilizers, treatment against pests and diseases,

digging out plants, pruning, shelter establishment.

Each of these topics provides the learner with a great number of phrases, sentence models, which are sound.

recorded, illustrated with drawings and photographs. One can use a plant glossary that is in nine European

languages and Latin.

The project ended in August 2001, but the final product - CD Horticulture - reached the partners after a year.

CD Horticulture is an informative, attractive, colorful, playful teaching/learning tool, easy to use and compact

enough to fit into the traveling bag.

Analysis of the Teachers’ Receptivity to CD Horticulture as a pedagogical innovation in the aspect of

characteristics of successful innovations

Relative advantage

In order to find out if CD Horticulture has relative advantage, the teachers were asked to express their

opinion on certain statements that describe this teaching/ learning tool. Figure 1 illustrates the most common and

rate respondents' choices.

The most common statement of advantage was learning correct pronunciation. The teachers also

supported learning professional phrases, professional terminology. As the teachers were positive towards the

greatest majority of statements, it shows that CD Horticulture might be a useful teaching tool for teaching/

learning professional foreign languages, enabling to carry out several activities: reading, listening, recording

oneself, using plant glossary, learning etiquette phrases, working with PC. It's a complex teaching tool for

learning eight European languages, developing professional vocabulary.

A group of teachers do not think that CD Horticulture

empowers a user to obtain more know/edge in shorter time.

The questionnaire did not provide us with a possibility to find out the reasons of this opinion, but it might be the

relevant disadvantages of CD Horticulture that will be discussed further.

enables reaching better results in comparison with other teaching material. As the program does not

contain any exercises or tests and the implementation time was rather limited, it is evident that teachers

were not able to make sure of better results. In this particular phase of CD Horticulture implementation it is

not possible to prove that this teaching/ learning tool is more effective than other materials.

Figure 1. Advantages of CD Horticulture pointed out by teachers

Half of the respondents agree that working with CD Horticulture at class they would occupy the students and

get a rest for themselves. It is not possible to define the reason of this opinion. A detailed analysis of the

questionnaire makes us think that elderly teachers believe a computer program can replace them and students will

not need any consultations or help. We think this answer needs an extra research. But it is possible to state that

some of the teachers overestimate the effectiveness of modem technologies.

The teachers emphasized listening to correct pronunciation as the main advantage of CD Horticulture. It is

understandable from the point of view that it is almost impossible to get good quality listening exercises and tests

adapted to horticultural or floricultural realities, though such overestimation of this particular feature was rather

surprising.

The respondents supported the opinion of the project creators and coordinators that CD Horticulture is a

good tool for self-study. It was meant to help the users in independent learning foreign languages.

It is not easy to explain why learning professional phrases were so popular among the respondents. The reason

might be the absence of special textbooks for learning foreign languages for specific purposes. Teachers have to

adapt original professional literature; it is hard work and takes much time. From this point of view CD

Horticulture makes their life easier.

One more advantage - possibility to apply CD Horticulture in practice - shows that teachers support the

project idea. This program is compact and might be taken to any European country on a business trip or for a

study course. It will help a learner in communicating with foreign horticultural, gardening, floricultural

specialists. With it in your traveling bag one can feel more self-confident and may try to adapt in working

environment of a country the language of which he she does not know.

Thus teachers of foreign languages emphasize the following advantages of CD Horticulture in higher non--

university studies: possibility to improve self-studying of foreign languages, to promote mobility and the quality

of foreign language skills.

While assessing CD Horticulture, the respondents pointed out some relative disadvantages. The teachers

would like to have exercises and tests in the program. The importance of tests might be traditionally expressed, as

many teachers still think that a test is the best tool for students’ knowledge assessment.

In conclusion we state that CD Horticulture has a partial relative advantage.

Compatibility

As schools nowadays face very many innovations, we analyzed foreign language teachers’ attitudes towards

innovation implementation at school. They are linked to compatibility in that sense that a compatible innovation

meets less resistance and is willingly adopted and implemented.

The respondents explained that college teachers are stimulated to implement innovations by understanding

that they improve teaching/learning effectiveness. This motive as the most important was mentioned by all

respondents. Students’ wishes to learn by new methods, different seminars and courses with their new ideas are

also significant motives. It is evident that external reasons are also important to the teachers: certification

requirements, qualification development. Some teachers implement innovations because the results of their self-

analysis show they have to innovate their methods. For more than half of the respondents it is a possibility to

express themselves.

One fifth of the respondents are stimulated to implement innovations by their internal wish to try something

new. Teachers say that the pedagogical press is not the best and most reliable source of innovative information.

Pedagogical issues do not pay much attention to teaching/learning foreign languages. There is no special edition

so far.

There was only one respondent who would implement innovations because of the fear to stay behind, to

adapt to the existing views, a wish to be the best in his/her subject. The answers show that foreign language

teachers are rather sure about their future, they are not afraid of losing a job. There still is a lack of foreign

language teachers at schools, so this situation gives them courage and self-esteem.

Figure 2. Arguments why CD Horticulture is compatible with the users’ wishes and needs

The respondents’ answers proved that participation in international projects do not stimulate them for

innovation implementation. The reason might be the common fact that foreign language teachers are involved in

all international projects at school, so what is an innovation for other teachers is a natural thing for this category.

Foreign language teachers are usually the most experienced in international activity, and they are able to take the

rational and most important things from each project and transfer them to their own activity. This is proved by the

respondents' answers that the incentive for innovation implementation is their impact on effectiveness of teaching

learning process.

In conclusion it could be said that the respondents are positive towards innovations, are used to implementing

them and in most cases do that because of the demands of every-day reality.

We tried to find out how attractive the idea of CD Horticulture seemed to the teachers in the very beginning.

The greatest majority had seen similar programs abroad, but had never tried them. Thus CD Horticulture

was a new phenomenon for all teaching and learning people.

Half of the respondents got interested in the program because they were curious to try a new thing. The

others had been looking forward to such a program in order to find something useful for themselves and their

students. A part of the respondents liked the idea, as they saw a chance to get a rest while their students work at a

computer. If they later manager to check students' work properly, this choice might not be negative. The teachers

have the right PC skills, are not tired and are positively minded. They find it a progressive innovation.

In conclusion it is possible to say that CD Horticulture is a compatible innovation: the idea of it was

successfully adopted at Kaunas Agricultural College, it matched its mission, the aims of teaching/learning foreign

languages.

Complexity

The idea of an innovation should be clear to its implementers. CD Horticulture as a computer program is not

a new thing. Most of the teachers and students nowadays are using computer dictionaries, teaching games. This

particular program is specific not in its form, but in its contents. It was expected that CD Horticulture would not

create problems to its users - there are many instructions about the usage in the first disc.

In order to analyze the level of complexity of CD Horticulture, the respondents were asked to identify what

knowledge and skills they lacked while working with this program (see Figure 3). In other words, they had to

assess their own methodological preparation.

The research allows stating that CD Horticulture matches the teachers' professional, language and PC skills.

From the point of view of complexity it is suitable for using at college level educational institutions. But the

research also proved that for better results CD Horticulture should be followed by more precise methodological

instructions.

Trialability

Trialability is another significant characteristic of an innovation. To a great extent it determines successful

implementation. In order to analyze CD Horticulture as a trialable innovation, the respondents were given three

blocks of indicators. The first was meant to show divisibility as one of trialability characteristics. The

respondents' reaction to the third indicator was the most important:

CD Horticulture is a significant tool in reaching the foreign language teaching/ learning aims at

college;

CD Horticulture is one more tool in reaching the foreign language teaching/ learning aims at college;

Some topics might be useful;

CD Horticulture is unnecessary teaching tool in reaching the foreign language teaching/ learning

aims at college.

Figure 3. Teachers' methodological preparation to work with CD Horticulture

The respondents were asked to indicate the statements that they considered to be right.

Most of the teachers stated that CD Horticulture could be used together with the other teaching material as it

would contribute greatly by its rich contents. This answer proves adaptability of the program. Teachers also think

that their students - whatever specialty they are - could find relative information and material working with CD

Horticulture. This proves that the innovation is divisible.

Half of the respondents consider CD Horticulture a significant tool in teaching/ learning foreign languages

for specific purposes. The reason might be the expression of ownership, as the program was prepared by the

respondents' colleagues and students. Everyone knew the idea of the project and the participants, what made the

final product "warm" and dear.

The project participants should be glad to know that nobody from the teachers questioned said CD

Horticulture was insignificant und unnecessary.

As the diagram evidently shows, CD Horticulture is an adaptable and divisible pedagogical innovation (see

Figure 4).

Figure 4. Teachers' attitudes towards adaptability of CD Horticulture

The teachers support all the indicators of adaptability of CD Horticulture, but the most important for them

are: the use of CD Horticulture while preparing for practice abroad; for extramural/ studies; for preparing a

presentation of independent work.

The teachers think this program can be used for many purposes but it should not be overestimated. It might

serve as supplementary material in the teaching/learning process. All the three indicators pointed out by the

teachers are associated with self-study. Thus the teachers and project initiators' opinions meet - CD Horticulture

was meant to be used as a supplementary teaching/learning tool for a person in a new language environment to

learn professional vocabulary.

In conclusion we state that CD Horticulture has a distinct characteristic of trialability. The program can be

divisible - it can be used by people with different levels of foreign language knowledge, different specialties, it

can be adapted for independent studies of foreign/languages.

Observability

Scientific literature states that it is necessary to predict the possible results of an innovation before

implementing it. The faster the result is predicted, the more successful and rapid the implementation will be.

But in the case of CD Horticulture we did not succeed in predicting the evident result because of the

following circumstances:

CD Horticulture does not contain any exercises and tests. The Lithuanian group joined the project

NYMPHEA ACTUAR when its contents and organization was already discussed and planned by the

other participants. Thus they could not influence or initiate any changes in the contents of the program

and work procedures. As the main aim of this program is to help a person integrate in the language

environment of European countries, the project initiators expected evident results after applying this

program in practice. There are no such wide specialized language teaching/learning programs in

Lithuania. CD Horticulture is the first program of teaching/learning horticultural, floricultural, gardening

terminology, thus teachers' wish to adapt CD Horticulture for class work is understandable. But then it

must contain some exercises, games, tests to become a lively teaching/learning program. Such changes

would undeniably strengthen students and teachers’ receptivity to it.

The implementation period of CD Horticulture was evidently not sufficient. The implementers paid

greatest attention to assimilation of the program. Thus there was a lack of time for preparing the

evaluation tools and assessment effectiveness.

Conclusions

1. Among all factors affecting receptivity to pedagogical innovations, characteristics of innovation ( relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability and observability ) play the major role.

2. Relative advantage, compatibility, trialability and observability are directly proportional to receptivity to pedagogical innovations, whereas complexity is inversely proportional.

3. CD Horticulture as a pedagogical innovation can be characterized by the following characteristics:

Partial relative advantage. Together with the positive attributes, some minor drawbacks were noticed that affected teachers’ receptivity to this innovation.

Evident compatibility. CD Horticulture got into an environment positive to its implementation. The program matches the college mission, the aims of teaching/learning foreign languages, thus strengthening teachers’ receptivity to its implementation.

Partial complexity. The program matches students and teachers’ knowledge and skills, but for its more effective implementation teachers’ methodological preparation is insufficient.

Evident trialability. The program is suitable for students of different specialities to learn foreign languages. It can be used by people with different levels of knowledge of foreign languages. Possibility to use the program flexibly increases teachers’ receptivity to the innovation.

CD Horticulture cannot be considered to be an observable innovation in the frame of this research. As the program contains no exercises, games, tests, the feedback requires the use methods of assessment that need more time resources. In the case of our research they were not sufficient and decreased teachers’ receptivity to implementation of CD Horticulture as a pedagogical innovation.

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