Teacher educators’ understanding of pedagogical innovation

Abstract

Pedagogical innovation has become a key concept in educational discourse. However, its meaning remains contested, and the concept is often used vaguely to denote new practices. Within teacher education policy and research, teacher educators (TEDs) are frequently positioned as change agents who, through innovative practice, are expected to prepare future teachers for contemporary classrooms. In light of this, the study aims to conceptualize pedagogical innovation from the perspective of teacher educators and their pedagogical practice. The study employs a qualitative approach based on three focus group interviews with thirteen TEDs from six Norwegian teacher education institutions. Thematic analysis yielded four themes: creative adaptations , benefit to student teachers , relevance to school practice , and risk of failure . The findings show that TEDs primarily conceptualize pedagogical innovation as adaptations of existing practices aligned with their own pedagogical objectives. This conceptualization foregrounds clear benefits for student teachers, while highlighting the context-specific and experimental nature of pedagogical innovation. Such an understanding requires TEDs to accept uncertainty and the possibility of negative outcomes. The study offers important implications for the implementation of pedagogical innovation in TEDs’ practice. The findings emphasize the need to weigh anticipated benefits against potential costs. Accordingly, the risk of failure associated with pedagogical innovation should be made more explicit in educational policy and institutionally recognized as integral to the continuous development of pedagogical practice. Such a shift may support greater engagement in pedagogical innovation and contribute to the modernization of teacher education in response to contemporary educational challenges.