Who are we?
The Brazilian Creative Learning Network (BCLN) is a grassroots movement that promotes and supports the implementation of playful, creative, personally relevant, and inclusive learning practices in schools and non-formal education environments throughout Brazil.
Born in 2015 out of the work of Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab, BCLN offers programs, resources and events that inspire, connect and give voice to thousands of educators, researchers, decision makers, entrepreneurs, artists, families and students from all over the country.
Our approach
Educational systems must undergo major changes to become more relevant and engaging for students and to better prepare them for a rapidly changing world (United Nations, 2022).
In Brazil, there are many individuals and organizations that are already striving for a more creative and relevant education for all.
BCLN works by identifying these innovative educators within and outside of schools, connecting them to one another, and forging a network of mutual collaboration, practice enhancement, and support.
By bringing visibility to their work, we help educators feel acknowledged for their initiative and also inspire new educators to try ideas in their classrooms and communities. This way, the BCLN movement keeps growing in a self-reinforcing and ever-expanding cycle that aims to reach the entire country while respecting the diverse characteristics of its people.
Programs and initiatives
We promote and strengthen our community through a wide range of initiatives including:
- Events and campaigns such as Festivals of Invention and Creativity (FIC), Scratch Days and the annual Brazilian Creative Learning Conference
- Thematic Groups and Regional Hubs for pedagogic innovation and advancement
- Professional development workshops and discussions.
- Practical tools and support materials for the community
- Dissemination and exchange of experiences, through the online portal
A systemic approach to education reform
With the child always at the center, the BCLN movement supports the development of the different actors in the educational ecosystem.
By building on each other's experiences and stimulating local adaptations to each context, BCLN provides the key elements needed to transform education in a country as large and diverse as Brazil.
We believe that all people, from young children to adults, should have the opportunity to develop their creative potential and collaborate to build a more meaningful world for themselves and their communities.
Creative Learning is an educational approach that, based on playful and engaging pedagogical practices, promotes more relevant educational opportunities, both inside and outside schools.
By applying the theory to its own actions, BCLN nurtures the flame of Creative Learning in Brazil, encouraging the continuous improvement of educational practices in different contexts of our country, through the exercise of experimentation and reflection on pedagogical theory and action.
Our team
We have a team of professionals who, together with hundreds of volunteer organizers, identifies, connects and promotes the practice of thousands of educators throughout Brazil.
Our partners
To make our actions possible, we count on the support of nationally and internationally renowned organizations
