5 Innovative Organizations That Are Reimagining Education

Technological advances are changing the way society approaches education, with both teachers and students exploring new learning experiences better tailored to their needs. In no particular order, here are some groups making education more accessible and taking advantage of adaptive tech to improve pedagogical outcomes.

First up, at #1, we have World Savvy, which seeks to empower educators to make schools more inclusive, relevant, and engaging for all students. Founded in 2002, the organization partners with institutions and districts to build adaptive, future-ready learning environments through various programs designed in collaboration with school leaders.

Its Global Competence Certificate is a graduate-level program designed for in-service educators who are interested in embedding global learning into their teaching practice and preparing their students for the complex world beyond the classroom. The organization also works with its partners to host Knowledge-to-Action pop-ups, where participants come together and develop ideas on how to make a change in their community.

Taking the #2 spot is eCampusOntario, a nonprofit organization that leads a consortium of publicly-funded colleges, universities, and indigenous institutes to develop and test online learning tools with the goal of advancing the use of education technology.

In 2017, in partnership with BCCampus, the group launched the Open Library, which provides both teachers and learners access to a plethora of free and openly-licensed educational resources. Its Ontario Extend is a micro-credentialed professional learning program that aims to empower educators to explore emerging technologies and pedagogical practices.

Next up, at #3, we have the Education Commission, a global initiative dedicated to ensuring inclusive and quality education. The organization explores and evaluates how teachers can deliver personalized learning through the use of adaptive technology, equipping students with the skills they need for the future of work.

The Education Commission’s 2016 report, “The learning generation: Investing in education for a changing world,” emphasized that technology was changing the nature of work, and that growing skills gaps would stunt economic growth in low- and middle-income countries; it called for increasing investment in education in these countries.

The Commission also collaborates with various countries, multilateral development banks, and global partners to mobilize better investment in education. In 2019, the group established the Global Education Forum, which brings together high-level leaders from key donor countries in an effort to accelerate progress towards achieving equitable and quality learning for children all around the world.

Coming in at #4 is Digital Promise. This independent nonprofit seeks to accelerate innovation in education in order to improve learning opportunities. Among its projects is the Adult Learning Initiative, which explores the impact of technology on working-age adults, bringing together researchers and industry partners to reduce inequities and close the digital skills gap.

Its Education Innovation Clusters are local communities that bring together teachers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and other stakeholders to support innovative learning in their region. The organization's Edcamps are free public events that allow educators to collaborate and share their experiences with one another.

Finally, at #5, we have the Education Alliance. Established in 1983, it is dedicated to preparing students in West Virginia for post-secondary education and mobilizing business and community support for schools. The group's AmeriCorps Mentors initiative supports students who are at risk of failing school due to behavior problems or poor performance.

The organization's annual West Virginia Education Summit brings together business, legislative, and community leaders to discuss how to improve student achievement in the state. Among its projects is Energizing steM, which provides elementary students with a computer-based supplemental curriculum to improve math outcomes.