The global organization HundrED highlighted the work led by Fundación Educacional Oportunidad, which brings together schools that seek to enhance the learning of children in kindergarten education through collaborative work.
Every year since 2016, HundrED - a global organization based in Finland - chooses the 100 most outstanding and scalable educational innovations in the world in order to make it available for education professionals from different parts of the planet to learn about these experiences.
This year, the Un Buen Comienzo Improvement Network -which seeks to impact the learning of children in kindergarten education- was selected in HundrED's Annual Global Collection and received worldwide recognition.
The executive director of Fundación Educacional Oportunidad, Marcela Marzolo, said that "being part of the 2023 HundrED collection fills us with pride and confirms that the focus we have placed on our program Un Buen Comienzo and its Improvement Network is on the right track: learning of children in early education, professional development of teachers and managers, continuous improvement and networking".
He added that "this way of doing things has demonstrated impact and, what is even more important, the possibility of scaling up. We hope to be a source of inspiration for others who also seek to contribute to the transformation of the education system so that every day more children and young people can develop integrally thanks to the possibility they have had to receive a quality education.
About HundrED
HundrED is a global non-profit organization based in Finland that improves education through the detection and visibility of scalable innovations that have proven impact.
What is the selection process like?
All selected innovations have gone through a research process. For each Spotlight and Global Collection, HundrED's research team creates a shortlist of innovations based on impact and scalability criteria. Once an innovation is shortlisted as a potential candidate for selection, they are sent to the HundrED Academy, a group of education experts from around the world who evaluate each one based on information provided on the innovation page and external sources.
Once the review process is complete, the HundrED research team reviews all HundrED Academy feedback to inform the final selection. All selected innovations are considered highly impactful and scalable.
What does it mean to be a selected innovator?
HundrED supports the selected innovations in several ways:
- Global recognition: HundrED delivers recognition as one of the world's most impactful and scalable innovations. Innovations are featured on its globally recognized website.
- Visibility: HundrED promotes and disseminates innovations through its channels. It is invited to participate in various associated events.
What is the Good Start Improvement Network?
The Un Buen Comienzo Improvement Network was created in 2018 by Fundación Educacional Oportunidad as a space for exchange and articulation of collaborative work between schools and communes in the O'Higgins region - and the commune of Renca in the Metropolitan region - that had participated in the Un Buen Comienzo program.
Its purpose is to enhance the continuous development of teaching and management skills in order to sustain school improvement and effectiveness and thus have an impact on the learning of children in kindergarten education.
Each commune and SLEP has an "Improvement Team" composed of kindergarten educators, kindergarten education technicians, technical heads and directors, as well as a communal leader representing the holder.
The objective of these teams is to lead the operation of the Network (in each territory), coordinate the monthly meetings, define the agenda and develop the necessary dynamics to guarantee the effectiveness of the Local Network.
Who are part of the Un Buen Comienzo Improvement Network?
Currently, in 2022, the UBC Improvement Network is made up of 10 communes in the O'Higgins Region, the Local Public Education Service of Colchagua (with 4 communes) and the commune of Renca in the Metropolitan Region.
