Educational innovation under scrutiny: Public Administration policies and actions

Abstract

Educational innovation has become a central axis for addressing the pedagogical, technological, and social challenges of the 21st century. Educational institutions must embrace innovation as a shared construction, the result of the joint involvement of teachers, school leadership teams, students, and families (Fullan, 2002; Bolívar, 2010). Despite the numerous initiatives driven by schools, there is still a lack of empirical evidence that allows for an in-depth understanding of these experiences, particularly in some Spanish regions such as Murcia, which remains underrepresented in national studies. This paper focuses on the analysis of two innovation calls promoted by the Regional Ministry of Education and Vocational Training during the 2024/2025 academic year. These include 35 innovation projects funded in Early Childhood and Primary Education schools, along with 19 schools involved in the training plan “Innovation Community.” The findings show that these innovation initiatives developed in the schools of this autonomous community share common objectives: fostering pupil participation, developing digital and communication skills, stimulating critical and creative thinking, promoting inclusion, and facilitating pupils’ integration. These objectives reflect a holistic educational vision aimed at creating inclusive, participatory school environments that are responsive to contemporary demands.