Equal Opportunities

How can school projects be implemented that help broaden the school boundaries & influence social development?

A competition to search for and promote educational innovation in Russia. As many teachers in Russia are not used to working on innovative solutions, Equal Opportunities works with schools to overcome these difficulties and develop ideas into workable solutions.

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HundrED 2019

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Overview

HundrED has selected this innovation to

HundrED 2019

HundrED 2018

Web presence

2015

Established

-

Children

1

Countries

Target group

Teachers

Updated

September 2017

This project involves participation for everyone. Be it teacher or student, no matter what their qualification is, where they live or their background. If they’re interested in improving education we give them the opportunity to take part.

About the innovation

What is Equal Opportunities?

While innovation & project-based learning is well established in some schools, not all education systems have the capacity or capability to develop opportunities for project-based learning. Systems can be slow to adapt to changes or to implement innovations. Ideas may take time to travel across a country or region leading to an inequality of educational access.

Equal Opportunities aims to redress this inequality by hosting educational competitions and providing funding for innovative projects. Three competitions seek out progressive teachers who embrace modern teaching styles, teams of students who develop ideas to create a ‘school of dreams’ and school-based initiatives which could be replicated across Russia. They can also be implemented in any school all over the world.

The idea is that all students and teachers have equal opportunities for the implementation of global projects, influencing not only their own development, but the development of a school and their territory, to enhance the engagement of families and school in implementations of mutual projects.

As many teachers in Russia are not used to working on innovative solutions, Equal Opportunities works with schools to overcome these difficulties and develop ideas into workable solutions. Alternatively, students or teachers could come up with a great idea, but the school administration is reluctant to let them proceed with its implementation. The competition can help ease these restrictions by increasing openness and transparency.

Impact & scalability

Impact & Scalability

Innovativeness

While there may be several educational competitions, Equal Opportunities sets itself apart by encouraging collaboration between students, teachers and the school. Through doing so, it is hoped that more schools will feel supported and empowered to deliver innovation and project-based activities. Teachers can access information on how to implement project-based learning, with this year’s prize being an international internship in a school where project-based learning is more fully developed.

Impact

Equal Opportunities has positively impacted the students who benefited from the innovations that were developed. Many students have gone on to study at University and have even become teachers themselves.

Scalability

Equal opportunities has spread across 77/85 regions of Russia. They also host regular webinars with over 500 participants who are continually learning and developing skills with each other. Equal Opportunities is going to publish a book to showcase some of the projects; with the aim of fostering a community of idea sharing throughout Russian schools. To support the development of such a community, Equal Opportunities hosts professional development & high media coverage of the projects.

Academy review results

High Impact
Low Scalability

High Impact
High Scalability

Low Impact
Low Scalability

Low Impact
High Scalability

Media

Equal opportunities

#ТОПШкола_ГБОУ Гимназия №63_город Санкт Петербург

Проект "Я, ДРУГИЕ, МИР" МАОУ "Гимназия №5" г.Чебоксары

Because I am a teacher! Nataliia Kiseleva (Russia) Equal opportunities!

Implementation steps

Apply

The first stage is to send your applications of innovation to the website.

Equal Opportunities start their contest on April 12.

Announcements of nominations & regulations of the competition are published on a website with an application form for all who want to apply!

Participation

From April to June there's plenty to get involved in as you apply for the competition.

During the application period there's many opportunities for training webinars for participants and those who want to be involved.

This can be for teachers to understand innovative practices and how to communicate them or a whole school project which could be delivered by teams of students, teachers and parents working collaboratively.

Projects could be brand new or previously started and stagnated.

The project process is carefully recorded to ensure transparency as the winning projects receive up to 1 million roubles.

Evaluation

Between July & August is when Equal Opportunities examine the outcomes of the competition & announce successful innovators.

There is an internal evaluation process of the competition with those selected being from different regions. All in all, 30 project-winners will get support for the implementation phase.

At the end of this process there will be an announcement of winning projects.

Those selected will receive training to become an Equal Opportunities expert & obtain a recognised certificate in this professional development.

This is conducted via analytical webinars, meetings and interviews, with experts and participants who did not pass the competitive selection so they are given ideas on how to improve.

Past winners have been flown to London to attend the Bett conference. This year’s prize is an international internship in a school where project-based learning is more fully developed.

Implementation

Following the evaluation and selection - innovators now get to implement their ideas with support from Equal Opportunities from September to June (a school year!)

There is still a close involvement by Equal Opportunities after the competition ends.

They work with the educators, schools and students with a committee dedicated implementation process.

Equal Opportunites also conduct internal competitions for teachers and students on project activities, organizing social activities and flash mobs!

Packaging

Time to share the projects with the community and world beyond!

The projects are collated for presentation to the community.

Here are some of the supported projects from 2016!

"A dog for the joy of children"

This project creates conditions for stimulating activities aimed at supporting, rehabilitating and sociallly integrating school children with autism through specially trained dogs.

"Rethinking reading"

This project created a modern information and library center; integrating information, cultural and leisure space.

"City through the eyes of the children"

This project focused on students studying the city, representing the image of the city from their point of view, with the goal of improving the city for young people based on their voice.

"Elenin quarter"

This project transformed a school space into a museum, cultural and educational center, created on the principles of culture of participation.

"The first step"

This project focused on constructing and maintaining an individual route, so a child with autism has an opportunity to try a profession in practice.