EDD614

Dynamics of Innovation and Change in Educational System

Comprehensive Examination
August 16, 2020/ 5:00-6:30

Direction: Based on the concepts and underpinnings learned from ed614, provide
comprehensive and definitive answers to the following questions.

1. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, innovation

in education is a highly contentious issue (OECD, 2016). Now, what makes it a highly
contentious issue?

Based on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD, 2016)
article, hereunder is my two cent-worth opinion.
Resistance is as natural as a phenomenon as change itself (Newton and Tarrant, 1992).
The relentless effort of the Department of Education to effect change and innovation is evident in
the new ways, new programs and new activities it introduces to educational institutions.
Innumerable reforms have been laid down which ultimate purpose is to make the educational
system working smoothly and effectively. However, in the process of implementing change,
many factors were viewed that fuel resistance and unwillingness to change.
The fear of an unknown entity is an acknowledged phenomenon. The concept of fear
itself is sometimes greater than what we fear. Some of us cling to our worries, suspicions, self-
loathing, or hate, because there is some sort of twisted comfort in familiar pain. It seems easier to
accept what we know than to let go of it out of fear of the unknown. It's the fear of something
outside one's comfort zone.
Lack of information breeds uncertainty and doubt. It can cause anyone in the educational
system to question anything in it. It undermines confidence and elevates stress. If an individual
do not feel secure in their role, then they will not have the confidence they need to succeed. They
will second-guess and won’t feel they can trust each other or the change introduced. The best
way to quash uncertainty and doubt is to keep an open flow of communication and allow
everybody informed for change to effect.
Failure is only a temporary change of direction that will set you straight for your next
success. Yet fear of failure is when we allow the fear to stop us from doing something so we can
push on and achieve our goals. Fear of failure can be related to a variety of reasons. For example,
having critical or rejected colleagues can give rise to fears of failure, which are fuelling our
inability to consider change. Moreover, our unwillingness or disinclination to do something new
beyond our comfort zone obstructs us to let change take its course. Our reluctance to experiment
and reluctance to let go hampers us to move forward for better. Often, we are frightened to try
new ways of doing things because we are equally terrified to let go of the things we used to do.
The only way to embrace change is to allow ourselves to experiment and liberate ourselves from
the bandage of old ways.

2. React on the key messages about change in educational system being offered by
MacGilchrist et al (1997), cited by Bell & Kitchie (2002:60):

Change is inevitable. Innovation is indispensable.

Change is the alteration of the original state (forms and substance) of a
system, practice or activity. It may occur as badly changed or goodly changed.
On the other hand, innovation is the process of modifying a system, practice or
activity; it means refashioning this to be more valuable and meaningful.
Change and innovation is a complex process.
The school as an academic institution is often at the dilemma of
“educational harassment”. It has been a subject of “mental abuse”. Our
educational system has changed constantly that it lost its “being”. However,
these changes are necessary to respond to the call of times. The “old” ways
should be changed with “new” ways to address the enthralling screech of a
taciturn educational system.
Change is unavoidable and it is complex. The various facets, from huge
to its iota of milieu in the system, should be given profound consideration.
Change cannot be imposed easily. Many will be apprehensive to something
“new” and should expect retaliation when change is not made known and clear
to whoever the change is intended for. Many will not embrace new ways, new
processes and new practices for it entails longer time to be attuned with the
change. Furthermore, the effect of change to institution is only possible when
change are well managed and well led. Complex as it is, the need for a
concerted effort of every individual in the institution is deemed very important.
One cannot effect change without the support of others. For change and or
innovation to be effective, it has to be understood well and everybody is make
sure has understood even to the minute details of it. It may be hard at first,
but when an institution develops a culture of acceptance, and embraces a
whole a new system, change would be stress-free and one could work efficiently
and effectively.
Moreover, the capacity of an institution (a school) for change may
vary. As different academic institution differs in its culture, it also varies in its
ability to adopt to and for change. For an institution whose culture includes
the delight in change, then, changes and or innovation is not difficult. This
school embraces change and innovation with lesser bedlam and enjoys doing
new processes and practices. On the other hand, for schools that dislikes new
ways and new practices, change and innovation is hard to swallow. Most of the
times, they will find ways not to allow change or innovation to takes place.
They may eventually be challenged to accept change but would take time for
change to cloak them and be part of the system.
In a school environment, teachers and pupils/learners play a very crucial
role in the change process. Teachers need to be the agents of change. As
school moves forward for a better and learner-centered environment, teachers
should act as catalysts and assumes the responsibility for managing the
change. Teachers are empowered by the state to bring forth worthwhile change
in the lives of their learners. They are vested with the authority to provide
learners with a learning environment that would boost their potentials and
make sure that these learners will too become agents of change in the society
and the global environment. The school at all times should remember that
learners need to be the main focus of change.

3. How could each type of culture in the school (power, role, task and person) bring about
genuine innovation and change in educational system?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defined reform as “to improve (someone or something) by

removing or correcting faults, problems, etc. The definition implies transforming something
which already had been in the system for quite some time and were find out to be faulty or with
flaws. Reform is necessary when an already existing situation or system is no longer useful or is
lesser effective because of circumstances. Once a particular system slows down its gear and does
no longer spins in the process of development, it needs to be lubricated so it could continue to
swivel and move forward to trail where it supposed to track.
The Philippine Basic Education is at the height-need for reform. A reform that will
address the pressing issues of times. Various quality reform strategies and efforts were designed,
developed, implemented and evaluated. These reforms were intended to correct the seemingly
brittle programs, projects and activities.
For an organization with a culture of dominance, power is exercised by only a few people
whose control is distributed across the organization. There are few laws and regulations in the
culture of government. What those with power decide is what's going to happen. Employees are
usually measured by what they do, rather than how they do it, or how they behave. That will
result in swift decision-making, even though such decisions are not in the best long-term interest
of the organization.
In the power culture, one of the reforms is focused on improving teacher’s welfare. The
checkless payroll system, loans restructure, increasing the take home pay, increase in election per
diem and salary increase were the reform strategies which aim to boost the morale of the
teachers. To assuage the burden of public school teachers, the volume of workloads should be
curtailed. Salary should be increased at par with the other government public servants. Teachers
should also enjoy leave benefits that other government agency employees enjoy. Ultimately,
teachers should be given a wide avenue and platforms where they could express their views and
opinions and their voices could be heard.

Organizations with a function in culture shall be governed by law. They are tightly
regulated, with everyone in the company aware of their positions and responsibilities. Power in
the role of culture is determined by the role of the person in the organizational structure.
Moreover, task culture is created when teams in an organization are created to solve particular
challenges or progress projects. The task is important, so the power within the team will often
shift depending on the mix of the team members and the status of the problem or project.
One upright reform designed is the measures on good governance which include
increased public access and transparency or the sunshine principle – a role and task culture.
These reform strategies increase the involvement of the civil society in formulating educational
policy and they were provided with extensive means to suggest and clarify issues with the higher
office and authorities. Yet, these reforms have its downturns. The “civil society” most of the
times exploits this reform by taking advantage of the opportunity afforded to them. Minute
things that occur in academic institutions are made known (through social media and
communication technology) to higher offices that somehow impede the smooth operations of the
school. Other (alleged) issues are brought up to intentionally demean teachers and other school
personnel.
Widening the poor’s access to the school is another reform agenda. It includes the zero
collection policy where the DepEd strictly implements the ban on collections of contributions
and fees (during enrolment). However, this collection policy is detrimental because students or
parents will not be compelled to pay school fees which resulted to non-implementation of other
school programs and activities due to very limited funds for which these fees and contributions
are intended for. The laxity of this policy makes it inoperable and is not able to produce the
effect it is envisioned for.
Many other reforms such as decentralized programs, improved teacher training programs,
institutionalization of Early Childhood Care and Development, Strengthened English, Science
and Mathematics Education, Modernized Basic Education are just few of the many reform
agenda in Philippine Basic Education. This is person culture. These reforms and initiatives
offer innovation to the educational setting. There may be loopholes or ambiguities in its
implementation and how they were viewed differently by other academic institutions, but its
uncontaminated intention makes it doable reforms.
Quality change in our basic education system is a continuous process. This is a time-
consuming examination process, in order to find non-working parts of the gear and a dreary way
of finding the best solution to make it move. "Change oil" is important if the gear is to be steered
and the whole education system is to be overhauled when it is appropriate for a glib journey
towards better education.