Innovatory Education: a Paradigm Shift in Learning Approaches

Innovatory education refers to a complete and irreversible modification of the principles of traditional education theories that has been considered to be axiomatic. Traditional education system considers the primary value of education process to be a transfer of knowledge from teacher to student. Botkin’s innovatory education presents knowledge as a means and not the end. Also, it provides for the development of the student's personality through knowledge towards becoming critical problem solvers of global challenges.

Traditional education represents an unstable structure that does not undergo dramatic changes in the course of years. The accumulation of knowledge goes on subjects where it is impossible to avoid change such as history and literature which grows over time. Curriculum for sciences remains unchanged for decades. Botkin proposes another educational system which is dynamic, ever-changing structure and continually renewed with new programs and scholarly disciplines that expand on a daily basis.

The innovative education system can replace the reproductive nature of traditional education where student perceives information and reproduces it during exams. It is specifically a creative process that prepares the student to understand information and solve various problems using independent thinking rather than applying memorized solutions.

It also eliminates the long-lasting tradition of the relationship of the teacher (superior)-student (inferior), making both the teacher and the equal student participants of the educational process. Both work on the similar task in cooperation, rather than submission. Any external control is viewed as harmful to the process and, therefore, eliminated, with its place taken by mutual control, self-control, and coordination.

Finally, innovative education is an efficient system of education based on equality of teacher and student. It may look impractical but when implemented can revolutionize the education sector. The system will enable the students to approach issues with the open mind and try to get solutions through innovating thinking instead of reproducing what other scholars had done. Botkin proposes the system as a means of solving the current world challenges that are recurring and limiting the comfort of human life.