The Southeast Asian Educational Innovation Award seeks to recognize achievements of teachers, school heads, community education workers and other development workers that made a difference in the lives of the learners and communities through the creative application of an idea into practical solution to address an education concern.

These may involve the novel and creative use of educational tools, concepts, processes or their combinations to produce new and better results. The innovative practices, developed and applied by teachers, principals (or headmasters) and other education workers in their classes and learning sessions or through activities and initiatives in the schools that brought on positive impact on learners and the communities are highlighted and shared among other education workers.

The award aims to:

1. Honor and give recognition to educators and development workers in Southeast Asia who made exemplary achievements in introducing and applying innovative practices;

2. Seek out and document innovative practices and the context in which these innovations led to achievement of learning goals and in overcoming limited resources and constraints;

3. Highlight examples of effective innovative teaching and learning practices as examples for other education workers; and

4. Encourage interaction and cooperation among education workers across the region through the dissemination of the award-winning innovations.

The theme, “Innovative Human-Centered Learning for Future-Ready Schools” tries to underscore the crucial role of human-centric approaches in preparing schools for the future. As education continues to evolve in response to societal changes and technological advancements, it becomes imperative to prioritize teaching and learning methods that place human needs and experiences at the forefront. By focusing on human-centered learning, the theme emphasizes the importance of tailoring educational experiences and technology interventions to meet the diverse needs of students, foster holistic development, and cultivate skills essential for success in an ever-changing world. Additionally, by emphasizing the concept of future-ready schools, the theme encourages innovations that empower educational institutions to adapt, thrive, and remain relevant in the face of emerging challenges and opportunities, both in the physical and virtual world.

Topic areas may include:

• Personalized Learning: Tailoring educational experiences to meet the unique needs, interests, and learning styles of individual students, often facilitated by adaptive learning technologies and data analytics.
• Collaborative Learning Environments: Creating interactive, creative, and cooperative learning spaces where students work together, share ideas, and engage in collective problem-solving, fostering teamwork and communication skills.
• Inclusive Education Practices: Implementing strategies and interventions to ensure equitable access to education for all learners, including those with diverse abilities, backgrounds, and learning preferences.
• Innovative Pedagogical Approaches: Instructional strategies, and educational philosophies that prioritize student engagement, active learning, critical thinking, and creativity. This includes innovative approaches such as project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, flipped classrooms, gamification, and experiential learning, which aim to foster deeper understanding, problem-solving skills, and lifelong learning habits among students.
• Digital Literacy and Citizenship: Equipping students with the skills and competencies necessary to critically navigate, evaluate, and utilize digital information and technologies effectively and responsibly.
• Adaptive Learning Technologies: Leveraging AI-driven tools and platforms to dynamically adjust instructional content, pacing, and assessment based on individual student progress and performance.

For the 2024 Award cycle, individuals recognized as leaders and proponents of the innovations adopted in the schools, learning centers or communities may be nominated in either of the following categories:

• Teachers

• School Heads

The Nominees should be

· Practicing teachers, school heads and community education workers

· Citizens/subjects of SEAMEO Member Countries

· The nominees may be employed by a government agency, community-based organization, recognized non-government organization or a partner organization in an education development project

· At the final selection stage, the INNOTECH Governing Board may seek endorsement from the Ministry of Education concerned

The award recognizes the value of group effort and collaboration in developing and introducing innovations for improving teaching and learning. A single individual, however, would be eligible for nomination. For projects or initiatives done by a group, a statement of the role of the nominee in the project/activity and acknowledgement of the nomination by other group members should be included in the submission.

Nominations may be submitted by the following entities:

· Ministries of Education of SEAMEO Members

· School districts/clusters, divisions or other field units and agencies under the Ministry of Education

· Public or private schools and learning centers

· International development organizations, community-based organizations

· Institutions of higher learning

Following the format in the nomination form, they should document the innovative practice, the context in which the innovation is developed and applied, the issues that the innovation sought to address and the positive impact on the learners and other members of the community. The nominations, corresponding to each category, may highlight topic areas included in the theme description.

Guidelines for Submission

1. Nominations should give information on the initiative related to the theme “Innovative Human-Centered Learning for Future-Ready Schools.” 

2. The nominations (via online form, paper submissions or electronic files sent by e-mail) should reach SEAMEO INNOTECH no later than 23:59 Hrs (Philippine Standard Time, GMT+8) on 30 June 2024.

a. Online submissions should be done via this Google form: bit.ly/seaeia2-submit

b. E-mail submissions should be addressed to info@seameo-innotech.org

c. Paper submissions should be sent by mail or courier to:

INNOTECH Southeast Asia Educational Innovation Awards (2024)

C/o SEAMEO INNOTECH Award Secretariat

Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman

Quezon City 1011, Metro Manila

3. Nominations submitted should include the following:

a. Completed “Nomination Form for the 2024 INNOTECH Southeast Asian Educational Innovation Award.”

b. Photos showing classroom or school activities; a maximum of five (5) photos with captions written in English can be submitted.

c. Support materials, such as sample teaching/learning materials, video presentations or sample lessons.

d. For videos about the innovation, the video should be in MP 4 format, not more than 5 minutes in length.

e. The sample materials and video should be in English; if they are in the national or local language other than English, a brief explanation in English should be provided to enable reviewers to appreciate the material presented

f. In case of activities/initiatives done by a group, a statement of the role of the nominee in the development and implementation of the innovation, and an acknowledgement signed by the other members of the group

4. Nomination forms can be downloaded below.

5. The Nomination Form specifies the number of pages for the different sections. Submissions should be in A4 size paper, with text in Times New Roman or Calibri font, font size 11.

6. SEAMEO INNOTECH will send an e-mail confirmation/acknowledgement of entries within one week upon receiving your submission; please inform SEAMEO INNOTECH in case you do not receiver an acknowledgement.

Nominations received will undergo three stages of review:

STAGE 1: A Technical Working Group composed of INNOTECH staff will be convened to undertake an initial review and screening of the nominations.

STAGE 2: The eligible entries will be reviewed by an international reference group of educators from outside of Southeast Asia. The panel will submit a short list of five nominees to the Center Governing Board.

STAGE 3: Final deliberation would be made by the  Governing Board. Selection shall be based on relevance of the innovation to the theme, the quality of the report and the innovation’s implications to Southeast Asian educational development. The awardee will be confirmed and announced at the SEAMEO High Officials Meeting in November 26-28, 2024.

The SEA Educational Innovation Award seeks out exemplary practices that illustrate creative approaches to meeting learning needs and achievement of learning goals. The award will comprise the following: 

· Trophy of Recognition

· Study visits in Southeast Asian countries to share ideas and innovative practices with other education workers

· The study visits will be organized by SEAMEO INNOTECH in consultation with the Awardee and his/her organization

· The travel grant(s) awarded should amount up to USD 3,000.00 to cover international travel, per diem and incidental costs

· The report will be published by INNOTECH

1. The completed nomination form and supporting documents drawn from project documentation will provide the main information for the review and selection of winning innovations.

2. Paper submissions will not be returned, submission of published research papers as supporting documents is discouraged.

3. Projects managed by SEAMEO INNOTECH, involving Center staff or their relatives are not eligible for nomination.

4. The INNOTECH Governing Board’s selection of the winning innovations for both categories is final; challenges and appeals will not be considered.

PRIVACY STATEMENT AND CONSENT TO USE OF DATA

SEAMEO INNOTECH takes data privacy seriously. This Data Privacy Statement informs you how we collect, use, store, protects, and process your personal data with us in accordance with Data Privacy Act of 2012 (R.A. 10173) of the Philippines.

We may collect and process the following personal and sensitive personal information in relation to your participation in the SEA Educational Innovation Awards and other SEAMEO INNOTECH programs/projects/activities:

• Full Name
• Contact Information (Address, Email, Phone Number)
• Educational Background
• Government-issued IDs

We collect your personal data when you register, sign-up, or avail yourself of our services, or contact us about them. We may also collect this information from other sources for identity verification and regulatory requirements by SEAMEO INNOTECH’s partner agencies.
These are collected for the following purposes:

• For use in Center-generated reports, documents, publications, and audio-video productions;
• For inclusion in databases of center participants, partners and stakeholders to make appropriate logistical arrangements, whenever necessary;
• To contact you for any updates related to Center programs/activities, as well as address queries and questions that you may have;
• To identify persons to contact in case of emergency; and
• To send evaluation instruments and other post-program/post-activity documents as needed.

DATA PROCESSING

SEAMEO INNOTECH undertakes that all your personal and sensitive personal information will be used, processed, stored securely, and shall not be used for commercial purposes. SEAMEO INNOTECH further undertakes that this data shall be accessible only to authorized personnel who have a legitimate need for such information.

DATA STORAGE

We store your personal data in a secure environment, devices, and media. Adequate control, means, and access to your personal data are in place to ensure the safety, integrity, and confidentiality of information that you have shared with us.

DATA RETENTION

We will retain your personal data so long as it is necessary for the fulfillment of the declared purpose and other legitimate purposes in accordance with the Center’s policies and procedures.

DATA SHARING

We do not sell or transfer your personal information to external parties without your consent. However, when you consent to the processing of your data with us, you also agree to help us comply with our regulatory and contractual obligations with other partner institutions and other authorities/institutions we may deem as having authority or right to such disclosure of information.

Your personal information/data, audio/visual recordings may be shared with different media platforms (website, Facebook, etc.) for promotional purposes.

YOUR RIGHT

You have the right to be informed, access, update, request the deletion of your personal data, indemnified for damages, and file a complaint for violation of any of your rights under the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

CONTACT OUR DATA PROTECTION OFFICER

For inquiries and concerns, you may address them to SEAMEO INNOTECH’s Data Protection Officer at Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, or through email at