Cultivating innovative learning and teaching cultures : a question of garden design

Abstract

Calls for practitioners to ‘innovate’ are common within higher education and universities, which go to some length to cultivate innovative learning and teaching cultures. The definition of innovation, however, is not clear cut and understandings of how innovations spread and innovative practices should be supported differ. This study aimed to investigate how innovation learning and teaching practice is understood and practiced by a sample of ‘innovative’ academics and to explore to what extent their innovative work is supported and managed by their institution. Data from 16 in-depth interviews revealed drivers for innovation and the institutional factors that can facilitate or impede it. The findings suggest that while innovative cultures can be cultivated and shaped, universities should ensure that there is space for creativity to flourish