Robotics, programming, maker culture, Education 4.0. Innovation and technology boost the competitiveness of any company—even if that company is an educational institution. This is because technology acts as an enabler and helps break down barriers by allowing teachers to develop new, immersive, and inclusive learning experiences.

As a result, more and more schools that have integrated technology into their teaching and learning approaches are finding that it helps students enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, learn anytime and anywhere, and improve their academic performance.  

But are adopting new teaching methodologies, investing in teacher professional development, and acquiring technological tools enough to bring about digital and innovative transformation?
According to José Moran, a professor of New Technologies at the University of São Paulo (USP) and one of the founders of the School of the Future Project, this is still not enough. According to Moran, innovative educational institutions do share certain characteristics: a distinctive approach to the curriculum, methodology, school environment, and the profile of their administrators. In particular, the expert notes, school administrators must be leaders.

“A school isn’t built on technology alone. The human presence of the teacher is still necessary to welcome students, facilitate learning, assess their progress, and more. If you have a leader with a vision—one who has a plan, set deadlines, and surrounds themselves with a good team—change is possible. And the leader has to be willing to learn and experiment. It’s not enough to just hire consultants,” explains Moran, who will be one of the speakers at Bett Educar 2020, an event taking place May 12–15 at the Transamérica Expo Center in São Paulo.

This discussion will be the focus of the Bett Educar Conference, which—among its four guiding themes—has placed special emphasis on two of them: public policy and management. The latter, in fact, has its own agenda at the Managers’ Forum.

Planning is the starting point for innovative management

Although schools are still somewhat removed from the business world, according to industry experts in innovative management, the professional organization of educational institutions helps educators innovate without sacrificing financial returns. No matter the size of the school, this is a time for a paradigm shift.

"We need to understand, as soon as possible, that the discussion about innovation isn't about technology; it's more about a shift in mindset and organizational culture, even when it comes to schools," said Andrezza Amorelli, director-general and co-creator of Espaços de Aprendizagem at Colégio Elvira Brandão.

Amorelli explains that the principal of an innovative school must practice a style of leadership that inspires people. This approach must be implemented alongside the development of competencies and skills focused on human development.

"Schools need to rethink the way they view the world. On the one hand, companies are constantly changing, but educational institutions have not kept pace," said the principal, who will also be speaking at the Bett Educar Conference on May 13, presenting a talk titled "Help! I'm a School Administrator in the 21st Century—Challenges in Creating Effective Strategic Plans."

At the event, Andrezza Amorelli will share the stage with Walter Moreira Neto, Director of Corporate Strategy at Colégio Novo Tempo in Santos (SP). An economist by training, Walter has been working in education for four years, ever since he decided to start his own business. The results were so positive that the school invited him to take charge of the institution’s overall strategy. “We need to encourage schools to become more professional, because 99% still don’t see themselves as businesses,” said the director.

With ten years of experience in the financial market, Neto believes that 2020 will be the year in which the changes implemented at Novo Tempo are consolidated. And it is precisely this case study that the director intends to present during the conference. “I want to share with the participants our paradigm shift—when we began working with strategic planning and agile management methodologies, and implemented new models for recognizing the value of teachers.”

In the current landscape, public policy and management are two of the most relevant topics for educational institutions. For this reason, the Bett Educar 2020 program aims to provide a true immersion in these topics, highlighting the sector’s challenges and trends, whether through case studies or highly informative lectures. Registration for the Bett Educar 2020 Conference remains open on the event’s website: bettbrasileducar.com.br.