Modernization, innovation and transformation: three keys to reimagining schools

Abstract

This article analyzes the concepts of modernization, innovation, and transformation in the educational field, with the aim of differentiating them both conceptually and methodologically. The problem underlying the study lies in the imprecise and often mistaken use of these terms, which directly impacts the pedagogical, political, and strategic decisions of educational institutions. By treating the three concepts as synonyms, the ability to guide educational actions that respond effectively and critically to the contemporary challenges of schools is lost. The objective of the research is, therefore, to clarify these distinctions and demonstrate that modernizing or innovative practices, although important, are not always sufficient to promote real and profound transformations in the educational process. The methodology used is qualitative, based on a systematic bibliographic review and critical analysis of academic productions and institutional documents that address the meanings and uses of these concepts in education. The article presents the categories analyzed, problematizing their scope and limitations. Modernization is understood as the updating of tools and processes without breaking with the current paradigms. Innovation, in turn, introduces new methodological and organizational approaches, but can be absorbed by traditional logics. Transformation, on the other hand, proposes a profound reconfiguration of the meanings of school, of the links between subjects and of educational purposes. The final considerations reinforce that educational transformation requires an ethical and relational stance, based on active listening, collective participation and coherence between theory and practice. The urgent need to rebuild the school as a living, inclusive space committed to learning is defended.