Generate Knowledge
Conduct rigorous research that deepens our understanding of how children, communities, and institutions develop together.
Research · Practice · Renewal
The Center for Education Ecology
Advancing research, practice, and social renewal through a living systems understanding of education and human development.
What Is Education Ecology?
A living web of relationships,
places, and meanings.
The Center for Education Ecology is an independent interdisciplinary initiative exploring the relationships between human development, education, community life, moral development, sustainability, and social systems.
Education does not happen in isolation. Children and youth grow within living systems of relationships, places, practices, meanings, and institutions.
Education ecology studies these systems and asks how they can be renewed to support human flourishing, moral development, love, justice, sustainability, and the common good.
Our Purpose
Three commitments that shape everything we do.
Translate Research Into Practice
Turn theory into tools, training, and resources educators and families can use every day.
Renew Educational Systems
Help schools, programs, and communities re-imagine education for human flourishing and the common good.
Our Divisions
Four streams of inquiry, one living vision.
01
Early Childhood Ecology
Research and practice focused on early childhood development, social-emotional learning, teacher development, family engagement, and early learning environments.
02
Love, Moral, and Identity Development
Research on love, character, moral identity, spiritual development, flourishing, and the formation of persons and communities.
03
Systems Ecology and Community Learning
Work focused on education for sustainable development, youth leadership, community-based learning, active citizenship, and global moral identity.
04
Educator Development and Translational Innovation
Projects that translate research into tools, training, coaching models, platforms, and public-facing educational resources.
Signature Initiatives
Programs, networks, and platforms shaping the field.
Featured InitiativePhiladelphia · Youth · Environment
Youth for a Sustainable Philadelphia
What if every high school and college student in Philadelphia had a real pathway to contribute to the city’s environmental and public space goals — through coursework, volunteering, internships, co-ops, and employment?
A citywide ecosystem connecting schools, youth organizations, workforce intermediaries, and environmental nonprofits — so young people help map dumping hotspots, monitor stormwater and green infrastructure, steward parks and watersheds, and build the long-term civic capacity Philadelphia’s environmental future requires.
Every zip code
Youth participation organized neighborhood by neighborhood
Schools → Stewardship
Academic learning linked to real environmental priorities
A national model
Philadelphia as a blueprint for civic environmental capacity
Research Lab
Early Childhood Education Lab
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Network
NEST
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Research
Study of Love
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Measurement
Love Development Index
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Youth Leadership
Youth Lead Change
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Global Network
Altruistic Sustainability Network
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Practice
Teaching to Thrive
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Public Scholarship
Light Worlds
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Platform
TeacherPromotion.com
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Spiritual Education
Spiritual Classroom
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Education for Sustainability
TeachESD
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The Ontology Project
Beneath every educational model is a view of reality.
What a person is. What development is for. What society should become. What forms of knowledge matter. The Ontology Project explores the deeper assumptions that shape education, human development, love, flourishing, sustainability, and civilization-building.
Learn Morebeing · becoming
Methods
An integrated practice of inquiry and renewal.
- 01Research and evaluation
- 02Developmental theory building
- 03Practice-based inquiry
- 04Coaching and professional learning
- 05Community partnerships
- 06Digital tools and translational products
- 07Public scholarship
Partner With Us
Let us build the next chapter of education together.
We welcome collaboration with schools, early childhood programs, universities, nonprofit organizations, community networks, funders, and scholars who are interested in renewing education for human flourishing and the common good.
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