Tell us a little about yourself
I have great respect for education innovators driving impactful and scalable educational approaches. At work, I see myself as a challenger and I enjoy sparring with people. I hold a M.Ed. from University of Helsinki. I am a Co-Founder of the industry associations European EdTech Alliance and Edtech Finland. I also have experience in leading a startup company, democratising creative technology skills, building hybrid and international delivery for a leadership development program for entrepreneurial leadership, as well as delivering strategic consumer insights and segmentation projects. To better understand sustainability in business, I recently studied and got certified as an ESG Specialist.
Outside of work, I like to relax at the sea or in the forest, or by admiring fine art or taking photographs. I am a skipper and sometimes guide junior sailors at the sea scouts. I am a mother of two lovely school-aged girls.
Why do you want to work at HundrED?
I think HundrED has a fascinating position in the changing world of learning. For my curious mind, working here means being in a place where I can both observe the continuous change and participate in the strengthening of the future of learning. Education can be an effective way to make the world a better place, and I want be involved. HundrED is globally recognised for its research and expertise in education innovation. I am very excited to help education decision makers to drive a long-term transformation. The international community of educational and EdTech innovators has become very important to me in recent years, and I am happy to continue working in this space.
Why should we change our schools?
The constant change and changing needs of society, such as the environmental crisis, also pushes schools to change, develop and align their curricula. As research related to human growth, development and learning is applied to practise, new innovations in learning and teaching are discovered. Also new technologies offer new opportunities to organise learning and teaching not only on a personal level but also on a system level.
Why is innovation in education crucial today?
Schools and school systems change slowly. When something new is tested, it must be ensured that the current educational practices remain high quality. This makes it demanding but also rewarding to see when progress is made. Education is one of the largest industries in the world. Innovation and problem solving fosters critical thinking and openness to new possibilities, which creates the kind of spirit that I believe should be part of everyone's education. With the population growth rate, there is also a great need to provide better education to the global population.
Three HundrED innovations you love and why
There are plenty of great innovations to love in the HundrED collection. This is my list linked to my own journeys and thoughts!
1. CyberSmart Africa is an innovation from Senegal. Years ago I attended a Finnish-Senegalese scout camp that was organised in Diofior, Senegal. We stayed in classrooms similar to what is on the video. The locals had summer vacation, and there were only two English courses for young children. We asked the teacher if we could join their class, and he warmly invited us. I can imagine that this kind of EdTech innovation would motivate both the learners and the teachers, and it would also work in a rural school with no or unreliable electricity. I have seen other similar solutions used in rural Colombia.
2. The Blue Bag, an educational campaign for ecological awareness and environmental care from Croatia, caught my attention. I am a diver, sailor and I care for the oceans. I have seen how much trash is under the surface and on the beaches. The project encourages everyone, but especially every sailor, to collect at least one bag of waste during the season.
3. 100cameras offers children a new gateway for self-expression through photography. Photography has been my media and hobby since childhood. For me, it's a great way to explore the world, tell stories and make memories of important moments. An appropriate curriculum can guide the learning experience in just the right way and give the creative process boundaries that often lead to better artwork!
Contact Information
Email: heini.karppinen@hundred.org
Linkedin: Heini Karppinen
Twitter: @HeiniKarppinen
