Students’ Ideas on Innovations in Higher Education

Abstract

Abstract The academic staff plays a key role in the implementation of innovations, striving to introduce changes in the process of education and involving students in this process. The aim of this article is to analyse the ideas of students and pre-service teachers, on the role of innovations in the work of the academic staff at the institutions of higher education. The research is based on the analysis of scientific literature, regulatory documents, studies and surveys. The analytical data processing software SPSS was used for the analysis of the data. Having analysed the data of the survey involving the first-year students and pre-service teachers, enrolled both in the full-time and part-time studies at RTTEMA, the authors conclude that readiness for innovative activity and active involvement in the creation, acquisition and application of innovations is an essential factor for amending the traditional activity of the academic staff. The authors gained convincing evidence of the idea that in pedagogy the term innovation refers to the process of renewal, educational reforms, the selection of the most appropriate material (idea, activity, form, method, means, concept, or programme) and their practical implementation, i.e. the creation, acquisition and application of innovations in the pedagogical practice.