VIRTUAL Lisbon Livable Cities
Abstract
How do out-of-school learning experiences in city neighborhoods support students’ inner states of well-being? Among the critical post-pandemic challenges cities and schools face are issues of declining well-being. Research suggests that prolonged isolation, social distancing, and remote learning during the pandemic contributed to unprecedented declines in adolescent mental and physical health around the globe. As the danger of COVID-19 abated, many schools returned to teaching and learning as usual. However, few urban schools are effectively cultivating student well-being. As cities grapple to support the heath of its children, out-of-school pedagogical experiments during the pandemic may offer some important insights. During the pandemic, educators at the SEK International School Santa Isabel in Madrid, Spain sought to create community connections and learning opportunities throughout their urban neighborhood. With the help from parents and community leaders, they created “learning paths” in which students explored their surrounding communities and environments with the aim to develop a range of outcomes, including well-being. They effectively expanded their curriculum and campus to become their city. The pathways were so successful that their approach is being adopted at other SEK schools in the Spanish the cities of Alborán and Almerimár. This session shares emerging research findings from a collaboration among SEK educators and researchers from the Schools of Education at Harvard University and Universidad Camilo José Cela. Based on observations, interviews and photographic documentation it offers specific design qualities of city places that support learner’s inner states of agency, belonging, curiosity and delight.
Dr. Daniel Wilson is a Principal Investigator at Project Zero and Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). For over thirty years his teaching and research has explored the dynamics of collaboration, designing physical places that support human development, and adult learning in the workplace. He is a former Director of Project Zero (2014-2023) and Faculty Chair of “Learning Environments for Tomorrow”, a joint institute between HGSE and Harvard Graduate School of Design. He has participated in dozens of international research projects in a variety of cultural contexts.
Dr. Carmen Sánchez Ovcharov is the Dean of the School of Education at Universidad Camilo José Cela. She holds a PhD in Philosophy and Methodology of Science by Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), where she also graduated in Philosophy and got the Doctorate Extraordinary Award. She develops her teaching and research activity as an associate professor at the Logic and Theoretical Philosophy department (Faculty of Philosophy, UCM), as a professor-tutor of Logic (Philosophy department, UNED), and as a titular teacher in secondary education. She is also a member of the Permanent Scientific Committee of the International Education and Learning Community of the Global Knowledge Academics (GKA).
Dr. María Isabel Garcia Senet is an expert in Early Childhood Education and Adjunct professor and coordinator of Pedagogical Innovation and Internationalization of the Faculty of Education of the Camilo José Cela University. She is an advisor of the children’s programs of the SEK international schools and vice president of the non-governmental organization Boston Area Reggio Inspired Network (BARIN) in the USA.
Jennifer Pro, currently the head of SEK International School Santa Isabel, Jennifer Pro has held senior leadership positions in international schools and nonprofits across the globe. A passionate educator and social entrepreneur with 17 years of experience, Jennifer is also co-founder of an international NGO dedicated to safeguarding children through education. She cares deeply about children and is passionate about their learning and the potential to guide them as they transform their future.
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Friday 11th July, 2025