if schools strive to foster learner engagement and formative assessment for instance but seek to do so while ignoring individual differences or the importance of emotions for effective learning then the overall impact will be diminished who the learners are in any school may be a given of geographical proximity but the profile of learners may also be innovated for example inviting parents or other family members in to become students or when learners are brought together from a distance sometimes from around the world using communication technologies who the educators are may be a source of innovation as different experts adults family or community members and students themselves work with the teachers or as teachers join forces across schools and even over large distances to share a class or project many approaches may be taken to innovating content even within existing curriculum guidelines such as emphasising st century competences including social learning making connections through interdisciplinary approaches or giving emphasis to specific areas like language learning or sustainability