Educational innovations in the world: elements and examples
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2025 10:55 am
9.2 Skills and competencies that you will obtain in the postgraduate degree in Educational Innovation:
Education over the years has been characterized by evolution, adapting not only to new generations of students, but also to technological and methodological developments that have challenged traditional teaching practices.
Educational innovations around the world have been setting trends that key features of paytm have allowed students to enhance their skills and abilities from initial levels to higher levels of education, providing a new vision for current education.
If you want to know more about this topic, we invite you to continue reading this article, where we will delve into the trends and elements of educational innovation , and present some examples of the most innovative educational centers in the world and innovative educational projects for initial level and secondary school students .
Educational innovation: concept and importance
Educational innovation refers to a process of continuous and permanent change in the forms and methods of teaching and learning, in which technologies, knowledge, processes and people are systematically and orderly integrated.
Educational innovations in the world must consider the generation of changes in aspects such as teaching materials, pedagogical methods and content, and even the contexts in which the teaching process takes place. Educational innovation is not just a one-off activity, but rather focuses on the constant transformation of educational practices, understanding the dynamics in classrooms, the organization of educational centers , the conduct and behavior of the educational community, and the culture of teaching staff.
The importance of educational innovation lies in the possibility of promoting and encouraging collective learning in which all actors are active and contribute to the generation of value, quality and relevance within the teaching-learning processes.
Trends in educational innovation:
Within educational innovation there are various trends that support and promote certain approaches in teaching, among which the following can be highlighted:
Collaborative learning: This trend focuses on promoting values such as respect, equality and responsibility in students, especially in boys and girls at the initial levels. The promotion of values seeks to teach the importance and impact of collaboration and effective communication in society.
Reverse pedagogy: This trend promotes a change of roles in educational dynamics, allowing students to take an active role in their learning processes. Reverse pedagogy seeks, through home activities and group or individual exercises, to get students to participate and become independent in the generation and development of knowledge.
Virtual and augmented reality: without a doubt, the implementation of new technologies is a trend that is here to stay in educational innovation . The application of virtual and augmented reality in pedagogical processes allows teaching to be transformed into experiences that bring students closer to knowledge of subjects that can be complex to dynamize, such as mathematics, history or geography.
Gamification: This trend refers to the implementation of games in areas where they are not usually common, in this case in the educational context. As an alternative to motivate, energize and generate interest in learning, gamification becomes a highly valuable tool, since through games, positive and stimulating teaching experiences are generated that develop skills in students such as logic, reasoning, teamwork and leadership.
Management of the educational center: changes in the teaching-learning processes based on educational innovation have their origin in the management of educational centers , because beyond the implementation of new technologies in classroom activities and spaces, the integration of the same must be planned and adopted as a strategy that impacts teaching and the culture of schools towards innovation.
Teacher training: just as educational innovation begins with the management of educational centers, its successful development also depends on teachers and their skills and knowledge to be able to implement it. This requires, then, that education professionals must be constantly and permanently updating and learning, since their training is essential for innovative educational projects to have the expected results in students.
Elements of educational innovation
There is extensive research that has collected various keys and guidelines to achieve success in educational innovation . One of the most notable is the one developed by Professor Burton R. Clark in his article “Leadership and Innovation in Universities. From Theory to Practice” , where he mentions five elements of educational innovation that teaching centers that want to be innovative must have.
Powerful management team: It is essential that educational centers have a high-potential management team, as it will be key to the institution's adaptability in the process of integrating new management values and traditional academic values. A powerful management team will help the institution work in a uniform and synchronized manner to improve academic culture and educational innovation .
Developed and connected environment: in educational innovation , it is essential that educational centres develop an environment with strong connections and links with companies, institutions and society in general, allowing them to promote innovation and the solution of business and social needs.
Diverse financing system: the implementation of educational innovation is closely linked to the sources of financing, that is, the economic resources available to educational centres, since the flexibility and adaptation of each institution to its needs, emergencies or continuity of innovation projects and initiatives largely depends on them.
Motivated teaching staff: having a motivated team of teachers is essential in educational innovation processes , since teachers will be responsible for integrating traditional values and methodologies with new and innovative management practices in educational centers and classrooms.
Integrated innovative culture: one of the greatest challenges in the implementation of educational innovation is to achieve the ability to complement changes and novelties with the traditional culture of educational centers. Institutions often fear putting their prestige and identity into question during educational innovation processes , which is why the development of these strategies must always take into account the essence of educational centers, recognizing and integrating innovation with tradition.
The most innovative educational centers in the world
Now that we have delved into the concept of educational innovation , its trends and elements, it is time to learn about some of the most innovative educational centers in the world , clear examples of how, through disruptive educational methodologies and proposals, innovation can be promoted in institutions.
Luminar (São Paulo, Brazil): This educational center, which started in São Paulo and is now present in various cities in Brazil and soon in the US, promotes self-learning, active participation and autonomy. Through the guidance of a tutor, each student has the freedom to choose their own class schedule per week, and access is provided to interactive activities and exercises, where students assume a decisive role in their own learning, assuming responsibility for it.
AltSchool (San Francisco, United States): Created in 2013, it focuses on promoting personalized, technology-centered learning through a curriculum of open, experimental activities. AltSchool defines itself as a school-laboratory, which leverages and strengthens networks of contacts with experts, entrepreneurs, and engineers located in Silicon Valley.
Steve Jobs School (Amsterdam, Netherlands): This educational center promotes the philosophy of Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple and recognized leader in the technology industry. It has several locations around the world and focuses on promoting listening, support for concerns, collaboration and teamwork. Some of the initiatives implemented at the Steve Jobs School are, for example, replacing the concept of “class” with group work with students of different ages, eliminating the role of the tutor and replacing it with instructors specialized in each subject and, finally, flexibility in schedules and daily topics; students choose what to watch and when to watch it, according to their needs.
Egalia School (Stockholm, Sweden): a children's education centre located in the Sodermalm district in Sweden. What makes Egalia special and innovative is its relationship with its students, who are treated inclusively through what they call “gender neutral”, where they use expressions such as “students” or “friends”. In this same sense, it tries to promote inclusive education through the selection of books and content with neutral characters such as animals.
Stanford d.school (Stanford, United States): This innovation-focused education center is located at Stanford University and is aimed at students from the same institution. Its objective is to promote the learning of design thinking , creativity and innovation from a practical perspective, through courses classified as basic or “Core”, advanced or “Boost” and specific sessions or “Pop up experiences”.
Innovative educational projects:
Innovative educational projects have been the tool that teachers have implemented to enhance the abilities and talents of students in school environments and transform teaching, moving from a passive pedagogical model to an active and participatory one, where the involvement and integration of students is encouraged through playful, creative and innovative experiences.
This educational strategy has proven to be an effective means of achieving curricular objectives and improving school dynamics, which has allowed us to demonstrate benefits such as:
The promotion of active and meaningful learning, through the improvement and transformation of traditional educational practices.
The promotion of dynamic, stimulating, participatory, diverse and creative teaching-learning environments.
The significant increase in attendance and participation in classes, generating greater motivation and interest in learning.
The continuous creation of spaces where diverse knowledge is generated and experiences, perceptions and ideas are exchanged.
The generation of interdisciplinary work opportunities with the integration of various areas of knowledge.
Strengthening communication and interrelation skills, as well as the capacities for effective and creative problem solving.
Below, you can learn about some examples of innovative educational projects for preschool and high school students .
Three examples of innovative educational projects for early childhood education:
Schools and educational institutions around the world have understood that teaching and learning processes must evolve, which is why various innovative educational projects have been developed that focus on providing tools that strengthen and enhance the capabilities of students from the first grades of school. Among the innovative educational projects for early childhood education, the following stand out:
Escuela Nueva – (Colombia): This project is defined as an education model focused on vulnerable environments. This innovation has been recognized as the only one in Latin America to be included in the HundrED Hall of Fame , a category that grants special recognition to educational innovations that demonstrate sustained growth in impact and scalability.
Escuela Nueva began just over 30 years ago with the goal of improving the quality of education accessed by children in rural schools in Colombia. This model, which is now successfully applied in 21 other countries, focuses on the integration of individual and group learning. Students work individually and then contribute to the development of group activities, supported by the guidance of a teacher. Its approach is based on “learning by doing,” which encourages self-organization and the active participation of students.
mBot / Robotics Kit for Kids – (China): This project was created by the company Makeblock and launched in 2016, with the purpose of being a bridge between robotics and children. Under the vision “one robot for one child”, this educational innovation seeks to get children involved from an early age with knowledge of programming, electronics and robotics.
Kokoro Kids (Spain): This educational innovation is an emotional intelligence and cognitive stimulation app focused on children from 2 to 6 years old. Through video games, videos and audiobooks, the Kokoro Kids app seeks to develop memorization, attention and language skills.
The application works through an adaptive model, that is, Kokoro adapts and personalizes the content of the games and activities for each child, monitoring their progress in the different areas of knowledge. Through psychology, neuroscience and artificial intelligence, this innovation is responsible for proposing activities appropriate to the needs of each user.
Three examples of innovative projects for high school students:
Secondary education has also implemented initiatives based on educational innovation . Addressing the transformation of secondary education has represented important challenges for educational centers and teachers, since it not only focuses on innovation in areas of knowledge but also on the creation of methodologies that contribute to the promotion of values and practices of healthy coexistence. Among the innovative projects for secondary school students, the following have been highlighted:
Self-Sustaining School Model – (Paraguay): This educational innovation provides a solution to the problem of student dropouts in Paraguay, where six out of 10 young people do not complete their secondary education due to limited access to quality education. The Self-Sustaining School Model seeks to offer high-quality and affordable secondary education to low-income communities by promoting entrepreneurial skills in students.
This school model guarantees its self-sustainability, giving students the opportunity to enhance practical and entrepreneurial skills, while supporting the management of commercially viable companies on the institution’s campus. Through areas of study focused on agriculture, livestock, rural tourism, accommodation, and business education, the school ensures access to education for students by generating income to cover costs.
Critics Club – (England): is an educational center focused on young people between 12 and 18 years old approaching art from a perspective centered on the development of critical thinking. This educational innovation project implements a model of guided cultural visits to art galleries, plays, dance, concerts and literature readings that seek to form conscious, reflective citizens with a high level of judgment about art and its impact on the history of humanity.
Community Learning Labs – (Russia): This project focuses on promoting dialogue between students, parents and teachers of different generations, with the aim of collectively building an education that contributes to a better future. This innovation was created in 2016 and is currently implemented in 30 cities in countries such as Belarus, Uzbekistan and Latvia.
Its methodology is based on dialogue and debate on how to achieve an ideal future through education. Participants discuss and delve into what skills and abilities are needed to achieve this desirable future and how they can be taught and learned through education. Finally, they propose initiatives that allow them to achieve the objective of an ideal future and form groups to develop it. This project allows the feeling that changes and a better future are possible to be fostered, which promotes collaboration and dialogue, supported by education as a platform for co-creation and cooperation.
Major in Educational Innovation at Continental University of Florida
Educational innovation , as you can see, is a booming topic. Nowadays, more and more educational centers are adopting innovation projects in their teaching-learning methodologies, since they have understood that the new generations of students need to be motivated and educated from a global vision that allows them to face the challenges of a world that is becoming more challenging every day.
If you are interested in understanding all the aspects of educational innovation and are looking to orient your professional profile towards this field of action, we would like to tell you that at Continental University of Florida you can access our Master's Degree in Educational Innovation , a postgraduate degree that will allow you to obtain and develop skills and abilities to hold leadership, management or direction positions in the public and/or private educational sector.
The interdisciplinary and digital transformation approach of our Master's in Educational Innovation will make you a highly valued specialist in the market, capable of developing your potential in the creation, design and execution of innovative projects with a positive impact on education.
Skills and competencies that you will acquire in the postgraduate degree in Educational Innovation:
Ability to provide specialized consulting and advisory services for the design and evaluation of innovative educational projects.
Global perspective, diversified and in line with good practices, policies and international educational standards.
Knowledge and ability to execute action plans, monitoring and technical assistance for the analysis of information.
Ability to manage the training and capacity building of actors involved in education.
Ability to lead, manage, coordinate and take on the challenges of the current educational environment, as well as the organization and operation at basic, middle and/or higher levels, and in face-to-face, virtual and/or hybrid modalities.
Reflective and critical approach to teaching and learning.
Ability to solve problems and generate solutions with experience, creativity and ethics.
If you want to know more about this postgraduate degree, be sure to visit our information page by clicking here: Master's Degree in Educational Innovation .
Education over the years has been characterized by evolution, adapting not only to new generations of students, but also to technological and methodological developments that have challenged traditional teaching practices.
Educational innovations around the world have been setting trends that key features of paytm have allowed students to enhance their skills and abilities from initial levels to higher levels of education, providing a new vision for current education.
If you want to know more about this topic, we invite you to continue reading this article, where we will delve into the trends and elements of educational innovation , and present some examples of the most innovative educational centers in the world and innovative educational projects for initial level and secondary school students .
Educational innovation: concept and importance
Educational innovation refers to a process of continuous and permanent change in the forms and methods of teaching and learning, in which technologies, knowledge, processes and people are systematically and orderly integrated.
Educational innovations in the world must consider the generation of changes in aspects such as teaching materials, pedagogical methods and content, and even the contexts in which the teaching process takes place. Educational innovation is not just a one-off activity, but rather focuses on the constant transformation of educational practices, understanding the dynamics in classrooms, the organization of educational centers , the conduct and behavior of the educational community, and the culture of teaching staff.
The importance of educational innovation lies in the possibility of promoting and encouraging collective learning in which all actors are active and contribute to the generation of value, quality and relevance within the teaching-learning processes.
Trends in educational innovation:
Within educational innovation there are various trends that support and promote certain approaches in teaching, among which the following can be highlighted:
Collaborative learning: This trend focuses on promoting values such as respect, equality and responsibility in students, especially in boys and girls at the initial levels. The promotion of values seeks to teach the importance and impact of collaboration and effective communication in society.
Reverse pedagogy: This trend promotes a change of roles in educational dynamics, allowing students to take an active role in their learning processes. Reverse pedagogy seeks, through home activities and group or individual exercises, to get students to participate and become independent in the generation and development of knowledge.
Virtual and augmented reality: without a doubt, the implementation of new technologies is a trend that is here to stay in educational innovation . The application of virtual and augmented reality in pedagogical processes allows teaching to be transformed into experiences that bring students closer to knowledge of subjects that can be complex to dynamize, such as mathematics, history or geography.
Gamification: This trend refers to the implementation of games in areas where they are not usually common, in this case in the educational context. As an alternative to motivate, energize and generate interest in learning, gamification becomes a highly valuable tool, since through games, positive and stimulating teaching experiences are generated that develop skills in students such as logic, reasoning, teamwork and leadership.
Management of the educational center: changes in the teaching-learning processes based on educational innovation have their origin in the management of educational centers , because beyond the implementation of new technologies in classroom activities and spaces, the integration of the same must be planned and adopted as a strategy that impacts teaching and the culture of schools towards innovation.
Teacher training: just as educational innovation begins with the management of educational centers, its successful development also depends on teachers and their skills and knowledge to be able to implement it. This requires, then, that education professionals must be constantly and permanently updating and learning, since their training is essential for innovative educational projects to have the expected results in students.
Elements of educational innovation
There is extensive research that has collected various keys and guidelines to achieve success in educational innovation . One of the most notable is the one developed by Professor Burton R. Clark in his article “Leadership and Innovation in Universities. From Theory to Practice” , where he mentions five elements of educational innovation that teaching centers that want to be innovative must have.
Powerful management team: It is essential that educational centers have a high-potential management team, as it will be key to the institution's adaptability in the process of integrating new management values and traditional academic values. A powerful management team will help the institution work in a uniform and synchronized manner to improve academic culture and educational innovation .
Developed and connected environment: in educational innovation , it is essential that educational centres develop an environment with strong connections and links with companies, institutions and society in general, allowing them to promote innovation and the solution of business and social needs.
Diverse financing system: the implementation of educational innovation is closely linked to the sources of financing, that is, the economic resources available to educational centres, since the flexibility and adaptation of each institution to its needs, emergencies or continuity of innovation projects and initiatives largely depends on them.
Motivated teaching staff: having a motivated team of teachers is essential in educational innovation processes , since teachers will be responsible for integrating traditional values and methodologies with new and innovative management practices in educational centers and classrooms.
Integrated innovative culture: one of the greatest challenges in the implementation of educational innovation is to achieve the ability to complement changes and novelties with the traditional culture of educational centers. Institutions often fear putting their prestige and identity into question during educational innovation processes , which is why the development of these strategies must always take into account the essence of educational centers, recognizing and integrating innovation with tradition.
The most innovative educational centers in the world
Now that we have delved into the concept of educational innovation , its trends and elements, it is time to learn about some of the most innovative educational centers in the world , clear examples of how, through disruptive educational methodologies and proposals, innovation can be promoted in institutions.
Luminar (São Paulo, Brazil): This educational center, which started in São Paulo and is now present in various cities in Brazil and soon in the US, promotes self-learning, active participation and autonomy. Through the guidance of a tutor, each student has the freedom to choose their own class schedule per week, and access is provided to interactive activities and exercises, where students assume a decisive role in their own learning, assuming responsibility for it.
AltSchool (San Francisco, United States): Created in 2013, it focuses on promoting personalized, technology-centered learning through a curriculum of open, experimental activities. AltSchool defines itself as a school-laboratory, which leverages and strengthens networks of contacts with experts, entrepreneurs, and engineers located in Silicon Valley.
Steve Jobs School (Amsterdam, Netherlands): This educational center promotes the philosophy of Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple and recognized leader in the technology industry. It has several locations around the world and focuses on promoting listening, support for concerns, collaboration and teamwork. Some of the initiatives implemented at the Steve Jobs School are, for example, replacing the concept of “class” with group work with students of different ages, eliminating the role of the tutor and replacing it with instructors specialized in each subject and, finally, flexibility in schedules and daily topics; students choose what to watch and when to watch it, according to their needs.
Egalia School (Stockholm, Sweden): a children's education centre located in the Sodermalm district in Sweden. What makes Egalia special and innovative is its relationship with its students, who are treated inclusively through what they call “gender neutral”, where they use expressions such as “students” or “friends”. In this same sense, it tries to promote inclusive education through the selection of books and content with neutral characters such as animals.
Stanford d.school (Stanford, United States): This innovation-focused education center is located at Stanford University and is aimed at students from the same institution. Its objective is to promote the learning of design thinking , creativity and innovation from a practical perspective, through courses classified as basic or “Core”, advanced or “Boost” and specific sessions or “Pop up experiences”.
Innovative educational projects:
Innovative educational projects have been the tool that teachers have implemented to enhance the abilities and talents of students in school environments and transform teaching, moving from a passive pedagogical model to an active and participatory one, where the involvement and integration of students is encouraged through playful, creative and innovative experiences.
This educational strategy has proven to be an effective means of achieving curricular objectives and improving school dynamics, which has allowed us to demonstrate benefits such as:
The promotion of active and meaningful learning, through the improvement and transformation of traditional educational practices.
The promotion of dynamic, stimulating, participatory, diverse and creative teaching-learning environments.
The significant increase in attendance and participation in classes, generating greater motivation and interest in learning.
The continuous creation of spaces where diverse knowledge is generated and experiences, perceptions and ideas are exchanged.
The generation of interdisciplinary work opportunities with the integration of various areas of knowledge.
Strengthening communication and interrelation skills, as well as the capacities for effective and creative problem solving.
Below, you can learn about some examples of innovative educational projects for preschool and high school students .
Three examples of innovative educational projects for early childhood education:
Schools and educational institutions around the world have understood that teaching and learning processes must evolve, which is why various innovative educational projects have been developed that focus on providing tools that strengthen and enhance the capabilities of students from the first grades of school. Among the innovative educational projects for early childhood education, the following stand out:
Escuela Nueva – (Colombia): This project is defined as an education model focused on vulnerable environments. This innovation has been recognized as the only one in Latin America to be included in the HundrED Hall of Fame , a category that grants special recognition to educational innovations that demonstrate sustained growth in impact and scalability.
Escuela Nueva began just over 30 years ago with the goal of improving the quality of education accessed by children in rural schools in Colombia. This model, which is now successfully applied in 21 other countries, focuses on the integration of individual and group learning. Students work individually and then contribute to the development of group activities, supported by the guidance of a teacher. Its approach is based on “learning by doing,” which encourages self-organization and the active participation of students.
mBot / Robotics Kit for Kids – (China): This project was created by the company Makeblock and launched in 2016, with the purpose of being a bridge between robotics and children. Under the vision “one robot for one child”, this educational innovation seeks to get children involved from an early age with knowledge of programming, electronics and robotics.
Kokoro Kids (Spain): This educational innovation is an emotional intelligence and cognitive stimulation app focused on children from 2 to 6 years old. Through video games, videos and audiobooks, the Kokoro Kids app seeks to develop memorization, attention and language skills.
The application works through an adaptive model, that is, Kokoro adapts and personalizes the content of the games and activities for each child, monitoring their progress in the different areas of knowledge. Through psychology, neuroscience and artificial intelligence, this innovation is responsible for proposing activities appropriate to the needs of each user.
Three examples of innovative projects for high school students:
Secondary education has also implemented initiatives based on educational innovation . Addressing the transformation of secondary education has represented important challenges for educational centers and teachers, since it not only focuses on innovation in areas of knowledge but also on the creation of methodologies that contribute to the promotion of values and practices of healthy coexistence. Among the innovative projects for secondary school students, the following have been highlighted:
Self-Sustaining School Model – (Paraguay): This educational innovation provides a solution to the problem of student dropouts in Paraguay, where six out of 10 young people do not complete their secondary education due to limited access to quality education. The Self-Sustaining School Model seeks to offer high-quality and affordable secondary education to low-income communities by promoting entrepreneurial skills in students.
This school model guarantees its self-sustainability, giving students the opportunity to enhance practical and entrepreneurial skills, while supporting the management of commercially viable companies on the institution’s campus. Through areas of study focused on agriculture, livestock, rural tourism, accommodation, and business education, the school ensures access to education for students by generating income to cover costs.
Critics Club – (England): is an educational center focused on young people between 12 and 18 years old approaching art from a perspective centered on the development of critical thinking. This educational innovation project implements a model of guided cultural visits to art galleries, plays, dance, concerts and literature readings that seek to form conscious, reflective citizens with a high level of judgment about art and its impact on the history of humanity.
Community Learning Labs – (Russia): This project focuses on promoting dialogue between students, parents and teachers of different generations, with the aim of collectively building an education that contributes to a better future. This innovation was created in 2016 and is currently implemented in 30 cities in countries such as Belarus, Uzbekistan and Latvia.
Its methodology is based on dialogue and debate on how to achieve an ideal future through education. Participants discuss and delve into what skills and abilities are needed to achieve this desirable future and how they can be taught and learned through education. Finally, they propose initiatives that allow them to achieve the objective of an ideal future and form groups to develop it. This project allows the feeling that changes and a better future are possible to be fostered, which promotes collaboration and dialogue, supported by education as a platform for co-creation and cooperation.
Major in Educational Innovation at Continental University of Florida
Educational innovation , as you can see, is a booming topic. Nowadays, more and more educational centers are adopting innovation projects in their teaching-learning methodologies, since they have understood that the new generations of students need to be motivated and educated from a global vision that allows them to face the challenges of a world that is becoming more challenging every day.
If you are interested in understanding all the aspects of educational innovation and are looking to orient your professional profile towards this field of action, we would like to tell you that at Continental University of Florida you can access our Master's Degree in Educational Innovation , a postgraduate degree that will allow you to obtain and develop skills and abilities to hold leadership, management or direction positions in the public and/or private educational sector.
The interdisciplinary and digital transformation approach of our Master's in Educational Innovation will make you a highly valued specialist in the market, capable of developing your potential in the creation, design and execution of innovative projects with a positive impact on education.
Skills and competencies that you will acquire in the postgraduate degree in Educational Innovation:
Ability to provide specialized consulting and advisory services for the design and evaluation of innovative educational projects.
Global perspective, diversified and in line with good practices, policies and international educational standards.
Knowledge and ability to execute action plans, monitoring and technical assistance for the analysis of information.
Ability to manage the training and capacity building of actors involved in education.
Ability to lead, manage, coordinate and take on the challenges of the current educational environment, as well as the organization and operation at basic, middle and/or higher levels, and in face-to-face, virtual and/or hybrid modalities.
Reflective and critical approach to teaching and learning.
Ability to solve problems and generate solutions with experience, creativity and ethics.
If you want to know more about this postgraduate degree, be sure to visit our information page by clicking here: Master's Degree in Educational Innovation .