How can social innovation in education address the global learning crisis and the SDG4 goals?

In order to address the learning dilemma, social innovation in education develops fresh strategies and answers. It goes beyond conventional approaches, concentrating on marginalized communities and leveraging gamification, technology, and community collaborations to improve accessibility, effectiveness, and engagement of education. This supports creative solutions that close the learning gap and give students from all backgrounds the tools they need to succeed, which is in line with SDG 4 goals like guaranteeing inclusive and equitable high-quality education for all.

I agree these factors need addressing but real social innovation is not just about this - education requires a complete innovation overhaul. Education teaches only the scientific method, ABC & 123, separatism and materialism and has missed out educating about the meaning of life, ancient history & our heritage, creation and consciousness. Children are taught what to think and not how to think. This is why humanity is currently in crises.

Social innovation in education refers to new strategies, concepts, and ideas that aim to meet the educational needs of students in more effective, efficient, and sustainable ways. It involves rethinking traditional educational models to address current challenges and improve learning outcomes for all.

> Social innovation can bridge the digital divide and create low-cost educational tools, reaching marginalized communities and fostering inclusive learning (SDG4 target 4.1). > By integrating real-world challenges and social innovation themes, educators can make learning more engaging and empower students to become problem-solvers for a sustainable future (SDG4 target 4.7). > Social innovation education equips students with critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity – skills essential for tackling complex challenges and achieving the broader Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In my experience, we are missing out on how we prepare our future generations to tackle the world's most pressing issues. Our world is changing, and so should our education system, to include social innovation. Inspiring young people all over the world to learn more about social innovation is critical to empower them to take actions. Whether it's through social entrepreneurship, or social impact roles, education can be the launchpad for students to catalyze change.

Social innovation is crucial because it tackles existing gaps and inefficiencies in the education system. It focuses on providing equitable access to quality education, ensuring inclusivity, and preparing students for the rapidly changing world. By embracing innovation, educational systems can better respond to the diverse needs of learners and overcome barriers such as inequality, lack of resources, and outdated curricula.

In my experience as an International Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Educator and Strategist, a key challenge in the education space is democratizing access to social innovation. There are parts of world where baseline education is not accessible, and the lack of standardization makes it difficult to assess growth and development. There needs to be an intentional effort in being more inclusive and holistic when standardizing what it means to have social innovation impact and how that relates to each region, culture, and the challenges faced, as opposed to a one size fits all approach.

Social innovation in education can be practiced through various methods, including: -Technology Integration: Utilizing digital tools and platforms to enhance learning experiences and accessibility. -Collaborative Learning: Promoting teamwork and peer-to-peer learning to build critical thinking and social skills. -Flexible Learning Models: Offering blended and personalized learning approaches to cater to different learning styles and paces. -Community Involvement: Engaging local communities and stakeholders in the educational process to ensure relevance and support.

In designing instructional strategies for social entrepreneurship, I use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to create flexible learning environments that cater to individual learning differences. It recognizes that each learner is unique and that learning experiences must be designed to be accessible and engaging for all. UDL is grounded in the belief that there are multiple ways to engage learners, represent information, and allow learners to express their understanding. Through the lens of UDL I am able to apply the principles of inclusive design, multiple engagement pathways, equitable access to content, diverse expression of knowledge, and proactive design to create empowering and transformative learning experiences.

- Khan Academy: An online platform offering free educational resources and personalized learning experiences. - Bridge International Academies: A network of low-cost private schools in Africa and Asia, providing quality education to underserved communities. - Coursera: An online learning platform that partners with universities and organizations to offer courses, specializations, and degrees accessible to anyone, anywhere. - One Laptop per Child (OLPC): A project aimed at providing affordable, rugged laptops to children in developing countries to improve their educational opportunities.

Teach For All: Uma rede global de organiza??es que recrutam e treinam jovens profissionais para ensinar em escolas de baixa renda, promovendo a equidade educacional e desenvolvendo futuros líderes. Educate Girls: Uma organiza??o indiana que trabalha para inscrever meninas fora da escola e melhorar a qualidade da educa??o, utilizando um modelo baseado em comunidade para envolver pais e líderes locais.

Duolingo: Um aplicativo gratuito de aprendizado de idiomas que utiliza gamifica??o para tornar o processo de aprendizado mais envolvente e acessível. Milh?es de pessoas ao redor do mundo usam Duolingo para aprender novas línguas de forma divertida e interativa. Pratham: Uma ONG indiana focada em melhorar a qualidade da educa??o em áreas rurais e urbanas desfavorecidas. Seu programa "Read India" utiliza métodos inovadores para ensinar crian?as a ler, escrever e fazer contas básicas. One Laptop per Child (OLPC): Uma iniciativa global que fornece laptops de baixo custo para crian?as em países em desenvolvimento, com o objetivo de melhorar suas habilidades digitais e acesso à educa??o.

Key examples include competency-based education, which develops practical skills; educational technology (EdTech), which transforms access to and processing of information; community schools, which integrate educational services with community resources; inclusive education, which promotes the inclusion of marginalized students; and project-based learning (PBL), which fosters critical thinking and problem-solving. These initiatives create more effective and accessible learning environments, contributing to the achievement of inclusive and quality education for all.

Algunas oportunidades de las oportunidades que pueden existir en la innovación social en educación son la existencia de algunos exámenes estándar a nivel mundial que permiten expandir el alcance de la educación en algunos campos como los idiomas, la apropiación de los docentes de metodologías activas de ense?anza-aprendizaje que pueden facilitar la adopción de las innovaciones sociales, el rol vinculador de la universidad en el entorno.

Our long-term need is a new educational infrastructure based on teaching sustainability and resilience. The first step would be to train a corps of evolutionary social entrepreneurs. We need to mobilize philanthropists, family offices, and other enlightened higher net worth individuals to support new multi-disciplinary leadership programs in social entrepreneurship. Curriculum development can be done in collaboration with leading edge college and university programs like the Institute for Sustainability at Arizona State, the Earth Institute at Columbia U. and others.

Unlike most university programs I foresee a short-term, intensive program lasting three to nine months with a residential or limited residential component. Most of the program entrants would already have at least a bachelor’s degree. With declining numbers of college age students attending non-elite colleges, it should be easy to obtain space for this training program on campuses of colleges with declining enrollments. The program graduates would receive a certificate as practitioners of evolutionary social entrepreneurship. Hopefully, many would go on to found new or work within existing social enterprises. Institutional and corporate partners would be encouraged to hire others as intrapreneurs and seeders of institutional social change.

Al pensar en innovación social en el ODS 4 no podemos dejar por fuera los elementos de este ODS: Inclusión, equitativa y de calidad. No se trata solo de tener un mayor alcance o escalabilidad, sino que la solución dise?ada se pueda adaptar a las distintas necesidades de aprendizaje de las personas y que permita cumplir con los mejores estándares. En temas de STEM conozco iniciativas que dé con objetos del día a día te permiten aprender de estas ciencias mezclando la innovación social con la innovación social y adaptando los recursos con los que cada estudiante cuenta para el aprendizaje de las ciencias.