The Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic) (UNEATLANTICO), leader of the DigitalTA project, organized on October 5 the conference on “Educational Innovation” given by the pedagogical coordinator Carlos Hevia-Aza in the auditorium of the university as part of the celebration of World Teachers’ Day.
As Carlos Hevia-Aza pointed out, the aim of his visit was to share a real experience and mobilize students to understand that educational innovation goes beyond mere labels. He also stated that it requires actions, training, and a solid methodology. In addition, he has conveyed to students the idea that they can learn from the experiences of others, just as he learns from them.
The speaker also emphasized that “innovation means that students learn something they did not know before.” That’s why I wanted college students to be there to learn what is being done in the real world.
In addition, he expressed his deep gratitude to the university and to Josep Alemany, DigitalTA project coordinator and academic director of the degree in Primary Education and the Master Degree in Teacher Training, for the trust they placed in him from the beginning. For the speaker, it has been gratifying to feel the support and backing of the institution.
Fostering innovation
During the conference, reference was made to the metaphor “Hic Sunt Dracones” (“Here be dragons”), used in ancient cartographic maps to represent the unknown and feared terrain. Carlos Hevia-Aza pointed out that fear of change is universal, but when a group of professionals overcomes it and is willing to change, it inspires others to join the change initiative, thus fostering innovation.
The speaker stated that it is essential for professionals convinced of the importance of innovation to focus on bringing this proposal to those who are receptive and willing to change. He also stressed the importance of establishing clear goals and defining the purpose of each change, connecting the objectives with the reality and the context to achieve a successful implementation of the innovation.
On the other hand, he emphasized that more than 108,000 studies support the importance of good feedback from teachers in the learning process. These studies, covering a sample of up to 300 million students over 25 years, show that quality feedback is the key factor in obtaining the best results.
In addition, he stressed that it is necessary to train teachers in change management skills in all its dimensions to implement innovation in schools. Only in this way will they be able to transmit to students the motivation and proactive attitude necessary to innovate.
Carlos Hevia-Aza concluded his participation by emphasizing that, beyond knowledge and teaching skills, the value of a teacher lies in his or her attitude. This is why he has highlighted the importance of focusing on the “wings” of the education system, i.e., the attitude and willingness to innovate.