Innovate ELT Conference: What is innovation?

Not an easy question to answer you might think. Attendees were asked this very question at the Innovate ELT conference which was hosted by Oxford TEFL in collaboration with ELT Jam this May 8th and 9th in our centre in Barcelona. And what a creative and innovative bunch of people they were! Up for grabs was a free online teacher development course with Oxford TEFL worth up to €400. For a peek at some of the answers, take a look below.
“Innovation is about asking difficult questions”
“Innovation must equate with progress to be meaningful and…it can”
“Push learners into a new paradigm and make change happen”
“Innovation = breaking out of the confines of the ‘school’ environment into real life”
“Thinking outside the bag” and doing things differently”
“Make a difference with students and create their English world”
“Innovations is imagination made real”
“Technology, coping with the new, bringing forth what is the core of communication, learning via relation through regulating yourself”
“Any original idea that can be put into practice”
“Changing our own world to move forward and improve”
“Collaborative holistic creation in motion”
“Innovation is a novel way to improve”
“Not looking at what exists and asking “why?” but looking at what does not yet exist and asking “why not?”, then trying it”
“Making old things better”
“Bringing ELT into line with our students lives, experiences and expectations”
“Change for the better”
“Innovation is a story we are telling ourselves”
“That which changes remains true”
“Innovation is never having to say you’re sorry”
“Intrigue, New, Novel, Outstanding, Venture, Admirable, Technology, International, Opening, New doors”
“Change which helps people learn and teach better or with more ease”
“Innovation is just getting there first!”
“Innovation is to develop a new method and make it relevant”
“Innovation is here and now!”
“Do something new to make something better”
“Innovation evolves the inventions that we use every day. It’s transformation at its best”

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This was the first ever Innovate ELT Conference to which we welcomed around 150 guests from all over the world. Speeches, talks, demo lessons, speed dating, food, drinks, live music and activities in the garden were all part of what made this conference so unique. A special thanks to our speakers, including Scott Thornbury, Lindsay Clandfield, Nicky Hockly and the volunteers who welcomed, organized, distributed, served, and many more things to make it an unforgettable experience.

See you next year for Innovate ELT Conference 2016!