Maximising the impact of creative and innovative activities within the constraints of defined education structures

In recent years Ireland has committed to significant educational reform in technological education. With the successful implementation of two new subjects at Senior Cycle (pre third level) that are predicated on creativity and innovation, design is now an essential facet of the second level curriculum. This new focus encourages students to become enterprising, creative and empowered during their learning experience. This paper centres on defining an innovative pedagogical framework to facilitate the fluidity, dynamics and personalisation of educational interventions within an initial technology teacher education programme. Focusing on the teacher as the primary agents for change, this study explores the effect of forming the norms and practices of pre-service teachers in effectively achieving the desired outcomes of the new curriculum at second level. The approach taken, explores the novel use of personal assessable technologies that enable the collection, synthesis, and narrative capabilities essential to the effective stimulation, development and management of inspiration. This study argues the value of non-criterion referenced activities; in engaging student teachers in a constructive critique of education and facilitates the derivation of their own value system. The findings discuss the demands and benefits of creative and innovative technological strategies within the constraints of a traditional education model. As a result the paper recommends a blueprint for engaging students in design and creative activities within technology and presents these benefits in terms of holistic student development.