A. Hannan et al., Why innovate? Some preliminary findings from a research project on 'innovations in teaching and learning in higher education', STUD HIGH E, 24(3), 1999, pp. 279-289
This article presents information gathered from the first phase of a resear
ch project involving interviews with 221 staff at 15 UK universities during
1997-98, which focused on the experiences of those who have introduced inn
ovations in teaching and learning in higher education. In particular it exa
mines the reasons why some staff become involved in innovation and begins a
n analysis a the institutional contexts within which innovation takes place
. it suggests that the reasons which motivated these largely individual inn
ovators may not be sufficient to involve other staff in the process of chan
ge, given shifts in the nature of innovation (from 'individual' to 'guided'
to 'directed'), the risks involved and the lack of incentives.