Collaborative learning as a tool for social innovation

The innovative pedagogy is enhanced by learning and teaching or training programmes focused on social innovation and social entrepreneurship. In this context, the academic capacity building represents a fundamental element. This paper aims to present a framework of developmental traditions that have a great influence on collective learning in order to be used as a way to boost social innovation. It shows the literature that focuses on collaborative learning and how it can be used as an instrument to boost social innovation. The methodology used to carry out the research is both bibliographic – opting here to study the work of specialists in the field, authors from Romania and abroad, and empirical – thus the theoretical approach is supported through relevant case studies from the European context and conclusions. The present and future generations will make a difference in the society they live in, with the help of the academic learning and teaching courses, when more institutions oriented on education take into consideration this type of development process. The results of this paper will show that social media tools have an important role in this context, therefore educational institutions should build spaces adapted for community learning, by using platforms and fields to which students, local communities, different stakeholders, public and private organizations have access and through which they can have the possibility to organize meetings of common interest regarding the education issue. We have identified that although technology is a main element in all life’s activities, there should also be taken into consideration the capability and willingness of individuals and institutions to cooperate and innovate, not only by electronic means, but also through traditional ways of participating in the development process of a society.