Abstract

The purpose of this research was to approach the teaching meaning of didactic innovation, through analyzing the semantic construction of university teachers about innovation in the classroom, as well as their teaching strategies. In addition, to identify the semantic representations that teachers have about innovation. The study raised the question about what are the semantic representations that university teachers have about innovation? To do so, a qualitative approach with a phenomenological-hermeneutic orientation was addressed, through a case study. The technique of natural semantic networks (RSN) was used to collect data and information. The macro-scenario was the Technological University of the Cibao Oriental in the Dominican Republic. The key informants were 32 teachers of the Education program. The application of the RSN technique provided the results associated with the words innovation stimuli, educational innovation, teaching, innovative teaching and learning. In conclusion, the term change is the one that best describes the representation of innovation and educational innovation of the Utequian teachers, but in both cases they do not include the term technology among the five words with the highest semantic value. In the representation of educational innovation, creativity and technology do not appear among the five terms with the highest semantic weight; however, these words are included in the representation of innovative teaching. While in the representation of the teaching stimulus, learning stands out, and for the learning stimulus, the significant knowledge.

Keywords:
Innovation; didactic innovation; semantic networks; teaching-learning; teachers