Redeeming education after progress: composing variations as a way out of innovation tyrannies.

This article examines the current dominant narrative in education centered on the "innovation paradigm," which replaces the modernist faith in progress with a relentless imperative for constant change and novelty. It critiques how this innovation imperative, influenced by neoliberalism, commodifies education and fosters a tyranny of perpetual motion and impossible renewal, leading to instability and a loss of meaningful direction. As an alternative, the article proposes embracing the concept of "variation," drawn from artistic and musical practices, as a more sustainable and pedagogically productive approach that values continuity, reinterpretation, and creative renewal without discarding inherited knowledge. This perspective encourages educators to see themselves as interpreters who cultivate diverse variations on established educational themes, potentially redeeming education from its unfulfilled promises in a post-progress era.