Education for Sharing

Our mission is to form better global citizenship from childhood using the power of play. To fulfill this grand mission, we employ the following core values into everything we do: fair play, gender equality, tolerance, respect, empathy, responsibility and teamwork. 

The center of E4S operations are educational programs that use learning through play to cultivate civic values, social-emotional skills and sustainability knowledge. Through experiential activities, we instill skills for lifelong learning – e.g., curiosity, collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving – and foster knowledge and habits that shape children to be confident, action-oriented and aware of the world around them. Ultimately, the objective is to change the way we look at education and youth development and, through local community efforts, drive systemic change. The corresponding long-term vision is to serve as a world reference in shaping global citizenship and cultivating a sense of agency starting from early childhood. 

The target population of children and young people – ages 3-18 years old – that we attend to are often from socio-economically marginalized groups with less access to quality education. The Mexican education system lacks proper teacher training and strategies to prepare students for their futures. Acknowledging economic disparities in Mexico as a major barrier to quality education, we implement our programs at no-cost, in the classroom, with teachers, to best prioritize students’ education and development.

We believe in the power of education to install capabilities that will serve participants in improving their personal lives and maximizing their potential. Education is the origin of a good life, a predictor of  future economic status, job stability and health and well-being. We see the ability that children have to innovate, solve problems and take actions in their own lives that can be the spark for community and social change. For us, educational innovation is not simply about improving test scores but rather looking at each student as having untapped potential that we can cultivate into a participatory citizen who will play a role in the continued development of their communities and contribute to addressing global challenges starting with an informed, educated perspective and small, local actions.

Iriana is an operations specialist who is responsible for designing and implementing evaluations of E4S educational programs to measure the impact and behavioral and knowledge changes in teacher and student participants.

Prior to joining E4S, Iriana worked in impact evaluation for UNESCO’s Latin American office. She also boasts experience in the design, monitoring & evaluation of results for educational leader programs in Argentina.

Other key members of the LEAP project team are also from the area of operations and include evaluation and pedagogical development specialists with over a decade of experience in the creation and management of learn through play activities. Currently, with The LEGO Foundation, E4S and - in particular, the members who would lead the LEAP sprint - are developing and implementing a national teacher accreditation program to standardize and disseminate learning through play practices throughout Mexico. Experiences like this have diversified the team’s knowledge and understanding of how to create, adapt and operate E4S programs in diverse contexts in Mexico.

To adjust the pedagogical and operative models and improve the results we produce, research is an essential component during program development, testing and evaluation. Understanding the effects of each program and contrasting the impacts measured with those desired is crucial to solidify operations such that the program may be scaled and reach more participants. 

G4S is the newest program in the E4S catalog and with its two prior implementations generating varied results, it is a priority of the organization to evaluate and analyze the G4S and ensure that the results are consistent, with a replicable methodology and impact measurement. The LEAP sprint will be prioritized because its results will directly influence how we approach the development and dissemination of G4S from a direct implementation standpoint and in the creation and strengthening of partnerships that will enable its growth after the sprint.

Early childhood education that sets the foundation for lifelong learning by holistically equipping children with practical sustainability skills.

Overview

G4S seeks to solve the issue of inadequate early childhood education (ECE) in preparing young children ages 3-5 for subsequent academic and personal development. 

The situation is multifaceted and includes insufficient teacher training, deficiencies in curriculum and didactic strategies, and a failure to incorporate families into the learning and reinforcement of preschool education. 

Equity

Despite ECE mandates in Mexico, ECE has been deprioritized and, according to a 2021 study published to the National Library of Medicine, 18% of children in urban areas have insufficient early childhood development with the largest deficiencies noted in literacy-numeracy and socio-emotional domains. 

Research supports the importance of ECE in general childhood development, academic performance and adult health and wellbeing. Furthermore, ECE, when exercised well, has been shown to reduce the major inequities like cycles of poverty. In Mexico, a country polarized by penury and stark contrasts in socio-economic statuses, the necessity of cannot be overstated.

Public funding for education is what largely supports those of less economic resources yet as of 2022 reports, amount allocated to initial education represented 0.08% of total spending which is not sufficient to support or promote the future returns of ECE.

Curriculum

Environmental education is not equitably provided and marginalized – socially and/or economically – groups are often left out of sustainability education. In preschools, these topics are not included in the curriculum, thereby further delaying and dividing access to crucial education. G4S is designed to give children the tools they need to face these challenges and learn how they can contribute to mitigating their effects. 

In Mexico, the effects of climate change are becoming more widespread and dire, as evidenced by extreme water shortages and contamination in Mexico City. Unacknowledged by the current administration, environmental education to combat these issues remains deprioritized in Mexico. 

Teacher Training

The benefits of ECE are dependent not solely on its provision but on its quality which is directly related to the experience and expertise of early childhood educators. Research - such as a 2019 literature review by the World Bank - indicates that teachers greatly influence behavioral development, social competence and other skills like literacy. 

Play is essential for children to explore and learn from the world around them, developing foundational skills like communication, respect and collaboration. However, according to recent studies, preschool teaching in Mexico does not align with the use of play and games as a didactic strategy. G4S guides teachers’ development of playful and sustainability learning strategies that continue to be used post-implementation.

Family Incorporation

Families often have a hands-off role in their children’s education and are equipped to strengthen classroom concepts from home. Current strategies do not contemplate the importance of parental involvement and the significant influence that time at home has on children’s learning and development. 

G4S recognizes the integral role families play in children’s development and directly incorporates family learning into the fabric of its operations so that parents have tools to reinforce classroom learning at home and in their daily lives.

Today, Alexia is participating in a ludic G4S session. She rushes into the classroom, hardly containing her excitement to play with friends and “fish” in the “river” her teacher roped off. Quickly, Alexia notices that the river is full of plastic and trash instead of fish. She wonders aloud about how they will find fish with garbage covering every visible surface. Alexia and her classmates share looks of confusion as their teacher explains that to bring back the fish, they must first figure out how to clean the river. The children chatter about how to remove the garbage and, working together, they scoop up as much of the garbage as possible. Once the river is clear, the teacher guides the children to consider how the garbage entered the river in the first place, what happened to the fish that were living there, and what they can do to prevent future contamination. 

Alexia’s teacher appreciates that through this G4S activity she was able to address preschool curriculum objectives outlined by the Mexican Ministry of Education, specifically “care of the environment” and “exploration of nature.” By involving Alexia and her classmates in real-life problems, like river contamination, the children were enthusiastic participants in their own learning and practiced skills that will guide their future development. 

With the support and guidance of G4S, Alexia’s teacher instills an agency of change mindset in her students to empower them to take actions that address issues they personally experience. 

Overview

Through a ludic methodology, children learn experientially and through reflection and constant exchange of experiences, they learn from one another. With a comprehensive approach, G4S directly and integrally involves children, teachers and families to extend teaching outside the classroom and improve learning outcomes and overall child development.

Teacher Training

Teachers are trained by G4S staff and, from their pedagogical expertise, learn how and why the playful G4S methodology works to educate children on sustainability issues and foster skills like communication, teamwork and responsibility.

Teachers are simultaneously guided in creating their own play-based activities to cement their understanding of teaching through play and ability to replicate the methodology in their daily practices. The games are then compiled and shared with other participating teachers, amplifying the pool of activities they have to draw from.

Ludic Sessions

Accompanied by G4S facilitators, teachers implement the activities they created with their students. Appealing to children’s curiosity, these sessions prompt collaboration and critical thinking to achieve the game’s goal (e.g., removing garbage from the lake). Led by the teacher, children reflect on how they overcame challenges, worked together and how the activity relates to their real lives. They then brainstorm to apply what they learned to their lives (e.g., throwing trash away in designated bins and not littering).

Family Incorporation

Family sessions invite caregivers to the classroom to play with their children and learn what and how they are being taught in school. These sessions equip parents with strategies to continue developing life skills and learn through play techniques in their homes.

Foundational Research

In the initial development of G4S’ pedagogy and methods of operations, reviews of research on learn through play and sustainability education with early childhood applications were conducted. The primary data and investigations that informed the solution’s development were commissioned by the LEGO Foundation and UNICEF. We regularly review this empirical data and best practices in ECE which has contributed to the development of key partnerships such as that with the LEGO Foundation.

Summative Research

To date, E4S has conducted 3 evaluations that demonstrate the effectiveness of G4S. Two of these reports correspond to the two implementations of G4S that have occurred since its inception (“evaluative reports”). The third is a teacher “satisfaction report” that pertains to the compilation of games and the usefulness of that activity and resource.

The evaluative reports looked at positive changes in children’s behavior as it relates to the practice and value of teamwork and peaceful coexistence. Improvements in children’s understanding of what healthy habits are and how to care for their health and wellbeing are also addressed. The last area that children were evaluated on relates to sustainability, their recognition of and participation in activities that care for the environment. Both reports noted increases in children’s practice of civic values and knowledge of sustainability concepts. However, the results in the two reports varied and evidenced an inconsistency and an unclear cause and effect relationship between program practices and children’s learning.

The satisfaction report was a follow-up to the implementation of the compilation of games with teachers. The survey assessed teachers’ perspectives of the usefulness of compiling the games and play-based activities they created and their motivation and ability to implement these tools into their daily practices. All teachers would recommend the program to their colleagues but also noted that learning outcomes and indicators require improvements.

These studies affirmed not only the application and necessity of teaching young children through ludic methods, but also, the role that children have in solving global problems and contributing toward sustainability goals. Learn through play strategies are generally accepted practices and research endorses play-based learning, in particular in early childhood. The external foundational research by UNICEF and the LEGO Foundation supported our vision of sustainability education in early childhood and its broader implications throughout children’s development. 

Combining that research with the knowledge and expertise of Mexico's education system, G4S was designed to fill a gap in sustainability education and holistic learning in preschools using ludic activities that are pertinent and digestible for young children.

Results from the evaluations we have conducted corroborate our notion that positive changes occur through G4S implementation. Although the results are promising, they also confirm that the solution requires adjustments and strengthening of the evaluative procedures. 

Evaluation reports revealed that the biggest impacts were seen in children’s sustainability knowledge and ability to recall and apply sustainability practices in their lives. On the other hand, holistic learning as it relates to socio-emotional capacities varied between implementations which indicates that there are positive outcomes in social emotional learning and skill development but it is unclear what part of the methodology led to those changes in behaviors.

This information sparked our desire to reassess G4S, particularly the evaluative process, to understand why the solution produces positive changes in participants and how to solidify the process to make its operations replicable and consistent.

There has not been a specific cause-and-effect relationship established that indicates what part(s) of the G4S solution lead to the largely positive impacts seen in preschoolers during and post-implementation. 

Strengthening the evidence base of the solution is paramount to improve the effectiveness of G4S. This includes adjusting and strengthening our evaluation techniques to ensure that children get the most out of the program. Although our evaluations, feedback and observations from E4S staff, teachers and families of participants denote positive changes, verifying the real impacts from those perceived by adults is important. Understanding and evaluating children’s perspectives is essential to truly develop the skills and knowledge we want them to gain through the program. Honing the evaluation process will enable us to better monitor G4S performance and identify areas of improvement that will signal adjustments to the G4S pedagogy and operational model which will allow for solidification of implementation techniques that yield replicable results.

Now is a pivotal time in G4S development because only two implementations of the solution have been realized. Presently, we are undergoing strategy discussions with early childhood education leaders in Mexico who have been witness to the solution’s initial execution and offer key insight as to how we can improve our approach to scaling the solution and increasing the program’s reach. Current considerations they have broached with us relate to post-implementation evaluations, long-term follow-up with teachers and clarifying how teachers can continue to integrate G4S practices after the project concludes. Research and analysis of the program’s implementation at this stage would permit the G4S model to be refined and adapted and inform program scale-up later on.

Sharing evidence of the solution’s effectiveness is also imperative to amplify our impact and reach a greater number of children. To get teacher and school leader buy-in, it is crucial that we are able to demonstrate where the positive impacts and changes we see are coming from and what makes our solution uniquely equipped to generate those effects in preschool children. Likewise, this data would contribute to the sustainability and continued use of G4S methods by participating teachers. At a high level, strengthening our evidence base will build leverage to foster improvements in preschool programs and broader policy initiatives.

(1) What aspect(s) of G4S operations/methods generate positive changes in behavior and knowledge of preschool children?

(2) How can these changes/impacts be effectively measured from the child’s perspective? We want to know what type of assessments (caregiver interviews, direct with teachers, random vs. all participants) are best to make the solution’s results truly comparable.

(3) What is the best (easiest, least time consuming) way to support G4S teaching (sustainability education, life skills) from home? We want to know what in-person instruction and/or take-home tools are most effective and efficient for parents to reinforce G4S concepts.

Output 1: An implementation study that focuses on analyzing how the methodology works and why it produces positive impacts in participants. We want to identify the specific cause-and-effect relationships that exist between the behavioral and knowledge changes we see and the activities we implement. 

Output 2: User interviews with child, teacher and family participants to assess what aspects of the program are most helpful to their development of abilities to continue instilling G4S values and curriculum in the classroom and at home. These interviews will also serve to highlight areas of improvement and focus our future adjustments of program pedagogy and methodology.

Output 3: Impact evaluations to solidify the evaluation process, the questions asked and the metrics utilized to standardize G4S results and ensure that each implementation measures the same key impacts.

Following the conclusion of the LEAP Project, the operations team, with an enhanced understanding of why and how G4S produces positive behavioral and knowledge changes in participants, the operations team will be equipped to adjust the solution such that it leaves the installed capacities we desire in participants. 

The impact evaluations and implementation reports generated will be shared with current and potential partners, ministries of education and local governments to highlight the efficacy of the G4S solution and its usefulness to improve the foundation of the Mexican education system. Validating our model and sharing it with key stakeholders will allow for future scaling throughout Mexico and, eventually, globally. 

From an evaluation perspective, the evaluation team will be better able to train teachers in how to survey and assess student learning and development. This looks like more robust teacher training during program planning and start-up phases. Additionally, the area of evaluation will implement the at-home tools developed through LEAP to better educate parents on how to extend G4S learning to the home.

By improving the evaluation process, we also hope to refine our pedagogical model. Understanding which aspects and moments of the implementation process yield the most significant impacts on participants will highlight which parts of G4S’ methodology are essential and should be emphasized during teacher training and direct implementation with children.

Outcome 1: Continued use of G4S methodologies by teachers and adaptation of G4S techniques into their daily practices. We hope to inspire teachers to change their teaching methods and utilize G4S’ playful approach in their interactions with preschool students. Additionally, we aim to motivate teachers to incorporate sustainability education and activities in the classroom and advocate for changes to curriculum at a local and state-wide level.

Outcome 2: Systemic changes to preschool education at a state and policy level. By generating long-lasting changes in how individual teachers and schools approach preschool education, we hope to promote state-level adaptation of G4S pedagogy and incorporate a focus on sustainability education into preschool curriculum. The desired outcome is to incentivize teachers to lobby with state authorities of education to implement G4S procedures in preschools.

Outcome 3: National validation of G4S’ model for replication in distinct contexts. Flexibility of the model and reliability of evaluation results and impacts will allow for G4S practices to be applied throughout Mexico and change in how educators approach early childhood education.