While play seems a most natural activity for children, educators must innovate to incorporate "true play" that originates from the interests and direction of children themselves. The Anji Play approach is a model of innovative play-based education in China that is inspiring the world.

Meeting the needs of children in refugee communities is a growing concern. Supporting their physical and emotional well-being is a challenge, as is protecting their right to quality education. Innovations are necessary to meet these challenges. Given the circumstances that have contributed to refugee crises around the world, education innovations…

Around the world, dedicated professionals are implementing innovative programs to improve access to quality education for children living in poverty and otherwise marginalized communities. This article provides an overview of the work being conducted by BRAC, an international development organization based in Bangladesh that is working to…

Progress toward the Education Sustainable Development Goal 4 and achievement of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, requires partnerships, collaboration, and cooperative action at international, national, and local levels, which can be achieved and sustained using the innovative Education Diplomacy approach. The authors of this article…

Worldreader, the nonprofit organization with a mission to create a world where everyone is a reader, is proving that mobile phones can be used as tools for engaging parents in reading to their young children. Knowing the cognitive and developmental benefits of reading to children from an early age, Worldreader set out to leverage the ubiquity of…

By transforming education to focus on nurturing creativity, teachers can better ensure that their students are receiving the best preparation for a future of rapid change. This article describes how Alla Tkachuk founded MASK (Mobile Art School in Kenya, www.mobileartschoolinkenya.org) to champion art for creativity in Africa. Starting as a small…

The field of teacher education is abuzz with a quest for innovation, with public and private stakeholders seeking ways to improve teacher efficacy, support equity, and address the countless challenges of education in the 21st century. Technology often dominates these conversations. From online learning to virtual reality, "innovation" is…

This article discusses the forthcoming UNESCO publication, "The Intersection of Gender Equality and Education in South-East Europe: A Regional Situation Analysis of the Nexus Between Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality)", authored by Sarah Fuller for the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science…

Over the last few decades, the proportion of students receiving arts education has shrunk drastically. When students were asked to share information about their culture and history, it was discovered that a majority of students lacked knowledge of their own history and culture. It is also important for students to have exposure to other cultures…

The first six years of a child's life are the most critical years for development, and appropriate health care, nutrition, stimulation, affection, and education are critical for healthy development. These early years also present a window of opportunity to mitigate any developmental concerns. With the right intervention, the child's health,…

Context has a significant impact on the relative success of efforts to innovate in the classroom. Thus, it is important to understand the role of school leaders as both gatekeepers and facilitators within their specific context.

Transforming schools to ensure every student has the opportunity to learn requires innovation at the teacher education level. The goal of inclusion is complex, and so it is critically important to prepare teachers to lead organizational change that will increase engagement and achievement of children with diverse learning abilities.

Innovative education approaches include citizen science projects that allow students to participate in locally relevant scientific work, connecting content to the real world. Global collaboration provides students with a broader perspective on local issues, allowing students to become more globally aware.

Makerspace are collaborative work spaces inside a school, library, or separate facility for making, learning, exploring, and sharing. They provide opportunities for children to practice critical thinking and creative expression.

Hashemite University, a pioneering higher education institution in Jordan, has established the first academic nursery for children in Jordan. The nursery has a dual purpose, as it offers quality childhood education and care services and provides practical field training opportunities for students specializing in early childhood education.