Beeline Reader
Teachers and educators of all types—whether in the classroom, in the lab, in the workplace, or at home—play a significant role in fostering the knowledge and skills that learners need to contribute to society and reach their full potential. Yet, teachers and educators are too often undervalued, inadequately trained, and poorly supported. What’s more, UNESCO estimates the demand for teachers in developing countries will double by 2030, requiring an additional 69 million new educators globally.
That’s why Solve asked: How can teachers and educators provide accessible, personalized, and creative learning experiences for all? More than 400 innovators from nearly 80 countries around the globe submitted solutions to MIT Solve’s Teachers & Educators Challenge. The solutions ranged from knowledge exchange platforms that allow students, teachers, and parents to better communicate and share resources, to programs and apps that track student learning and enable educators to better monitor the improvement of learning outcomes. You can learn more about the submission trends here.
This weekend, our expert judges selected eight solutions from a group of 15 outstanding finalists. And today, we’re thrilled to announce the newly selected Solver teams:
1. CENTURY Tech
CENTURY Tech is the first educational platform to combine artificial intelligence, pedagogical insights, and cognitive neuroscience research. The platform provides personalized learning for students, rich data analytics for educators, and aims to improve learning outcomes for all users.
2. Education Modified
Education Modified provides schools with a research-based instructional tool that supports the implementation of special education instruction for any child, with any need, in any classroom. The solution empowers teachers with the latest research-based instructional strategies to effectively implement students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP).
3. Eneza
Eneza is a technology platform through which students, parents, and teachers can access local, relevant, and affordable academic courses and study tools via SMS, an app, and an online platform. Teachers are able to take lessons, answer questions, and ask experts about teaching practices and skills in the classroom.
4. Livox
Livox is a software for Android tablets that enables people with disabilities to communicate and learn. It has algorithms for motor, cognitive, and visual disorders and provides different interfaces, depending on the user’s disability.
5. Moringa School
Moringa School is a Kenya-based learning accelerator that teaches digital skills needed for the workforce of tomorrow. The school offers blended learning experiences to high-potential students pursuing technical careers; successful alumni come back as teachers who serve as facilitators.
6. Practical Education Network
Practical Education Network equips West African STEM teachers to employ inquiry-based pedagogies in their classrooms, utilizing locally-available materials.
7. StoryWeaver
StoryWeaver provides open access to multilingual books and digital tools that educators can adapt to their needs. Available for classrooms and teachers with and without internet access, StoryWeaver allows teachers to select content from a growing repository of 8,000+ stories in more than 100 different languages.
8. TalkingPoints
TalkingPoints is a multilingual family engagement and communication platform that empowers students, teachers, and parents to build partnerships with each other through an intelligent messaging app. The app uses machine learning and natural language processing to provide personalized coaching for parents and teachers on how to support students.
Feeling inspired? Find out how you can support these innovators and learn more about joining Solve as a member.
Teachers & Educators Solver teams at Solve Challenge Finals, September 23, 2018. (Photo: Adam Schultz / MIT Solve)
