Innovative Teachers and the Experiences, Motivations, and Mechanisms that Impact Their Innovation: An Examination of Innovative Teaching at Punahou School.

Aldrich, Andrew S.

Innovative Teachers and the Experiences, Motivations, and Mechanisms that Impact Their Innovation: An Examination of Innovative Teaching at Punahou School.

Files

2017-08-edd-aldrich.pdf (2.27 MB)

Date

2017-08

Authors

Aldrich, Andrew S.

Department

Professional Ed Practice

Abstract

As the world evolves towards an interconnected and global society, the need for new and innovative teaching practices has grown. Acknowledging this need, many schools have begun to articulate aspirational goals to help move their community towards a focus on skills and content that are deemed most valuable in the twenty-first century. However, despite these aspirations, many schools continue with outdated models and structures that can often hinder innovative teacher development. Punahou School, located in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi is the largest single campus independent school in the United States with over 3,750 students in grades K-12. Founded in 1841, students and teachers at Punahou have experienced countless innovations in education throughout the school's rich history. Like other schools, Punahou has articulated innovative aspirations that promote the growth of innovative teaching practices that align with the learning needs of twenty-first century students. To ensure that these aspirations transform institutional practices, this study was developed to better understand how Punahou teachers come to embrace innovative teaching practices, what mechanisms impact their innovation, and how they overcome any range of institutional challenges. This was accomplished through the use of a multicase study methodology that examined teacher innovation within and across the four school divisions. The results of this study conclude that most innovative classrooms are grounded in rich empathic relationships between a teacher and his or her students. Amongst the adjustments a school can make to support innovation, schools must strive to foster an environment where these empathic relationships thrive, which in part occurs through rich professional learning and a focus on personalized learning for all students.

Keywords

teacher innovation, Punahou School, twenty-first century learning

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10125/62709

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Ed.D. - Professional Practice

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