Cities of Learning named one of the world´s most inspiring education innovations!
We’re very excited to be working with the Royal Society of Arts and Digitalme on the UK ‘Cities of Learning’ programme that has been announced by global education nonprofit HundrED, as one of 100 most inspiring education innovations across the world!
HundrED aims to share best practice ideas, ideas and innovations in education across borders to help improve the future of education globally. To achieve this, a team of researchers investigated innovations from around the world to determine 100 projects that are already changing the face of education. Over 1,000 innovations were identified through research, events and recommendations and then 160 were evaluated by HundrED’s academy made up of educational experts, educators and students (ages 11-19 years old) from 28 countries on their innovativeness, impact and scalability.
Cities of Learning was chosen due to its unique pioneering status and ability to create a scalable impact. The programme aims to create new pathways into learning and employment by connecting and amplifying formal, informal, and in work learning opportunities that exist across Cities via a system of digital open badges. Open badges become a new 'currency' for learning in a place, recognising the knowledge and skills gained through participation in different activities (online and offline).
“Learners of all ages and backgrounds have hidden skills, talents and interests that often aren’t recognised by the broader education system. Many also lack knowledge about the variety of learning and work opportunities available in their local area, and an understanding about how to access these. Cities of Learning aims to connect different learning experiences across localities and places to enable learners to see new pathways to opportunity which may not have been visible to them previously. Digital badges create a new language for learning and skill development, which helps learners identify, develop and articulate their skills and capabilities in different contexts. More broadly, Cities of Learning looks to mobilise the potential of place based networks, new forms of civic leadership and new technologies in creating places that value and promote lifelong learning as core to their culture and civic identity.” - Rosie Clayton, Associate Director, Cities of Learning RSA
The Cities of Learning concept was prototyped in three UK Cities in 2017 including Greater Manchester, Plymouth and Brighton, with Our Future City leading on the development locally. The RSA and DigitalMe are currently working towards the launch of two evaluated pilots in 2019. Find out more from the Cities of Learning prospectus free to download here.
The selected 100 innovations cover various fields of education from learning environments and holistic well-being to collaborative learning and game-based education, as well as a range of themes including small teacher-led practices, ambitious not-for-profit initiatives, viral edtech products and unique whole school models.
Saku Tuominen, CEO of HundrED, said: “Spreading innovations such as Cities of Learning across borders can be a game changer for education, worldwide. We will continue to encourage as many stakeholders as possible including schools, educators, administrators, students and organisations to get involved so that we can work towards a positive future.”
Please find more information on Cities of Learning and the HundrED innovations here.
To share these innovations, HundrED has created an online platform so that educators around the world can trial and review Cities of Learning, and all other innovations using the resources, for free. To explore the global innovations, please visit: www.hundred.org.
