The Disruptive Innovation Theory

I recently read an article from the Hoover Institution entitled "How We Transform Education" and the gist of the article is summed up in the following quote:

"The way to implement an innovation so that it will transform an organization is to implement it disruptively—not by using it to compete against the existing paradigm and serve existing customers, but to let it compete against “non-consumption,” where the alternative is nothing at..."

In all my years of Education I was always most interested in school reform, and in the mid to late 90's came to a similar conclusion...except I used to say that in order to reform we needed to "blow it up and start again" - obviously I didn't mean literally, I meant figuratively. We always try to squeeze innovation into the way we have educated students for the past 200 years. In my opinion, it is insanity. Isn't the definition of insanity "when you continue to do the same thing over and over and expect different results?" I know not the Webster definition, but close enough.

The article continues on and provides an overview of the "Disruptive Innovation Theory"

It is a great read and definately worthy of discussion...check it out then come on back and let's talk about it!

http://www.hoover.org/publications/ednext/18575969.html