Background information about the competition
In the wave of globalization, communication and cooperation in the field of education have become increasingly important. The “Teaching in the 21st Century 2.0” teacher competition, jointly organized by UNESCO IITE and NetDragon on the E-Library platform, has concluded successfully in September 2024. Aimed to enable educators to exchange insights, share best practices, and harness digital innovations in pedagogy, this event attracted global participation from 235 teachers across 25 countries. The competition themes included promoting green education, the use of generative AI, development of creativity, as well as gamification and game-based learning. After intense evaluations, two Peer Evaluation winners and six Jury Evaluation winners emerged, who received an international study tour as a reward.
Since its launch, this competition has received even broader attention than last year. The participants were primary, secondary and high school teachers from public, private, additional education, and other types of schools. They came from all over the world, including Pakistan, Egypt, Mauritius, Tunisia, Armenia, Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Serbia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Ghana, and other countries. Through the E-Library, they showcased their unique teaching methods and innovative educational concepts. This was not just a competitive event in teaching but also an integration of cultures and a collision of new technological ideas.
Overview of some participating works
During the competition, a total of 235 teaching projects were displayed, covering various academic fields and showcasing teachers’ innovative practices in classroom teaching, especially in areas such as using ChatGPT and other generative AI tools to enhance learning, gamifying classrooms to enhance learners’ engagement, greening classrooms with EdTech solutions, and building innovative environment in classroom with ICT.
Among them, 46 outstanding works passed the preliminary review and entered more rigorous peer review and judges’ evaluation stages. After a series of intense selections, two teachers won the championship for their excellent performance in peer reviews, while six teachers received the judges’ award for high praise of their works.
The winners of the competition
Peer evaluation:
| Round | Name | Country |
| First round | Tabassum Laghari | Pakistan |
| Second round | Mehtaab Bukhuth | Mauritius |
Jury evaluation:
| Category | Name | Country |
| Gamifying classrooms to enhance learners’ engagement | Kalimullah Memon | Pakistan |
| Using ChatGPT and other generative AI tools to enhance learning | Mariam d/o Hussain Bux | Pakistan |
| Adel Mohamed Badawy Dardir | Egypt | |
| Greening classrooms with EdTech solutions | Bouslimi Chokri | Tunisia |
| Fostering creativity in classrooms with ICT | Antonia Nikou | Greece |
| Denis Kudaimetov | Uzbekistan |
The works of these winners not only demonstrated high-level innovative technology applications in teaching but also reflected their passion for the educational cause and profound understanding of student development. The international study tour to Serbia that took place in Belgrade, Serbia from 28 October to 1 November 2024 served as recognition of their personal efforts and the educational philosophies they represent. It provided them with valuable opportunities for learning exchanges and further training on the theme of integrating AI with education, allowing them to experience educational practices under different cultural backgrounds firsthand, thereby broadening their horizons and enriching their teaching methods.
Conclusion
The successful organization of this competition not only highlighted the important role of the E-Library platform in promoting global educational exchange but also demonstrated that the platform is beginning to reach an international scale, providing a stage for global educators to showcase themselves and learn from others. It proved that in the era of knowledge sharing, the boundaries of education are being broken down, and global educators are working together to advance innovation and development in education. This aligns with the original intention of UNESCO IITE and NetDragon in establishing the E-Library platform.
Although the competition has come to an end, the pace of innovating education is still moving forward. Inspired by the competition, more and more educators are being engaged in educational innovation practices, and all the educators are welcomed and expected to contribute to global educational development in the future.