Education as a Direct Profitable Societal Investment: Innovation Pedagogy Putting Sociocultural Learning Theories into Practice in Higher Educational Institutes

Abstract

Higher education needs to respond to the needs of employers by providing capable workforce. Graduating students have to possess capabilities to take part in diverse innovation processes at their future work places. In this paper we present how higher education can be changed to the direction where both new innovations are more evident and where education itself can serve societal needs more directly by producing generic innovation competences for students. The theoretical framework is based on innovation pedagogy, the socio-cultural theory and the constructivist view of learning. The empirical findings show how innovation pedagogy is put into practice and how applied research, development and innovation operations in HEIs can create direct benefits to the businesses and other stakeholders. As the result we state that innovation pedagogy can produce innovation competencies and simultaneously serve regional, national and international stakeholders ensuring direct societal benefits. The results are especially useful for those who want to increase the external impact of higher education institutes.