Stephen Downes

I sometimes despair of seeing innovation happen in the wider e-learning community and I sometimes try to simply forge ahead and let the community take care of itself. This report by Marie Jasinski explores the wider question, but one of her findings captures my dilemma nicely: "The skewed view of 'innovators' limits opportunities to embed innovative practice." Specifically, "Practitioners and managers nominated be their peers as 'innovators' tended to have one particular innovation style - Exploring." Anyhow, Jasinski looks at some case studies (Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE, Michael Coghlan and Carole McCulloch) to understand innovation in e-learning, and proposes a strategy for embedding innovation in vocational education and training (VET) by developing portfolios that include the four innovation styles: modifying, experimenting, visioning and exploring. Via Garry Putland.