Preschool 4.0: Educational Innovation for Early Childhood

Creativity, conflict resolution, adaptability, initiative, and assertive communication are some of the core skills at the heart of a new curriculum developed through a partnership between Colegio Hontanares, Ruta N, and ITM. In its pilot phase, the program impacted 66 children in the Aula Pedagógica of this educational institution.

Three Pillars of Transformation

This curriculum transformation is built on three key pillars:

1. National Curriculum Guidelines provided by Colombia’s Ministry of Education for early childhood education.
2. Neuroscience, which brings a scientific perspective to pedagogy, focusing on each child's neurodevelopment.
3. Relevance, aligning global Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies with local goals outlined in the Medellín Futuro 2020–2023 Development Plan.

“This curriculum focuses on skill development because we can’t predict the future these children will face. Strengthening their creativity, problem-solving, flexibility, initiative, communication, and multicultural awareness will prepare them for future challenges,” explains Camilo Rueda, Pedagogical Leader at Colegio Hontanares.

A First Step Toward Educational Transformation

Although the pilot directly impacted 66 children, its reach extends further. Through the UBUNTU strategy, the program has established long-term capacity at ITM’s Aula Pedagógica by training educators in neurodevelopment, systemic thinking, personal recognition, and educational planning based on skills and competencies aligned with child development stages.

The collaboration unfolded across five phases, beginning with establishing a pedagogical baseline, followed by curriculum design, implementation, evaluation, and integration with the Aula Pedagógica’s educational management model. The entire process was then systematized for replication in other contexts.

Public-Private Collaboration

“For us, this alliance with Ruta N is wonderful because it shows how the public and private sectors can make a difference,” says Ana Isabel Piedrahíta, Principal of Colegio Hontanares. “This partnership has supported early childhood development—cognitive, emotional, and biological—while involving families in social transformation.”

Results and Impact

• Investment: Nearly 152 million pesos
• Capacity Building: Training for six teachers and two coordinators at ITM’s Robledo and Fraternidad locations.
• Outcome: Creation of a replicable, interactive pedagogical model for early childhood education.

“This project represents a beautiful exchange of knowledge between entities, creating a city-wide pilot to ensure quality education for children. It transcends basic care to view children as curious learners deserving structured, systematic, and evolutionary education tailored to their needs,” says Ana María Jiménez, Pedagogical Leader at ITM’s Aula Pedagógica.