Innovation Eclipsed by Simplistic Resourcefulness: The Root Cause of Miseducation in Teacher Education Institutions

Authors: Zireva D* and Magwa L

DOI: 10.23880/phij-16000353

Volume 8, Issue 3

Abstract

There is a clamour about innovation concerning the production of goods and services in many third world countries. The prime conviction is that the economies of such countries are going to be improved through innovative production of goods and services. About Zimbabwe in particular, all students pursuing either higher or tertiary education are supposed to embark on projects which are focused on innovation. Consequently, every institution of higher or tertiary education is supposed to construct an innovation hub. There is a conviction that the students are going to do their innovations in the innovation hub. The educators could be more focused about innovation if they get some insights from the ‘laboratory school’ initiated by John Dewey. However, both the educators and the students have not been formally conscientized of the philosophy informing the modus operandi of carrying out innovative ventures. The students are resorting to simplistic resourcefulness and are considered to be innovative. Lack of attuning of the mind to the transformative paradigm which is embodied in action research is indispensable to authentic innovations. There is a symbiotic synergy between action research and genuine innovation which should be carried out in a ‘laboratory school’. In education, the disruptive innovation theory anchors the contextual framework of innovation. A qualitative research was carried out with lecturers and students in a teacher education college. The aim was to ascertain the extent to which the dearth of insights from the laboratory school promotes simplistic resourcefulness which eclipses innovation and the modus operandi thereof. The informants were purposively selected on the basis of awarding and being awarded distinctive marks in the production of the presumed prototypes. The data were analysed by employing the thematic approach. The findings are that the students anchor their artefacts on baseless intuition which has extreme rarity in producing prototypes in the contemporary technologically driven world. In earnest, the students have hardly produced any prototypes which can be patented. There is a dire need to orient the students in action research so that they are engaged in systematic actions for the creation of prototypes. First and foremost the students are supposed to generate baseline data about the dysfunctionalities of artefacts and services which they endeavour to improve on.

Keywords: Innovation; Simplistic resourcefulness; Miseducation; Laboratory school; Action research

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