On strategies of educational innovation: Between substitution and transformation

The innovation of education seems to beself-evident. Boosted by a wide range of newtechnologies, educational institutes all overthe world are innovating their educationalsystems, in order to extend their services, toimprove their performances or to reduce costs.The apparent self-evidence of educationalinnovation hardly prompts the educational staffto reflect on the very idea of innovation andits consequences. This paper treats the basicprinciples that support the phenomenon oftechnology-induced educational innovation. Itaims to contribute to a better insight andunderstanding of its implications to anyoneengaged in education. It also aims to effect agrowing awareness of the premises on technologyand to support the right attitude to realiseimprovements in practice. The paper goes intostrategies of change, while discussing bothsubstitutional and transformational strategies.It explains its supposed differences byreferring to the philosophical frameworks ofJaspers, Heidegger and Borgmann. Starting fromBorgmann's ``devices paradigm'', four principlesfor educational innovations are formulated,referring to the transparency and interactivityof educational technologies, the socio-culturalsignificance of products, the importance ofvalues beyond efficiency and the political biasinvolved with technological innovation.