Another brick in the wall or an agile corridor? Rethinking innovative learning environments for teacher reflection and innovation
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This qualitative case study examines how technologically enriched Innovative Learning Environments (ILEs) support the development of Innovation Consciousness (IC) among in-service teachers. Grounded in Agile Learning Theory, the study explores how structured reflective practices within ILEs foster adaptability, creativity, and instructional innovation. Participants were 37 Israeli teachers enrolled in a 13-week M.Ed. professional development course featuring experiential, collaborative learning in dynamic learning spaces. The study introduces the Transformative Agile Reflection Model (TARM), which conceptualizes iterative professional growth through cycles of reflection, experimentation, and pedagogical innovation. Findings reveal that technology-enhanced learning environments, combined with guided reflection, promote student-centered teaching and agile instructional strategies that strengthen teachers' professional identity and capacity for innovation. The findings further suggest that Innovation Consciousness develops not only through cognitive reflection but also through embodied, collaborative experiences within flexible learning environments. By introducing the TARM framework, this study advances a new conceptual perspective on how reflective professional learning fosters teachers' adaptive capacity for innovation. The findings provide teacher educators and professional development designers with a theoretically grounded model for cultivating reflective, agile, and innovation-oriented teaching in rapidly evolving educational contexts.
Source: Cogent Education
Authors: Yonit Nissim, Eitan Simon
Institution: Tel Hai Academic College
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,165
OpenAlex ID: W7203471241