Innovating teaching and learning practices: Key elements for developing Creative Classrooms in Europe

Abstract

This paper looks at how to innovate teaching and learning practices at system level. It\ndescribes the vision for ‘Creative Classrooms’ and makes a consolidated proposal for\ntheir implementation, clarifying their holistic and systemic nature, their intended learning\noutcomes, and their pedagogical, technological, and organisational dimensions for\ninnovation. ‘Creative Classrooms’ (CCR) are conceptualized as innovative learning environments\nthat fully embed the potential of ICT to innovate learning and teaching\npractices in formal, non-formal and informal settings.\nThe proposed multi-dimensional concept for CCR consists of eight encompassing and\ninterconnected key dimensions and a set of 28 reference parameters (‘building blocks’).\nAt the heart of the CCR concept lie innovative pedagogical practices that emerge when\nteachers use ICT in their efforts to organize newer and improved forms of open-ended,\ncollaborative, and meaningful learning activities, rather than simply to enhance traditional\npedagogies, such as expository lessons and task-based learning.\nA preliminary analysis of two existing cases of ICT-enabled innovation for learning is\npresented in order to show (i) how the proposed key dimensions and reference parameters\nare implemented in real-life settings to configure profoundly diverse types of CCR\nand (ii) to depict the systemic approach needed for the sustainable implementation\nand progressive up-scaling of Creative Classrooms across Europe.