Two Voices from the Philippines

The PedPod season finale brings us home to the Philippines through a two-episode special featuring two educators whose work, values, and lived experiences offer powerful insights into what pedagogical innovation can look like when it is deeply human, relational, and context-rooted.

Finale Part 2: Pedagogical Innovation as Being Human

with Teacher Maricar Gustilo-de Ocampo

In this episode, we are joined by Teacher Maricar Gustilo-de Ocampo—early childhood education specialist, teacher educator, mentor, and lifelong practitioner from the Philippines—whose reflections invite us to slow down and return to the heart of education: being human.

Drawing from decades of experience in classrooms, universities, and communities, Teacher Maricar challenges the idea that pedagogical innovation must be fast, technical, or overwhelming. Instead, she speaks of innovation as something deeply relational—rooted in playful mindsets, everyday encounters, and the long work of nurturing kindness, empathy, and joy. For her, children do not need everything to come easy; they need space to struggle, to try again, and to grow through relationships with others and with themselves.

Grounded in Filipino culture, where family, community, and the barangay play a vital role in children’s lives, this conversation reminds us that innovation often means reclaiming what we already know—but may have forgotten: that education is about connection, care, and allowing children to bloom in their own time.

Two Voices from the Philippines

The PedPod season finale brings us home to the Philippines through a two-episode special featuring two educators whose work, values, and lived experiences offer powerful insights into what pedagogical innovation can look like when it is deeply human, relational, and context-rooted.

Finale Part 1: Innovation, Protection, and Care in a Digital World

with Teacher Lester Lim

In this episode, Teacher Lester Lim, Assistant Professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, offers a thoughtful exploration of pedagogical innovation through the lens of child protection, social-emotional learning, and participation in an increasingly digital world.

As the Philippines navigates its reality as one of the most digitally connected societies, Teacher Lester reflects on how education must respond to children’s online lives—not by simply restricting participation, but by equipping children, families, and educators with the skills to navigate these spaces safely and meaningfully. He shares how participatory and co-design approaches—working with children, parents, and teachers—are central to innovation in his research and practice.

From laboratory schools to community extension work, this episode highlights innovation as a collective, ethical, and collaborative process—rooted in the Filipino value of aruga, a deep and enduring care for children. Teacher Lester’s reflections invite us to see innovation not as an abstract goal, but as a responsibility shaped by concern, context, and care.

Building Shared Understanding in Early Childhood Across Cultures

In this episode, Bradford Wiles—Associate Professor and Extension Specialist at Kansas State University—joins us live from Bergen, Norway, where he’s been a guest researcher at HVL. With a background spanning Silicon Valley, academia, and community-based public health, Bradford’s work bridges early childhood development, outdoor play, and systems that support vulnerable families.

Bradford offers a vivid comparison between the Norwegian and U.S. early childhood landscapes—from Norway’s accessible, play-rich, and child-rights-centered approach to the U.S.’s high costs, scarcity, and structural barriers. His lens as an extension specialist adds a unique dimension: translating research into practical solutions for communities, and bringing community challenges back to inform research.

For Bradford, pedagogical innovation is rooted in “finding novel ways to help people make sense of things… and building shared understanding in ways that are high risk, high reward.” Drawing on Vygotsky, he frames innovation as a blend of theory and content into action—pathways that empower children, embrace risk-taking, and adapt to multiple ways of knowing.

He highlights Norway’s outdoor pedagogy, where rain-soaked exploration and self-navigation are integral to learning, and reflects on the values, leadership, and intentionality that make such innovations thrive. From the critical role of organizational support to mind-mindedness—seeing children as developing minds with agency—Bradford unpacks the enablers and barriers to meaningful change. He also shares candid observations on cultural inclusivity, readiness for change, and why Norwegians should never take their country’s collective approach to care and education for granted.

A conversation rich in perspective, Bradford’s reflections remind us that innovation flourishes where research, community, and trust in children meet.

Pedagogical Innovations Between Ethiopia and Sweden

In this episode, Kassahun Weldemariam—senior lecturer at the University of Gothenburg and originally from Ethiopia—shares his cross-continental journey through education, from teaching in Ethiopia to researching sustainability in Sweden. His path across the Global South and North has given him a unique vantage point on what it means to reimagine pedagogy in diverse contexts.

For Kassahun, pedagogical innovations are not simply about shiny new methods or technologies. Instead, he frames it as something much deeper:

Drawing from both Sweden’s well-resourced, child rights–oriented early childhood system and Ethiopia’s resource-constrained but community-rich practices, Kassahun emphasizes that innovation must always be context-sensitive. In Sweden, innovation might mean embedding children’s rights and sustainability into everyday practice. In Ethiopia, it might emerge through community-based care or multilingual education, despite structural challenges.

Across both settings, Kassahun highlights the crucial role of professional agency, collaboration, and leadership. Innovation, he argues, flourishes when educators are trusted as reflective, creative, and ethical agents—able to take risks, reclaim forgotten wisdoms, and co-construct knowledge with children, families, and colleagues.

His reflections invite us to see pedagogical innovation not as a universal formula, but as a dynamic, context-driven practice—always responsive to the realities, challenges, and possibilities of the communities it serves.

Happy listening!

Early Childhood Innovation Across Borders

In this episode, Gloria Quiñones—Associate Professor at Monash University and originally from Monterrey, Mexico—takes us on a cross-cultural journey through early childhood education. Drawing from her experiences in both Mexico and Australia, she redefines pedagogical innovation as something deeply personal: “doing something new for you”—no grand gestures required. Instead, the magic unfolds through reflective, child-led, and collaborative processes that honor context, relationships, and the everyday.

Gloria explores the contrast between Australia’s play-based curriculums—steeped in outdoor and bush kindergartens—and Mexico’s more structured, motor-skill-oriented approaches, particularly in urban and private educational settings. Yet, in rural Mexican communities, she observes a beautiful freedom in child-led, exploratory play.

As an immigrant, Gloria describes her dual cultural lens as a powerful asset—fostering empathy, openness, and the ability to see strengths across systems, without placing one above the other. She emphasizes that true innovation isn’t only about outcomes—it’s about the process, the relationships, the space for ideas to surface through slowing down and being responsive.

Gloria frames slowing down as essential for giving innovation the time and space to emerge, rather than forcing it into quick, outcome-driven timelines.

Whether it’s navigating different educational traditions or crafting new, meaningful connections with families and children—Gloria’s reflections invite us to embrace pedagogical innovations as a deeply relational, inclusive, and context-sensitive practice.

What if innovation in early childhood education isn’t about the new—but about returning to the wisdom of the past?

In this powerful episode, Māori educator and researcher Ngaroma Williams invites us to rethink “pedagogical innovation” through an indigenous lens. With over 40 years of experience, she shares how land, language, and ancestral knowledge shape truly transformative education in Aotearoa. From climate change projects guided by lunar cycles to reimagining teacher training in mainstream settings, this episode is a call to listen, unlearn, and reconnect.

Place matters. Language matters. Relationships matter.

Tune in to a conversation rooted in respect, resistance, and radical care.

Join us for a powerful conversation with Adefunke Ekine, Professor and Deputy Director at Tai Solarin University of Education and President of OMEP Nigeria, as she shares insights into the heart of early childhood education in Nigeria. From tackling school-related gender-based violence to pioneering innovative, culturally rooted teaching methods, Adefunke brings over 25 years of wisdom and unwavering advocacy for children and educators.

Discover how intergenerational storytelling, drama, and digital tools are reshaping classrooms—and why Nigeria’s early years sector is at a critical turning point.

Tune in now to explore how passion, policy, and play come together to create real change for the future of education in Nigeria.

#PedPod #EarlyChildhoodEducation #PedagogicalInnovation #OMEP #NigeriaEducation

Pedagogical Meets Responsible Innovation: Rethinking Early Childhood Teacher Education
Episode recorded live during a hybrid webinar with HVL Media Lab and NORBARN, April 29, 2025

How can we create meaningful change in early childhood teacher education (ECTE)? In this special episode of PedPod, recorded live during a NORBARN webinar, I was joined by Professor Liv Torunn Grindheim and Associate Professor Svein Gunnar Sjøtun to explore the intersection of pedagogical innovation and responsible innovation.

Together, they reflect on why many current reforms in ECTE fall short—and how a more ethical, inclusive, and practice-based approach might offer a better way forward. Drawing from theory, lived research, and international collaboration, they introduce the concept of Responsible Pedagogical Innovation (RPI)—a systemic, value-driven model for rethinking change in teacher education.

In the episode, expect thoughtful insights, cross-disciplinary perspectives, and a call to reflect on your own role in shaping the future of education.