Research Summary: Scenario planning in educational leadership: developing innovation literacy through design-based professional learning

A study on educational leadership indicates that design-based professional learning incorporating scenario planning is effective in enhancing 'innovation literacy' among leaders. This approach helps them better articulate and communicate new ideas in dynamic environments, addressing the common challenge of strategic initiatives stalling due to difficulty in differentiating new concepts from past practices.

Why it matters

Developing innovation literacy in leadership is crucial for navigating volatile and uncertain environments, enabling organizations to adapt and thrive. Leaders who can effectively articulate and differentiate new strategic directions are better positioned to secure stakeholder trust and drive successful implementation of forward-looking initiatives.

Key insights

• Educational leaders face increasing pressure to communicate and implement innovation amid volatility and uncertainty.
• Strategic initiatives often fail because leaders struggle to articulate new ideas understandably and distinctively.
• The study investigated how design-based professional learning, utilizing scenario planning, can cultivate innovation literacy.
• Innovation literacy is defined as the communicative, imaginative, and symbolic capacity to describe emerging futures.
• The research involved 161 educational leaders across six groups in a 10-month professional learning series.
• The professional learning incorporated scenario planning, futures thinking, and iterative design cycles.

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1877708