There is often a misunderstanding of the differences between invention and innovation and it is important to recognise that there are three key stages of innovation:
Invention
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This is about the generation of new ideas e.g. new ways of teaching and learning or new ICT solutions. |
Early Innovation
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This is all about the early practical application of new inventions, often focused in specific areas e.g. a subject discipline or speciality such as distance learning or work-based learning. |
Systemic Innovation
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This is where an institution, for example, will aim to embed an innovation institutionally. |
In other words, project teams might well introduce new ideas for teaching and learning but the true “innovation” is about how these ideas go beyond the pilot/test phase and are applied and adopted appropriately throughout an institution.
One could therefore argue, that sustainability and embedding are an essential element of any innovation!
