In November 2024, Dream a Dream hosted the Strengthening Pedagogical Approaches for Relevant Knowledge and Skills (SPARKS)-Global Network for the first SPARKS Research Exchange to Bangalore, India. This was accompanied by multiple discussion panels on the direction of the Research Policy Collaboratives (RPCs) under the SPARKS project. During this time, we had the opportunity to interview each member to understand the relevance of Invisible Pedagogical Mindsets (IPMs) in our research.
This article will take you through our conversations with the SPARKS Global Network members and explore the origins, insights and challenges of a recently developed framework called “Invisible Pedagogical Mindsets (IPMs).”
In India, the National Education Policy 2020 uses the term ‘High-Quality Pedagogies’ as being instrumental in students’ learning outcomes and that ‘pedagogical practices determine the learning experiences that are provided to students.’ On this theme, initiatives like the SPARKS project in Dream a Dream seek to expand the conversation to include more diverse traits that influence this ‘learning experience.’
Under the SPARKS collaborative research initiative, the Invisible Pedagogical Mindsets (IPMs) was introduced as a framework to address the subtle yet critical elements of education that often go unnoticed. The thematic focus of IPMs feeds into three streams: Culture, Ecosystems and Learning Theories. Specifically, it establishes that there is no single definition for ‘pedagogy,’ in understanding the motivations for various definitions of pedagogies, we provide a starting point for decoding the invisible, individual cultural contexts present in classrooms. Through IPMs, we are trying to understand teaching practices that exist today, the ‘relevance’ of educational reforms and their alignment with practical and intuitive approaches, ensuring that they resonate with real-world educational contexts.
The IPM framework is never considered a common denominator to measure the various mindsets in the classroom; it is more of a tool to open the discussion of change to the more reticent aspects of educational reform. At Dream a Dream, research on the IPM framework seeks to explore how fostering thriving among young people can become an integral component of the local education ecosystem. This ecosystem also encompasses teacher’s beliefs, values and cultural norms, which inform and influence the teaching-learning process within the classroom.
Global Similarities and Local Differences
Ms Gabriela Lozano Campos, Chief Operating Officer at Education for Sharing, Mexico City, and Mr Ayman Al-Husseini, Research Associate at Foundation for Self-Discovery and Development, Egypt, both pointed out that despite contextual variations, the idea of IPMs strongly resonated with them. In both countries, teaching practices are tied closely to how the language of instruction and the cultural practices of information sharing have existed and evolved in society. “For example, we are looking specifically at the culture and learning theories of teachers when it comes to teaching in the Arabic language,” says Ayman.
Gabriela and Ayman start by understanding how diverse the classrooms in both countries are, where multiple socio-economic contexts exist simultaneously. This does not restrict itself to just students. “Teachers themselves are not a bulk category,” says Ayman. Representation starts by identifying various categories and backgrounds of the teachers they speak to.
In Mexico, the New Mexican School (2019) initiative that has swept the Mexican educational policy landscape puts the community as the primary focal point of education and national identity. In Gabriela’s domain, researching the impact of the New Mexico School Initiative has a lot to do with studying Active Pedagogies, which include aspects like play and project-based learning. “Our question is about what IPMs are enabling or challenging in implementing these new pedagogies in the framework.” To Gabriela- Mexico and India share the common characteristic of being multidimensional countries. This pertains to the diversity in the regions in which children grow up and their related experiences.
Public Policy and Institutional Backing
Dr Omar Qargha, Fellow at the Centre for Universal Education at Brookings Institution highlights that policymakers are pressured to deliver results, often relying on foreign funding to implement prescribed practices. Over the past twenty years, Omar’s work has spanned education development in curricula across the world. The common need observed during his career was that of a rooting of reforms in the contextual realities of each country. This is what moved him to study them in their individual aspects, that is, how culture, education ecosystems and prevalent learning theories influence pedagogical reforms. He says, “Governments need to facilitate meaningful dialogue to define the why of education before addressing the how.”
Omar further adds that the research policy collaborative – like the one that Dream a Dream is developing in India – is not about standardising or scaling IPMs. Rather, the RPC is meant to encourage discussions about the fundamental purposes of education as a way to align national priorities with local needs. “We have to think of education as moral, social, cultural and technical.” Educational reforms usually arise from ‘education transfers’, or taking best practices from other countries and implementing them here.” That’s also where most challenges arise. There is a need to ensure that the millions of dollars being spent on educational reform are aligned with goals that are within the education ecosystem in each local context.
Ms Rachel Dyl, Senior Project Coordinator and Research Analyst in the Centre for Universal Education at Brookings Institution, on the IPM framework, found that the concept was a precise study into what was working in reform and what wasn’t. The clear policy gap was that learning outcomes were conceptualised but not realised in children across countries. About Egypt’s education policy sector, Ayman likewise identifies that “Usually you will find policymakers or officials, engaging in communal discussion before taking a policy decision. But you are not always aware of who is involved and who is not. Is it a teacher’s union? Or other representatives? It’s hard to identify the stakeholders involved in a community discussion.” Rachel intrigues on knowing “How do you shift the invisible pedagogical mindset?” She notes that the search for outcomes eclipses process-oriented policy work in many policy scenarios. “IPMs, in that sense, become the process and the reflection.” Rachel’s vision is that IPMs will concretise what policymakers and stakeholders know in theory, which accompanies the teaching and teaching practice culture in classrooms today. “It’s a therapy to become more aware of the thoughts that accompany the work. On the science of collaboration and challenges in researching IPMs.”
Communicating and taking the framework from intent to practice is where the challenge and work lie ahead for RPCs globally. Amid this trajectory lies collaboration, which is the first step in getting the information from data collected on the ground to materialise into change.
“Getting the formula of collaboration right,” says Ayman, remains a task to be mindful of, especially when implementing this framework requires the inputs of so many stakeholders with varying measures of power and interest. Rachel concedes that collaboration is as time-consuming as it is necessary. Gabriela also acknowledges that the main challenge is getting RPC members engaged with the project and maintaining that engagement throughout and after the project.
Omar believes that studying embedded philosophical and ideological aspects in pedagogies where not everybody sees the world in the same way, is complex but important. In envisioning a future where pedagogy aligns more deeply with societal values and needs, the Invisible Pedagogical Mindsets framework is a project that visualises where research and actionable policy can find common ground.
Towards Transformative Pedagogy
The Invisible Pedagogical Mindsets (IPM) framework offers a transformative lens for understanding and addressing the often-overlooked nuances of educational reform. By exploring the intersection of teaching practices, cultural contexts and systemic constraints, the IPM framework illuminates the deeper motivations and barriers that shape education systems globally.
Through initiatives like the SPARKS project, the framework is a theoretical and practical tool for facilitating meaningful dialogue among diverse stakeholders—teachers, policymakers, researchers and communities.
Researchers from the USA, Mexico and Egypt shared experiences that underscore the universality of the challenges and opportunities of embedding culturally and contextually relevant pedagogies.
The IPM framework’s emphasis on process-oriented collaboration and reflection provides a much-needed counterbalance to the outcome-driven focus of many education policies. However, the challenges of sustaining engagement, fostering inclusive participation and navigating ideological complexities highlight the ongoing effort required to bridge gaps between policy intent and classroom realities.
As education systems worldwide grapple with reform, the IPM framework offers a pathway for the local contexts with global aspirations, ensuring that pedagogical practices resonate with both learners’ and educators’ lived experiences. This evolving dialogue has the potential to create more inclusive, adaptive, and transformative education ecosystems, paving the way for a future where the invisible becomes visible and impactful.
Acknowledgments
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dr Deepa Chawla for her invaluable support in conducting the interviews. And to the Global network team of SPARKS project who took the time to speak with us and share their insights, experiences and perspectives.
About the Authors
Ms. Zoe Liz Philip, Intern – Research and Impact at Dream a Dream, Bangalore, India
She is a Master’s student in Public Policy at the National Law School of India University. Her research and policy interests focus on the education sector, with a commitment to advancing equitable labour policies and fostering supportive working conditions for teachers.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-liz-philip-a67229206/
Dr. Sreehari Ravindranath, Director – Research and Impact at Dream a Dream, Bangalore, India
He is a passionate researcher and educator whose mission is to reimagine education in India. He specializes in social and emotional learning and well-being pedagogies, education in emergencies, and thriving in Adversity.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreehari-ravindranath/
X: @sreehariRavind3
Mr. Amit V Kumar, Educational System Researcher, Dream a Dream, Bangalore, India
A researcher and assessment expert working with Dream a Dream. He leads data initiatives and collaborates closing with the Brookings Institution on SPARKS. He is an expert in pedagogical practices, educational system transformation and facilitative training, contributing to global research and advancing data-driven strategies. Amit holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Leadership Management.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amitvkumar/
X: @amitvkumar