Rishna Shoimah / 1222010160 / Undergraduate Student / MPI / VI D / FTK / UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung*
Innovation is part of social change, and educational innovation is one of its components. Since formal education is organized by institutions, which are essentially organizations, the pattern of innovation that is more appropriately applied in education is that of organizational innovation. Nevertheless, educational organizations have their own characteristics and uniqueness compared to other types of organizations. To clarify insights into new educational innovation models that are appropriate to the local conditions and situations, there are several factors that must be understood, which influence the process of educational innovation according to the characteristics of the educational field. Educational innovation planning is also necessary so that the innovation process runs effectively, along with clear guidance for implementing educational innovations in schools. This discussion is expected to be useful as a guideline when teachers or school principals intend to carry out innovation or educational change in the schools where they work.
First, the Basic Concept of Innovation in Islamic Education: Innovation management in Islamic education is a series of planned efforts to solve educational problems through original, creative, and effective renewals, either in the form of products or systems. This innovation must meet certain characteristics such as usefulness, appropriateness, testability, observability, and not being overly complex. The principle includes opportunity analysis, starting from small-scale efforts, and being directed towards transformational leadership. The main targets include curriculum, rules and regulations, and learning systems, with the goal of improving educational quality and catching up with global science and technology.
Second, the Model of Innovation in Islamic Education: The educational innovation model is a gradual process that includes invention, development, diffusion, and adoption of new ideas in education. This process takes time and involves continuous change, depending on the sensitivity of individuals or organizations to innovation. Innovation begins with the adaptation of new ideas, developed through research, disseminated to end-users, and eventually adopted by individuals or institutions according to existing values and cultures, in order to improve the overall effectiveness of the educational system.
Third, Strategies for the Development of Innovation in Islamic Education: The strategy for developing innovation in Islamic education includes three main approaches: the power-coercive strategy, which emphasizes unilateral authority without involving implementers; the empirical-rational strategy, which relies on logic and the relevance of innovation to real conditions; and the normative re-educative strategy, which focuses on changing values, attitudes, and understanding through repeated educational processes. Each of these strategies has its own strengths and weaknesses, but approaches that involve active participation and deep understanding tend to produce more sustainable innovations and are more widely accepted in the educational environment.
Fourth, the Process and Procedures of Innovation Management in Education: According to Rogers, the process and procedure of innovation management in education consists of five stages: knowledge, where an individual begins to become aware of an innovation; persuasion, when the individual forms an attitude toward the innovation; decision, which is accepting or rejecting the innovation; implementation, which is the actual application of the innovation; and confirmation, where the individual seeks reinforcement for the previous decision. This process is dynamic and ongoing, requiring cognitive, affective, and behavioral involvement so that innovation can be accepted, implemented, and become a part of the education system in a sustainable way.
In conclusion, innovation management in Islamic education is a planned and gradual process involving the discovery, development, diffusion, and adoption of new ideas to improve educational quality. Innovation is carried out through rational, participatory, and educational strategies, taking into account the unique characteristics of education as an organization. The innovation process includes stages from knowledge to confirmation and emphasizes the importance of well-planned steps so that the innovation runs effectively and sustainably in accordance with the values, culture, and local needs of educational institutions.
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*) This paper is summarized from the Course Module of the subject "International Islamic Education Management Part 11" by Prof. Rusdiana, M.M.Â