How can we bridge learning gaps for the most underserved children and youth between the ages of 5 and 18 so they can thrive and succeed?

Challenge Overview

Prior to the pandemic, one in six children globally were not in a formal school setting, with overrepresentation from girls and young people experiencing poverty, living in rural areas, conflict zones, or with disabilities. The pandemic has exacerbated existing inequities, as two-thirds of the young learning population—1.3 billion people—do not have reliable access to the internet in their homes, hindering their participation in distance learning. Faced with the increasing economic uncertainty within their families, millions of young people are being pushed into child labor instead of returning to school. Put together, these factors mean that far too few young people between the ages of 5 and 18 are afforded the space, time, or resources to build foundational and durable skills. Nor do they have the ability to explore their academic, extracurricular, and creative passions, or meaningfully engage with their peers and communities. 

Technology-enabled innovations for teaching, learning, and assessment can help learners catch up on what they’ve been missing while building on individual strengths and gains. Student and teacher experiences vary widely in this pandemic schooling era, but across all demographics, the psycho-social wellbeing of young people has been severely impacted and educators are overwhelmed and overtaxed. In addition to mental health services, robust social-emotional learning will be key for learner re-engagement and helping students navigate their shifting academic, social, and familial landscapes.

The MIT Solve community is looking for eight technology-enabled solutions that help re-engage and meet the holistic needs of underserved learners between the ages of 5 and 18 so that they may thrive and succeed. To that end, Solve seeks solutions that:

• Enable and improve personalized learning and individualized instruction for learners who have experienced disruptions in schooling and missed foundational milestones.

• Facilitate meaningful social-emotional learning among underserved young people.

• Support timely and manageable assessments to help under-resourced communities better plan, monitor, and evaluate learning.

• Lift administrative burdens on educators and support professional development as they implement new approaches and navigate continued disruptions.

Special Call: Black & Brown Innovators in the US
Systemic racism and ongoing racial bias have severely limited access to good education for communities of color, resulting in marked disparities in learning outcomes. As part of Solve’s ongoing work on US racial equity, we will select 1-2 solutions from the US working to address these disparities for our Black & Brown Innovators Program.

Photo credit: The Ultimate Learning Accelerator (TULA) 

Prizes

MIT Solve - Solver Award 

All Solver teams selected for Solve’s Global Challenges and the Indigenous Communities Fellowship will receive a $10,000 grant funded by Solve.

The GSR Prize

GSR will award a prize to solutions that use innovative technology and, in particular, blockchain solutions to address pressing issues in their communities and the world. As a leading cryptocurrency trading firm, GSR seeks to advance education, promote equality of opportunity, and contribute to a sustainable world, emphasizing blockchain and innovative technology-powered solutions. Up to $200,000 will be awarded across Solver teams from the 2022 Global Challenges.

The Living Proof Prize: Women's Leadership Solutions

The Living Proof Prize is open to women-led teams that are using innovative approaches to solve challenges across economic prosperity, health, learning, and sustainability. The prize is funded by Living Proof, a haircare company at the crossroads of innovation and real-world results that is committed to social impact. Up to $100,000 will be granted across up to four Solver teams from the 2022 Global Challenges.

The GM Prize

The GM Prize is open to solutions that help create smart, safe, and sustainable communities around the world. The Prize is funded by General Motors, which is working toward becoming the most inclusive company in the world and is dedicated to making STEM education more accessible and equitable. Up to $150,000 will be granted to up to six Solver teams from the Re-engaging Learners Challenge, the Climate: Ecosystems + Housing Challenge, and the 2022 Indigenous Communities Fellowship.

The Innovation for Women Prize

The Innovation for Women Prize is open to solutions that use innovative technology to empower and enrich the lives of women and girls. The prize will be awarded to women-led, tech-powered solutions that aim to elevate women's voices and support positive and sustainable change in communities around the world. Up to $75,000 will be awarded across up to three Solver teams from the 2022 Global Challenges.

The Andan Prize

The Andan Prize for Innovation in Refugee Inclusion is open to solutions that advance the economic, financial, and political inclusion of refugees. The prize is funded by Andan Foundation, a Swiss non-profit foundation dedicated to supporting solutions that promote refugee resilience, self-reliance and integration. Up to $100,000 will be granted across up to four Solver teams from the 2022 Global Challenges.

AI for Humanity Prize

The AI for Humanity Prize is open to solutions leveraging data science, artificial intelligence, and/or machine learning to benefit humanity, as well as to those planning to utilize these technologies to amplify their impact. The prize is made possible by The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a philanthropy committed to advancing AI and data solutions to create a thriving, equitable, and sustainable future for all. Up to $150,000 in funding will be awarded across several Solver teams from any of Solve’s 2022 Global Challenges.

Heifer International Prize for Innovation for Smallholder Agriculture

The Heifer International Prize is open to solutions that support smallholder farmers to grow and scale their businesses and protect them from the adverse effects of climate change. The prize is funded by Heifer International, an international development organization on a mission to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way by supporting and investing alongside local farmers and their communities. Up to $250,000 will be granted across several Solver teams from any 2022 Global Challenge or any earlier Solve Global Challenge.

The Elevate Prize

The Elevate Prize will be awarded to one non-profit Solver team from any 2022 Global Challenge or any earlier Solve Global Challenge. This prize is supported by The Elevate Prize Foundation, which has a mission of amplifying the work of impact leaders for social good and driving change together. The Solver team that is selected will participate in both the MIT Solver program and the Elevate Prize program, receiving a minimum of $300,000 over two years and ongoing support from The Elevate Prize Foundation and MIT Solve.