Learning has always happened everywhere--in schools, homes, libraries, workplaces, and communities--but systems have historically treated these experiences as disconnected. In 2007, a group of educators, researchers, artists, learning scientists, funders, and community leaders in Pittsburgh recognized that preparing young people for a rapidly changing world required rethinking not just schools, but the entire learning ecosystem.
Remake Learning was created to connect the people, places, and resources that support learning and to make it easier for communities to work together toward a shared vision. Rather than introducing a single program, the goal was to strengthen the conditions that enable continuous innovation across a region.
This work is grounded in the idea that learning ecosystems already exist in every community, they simply need to be cultivated, connected, and supported to reach their full potential.
Remake Learning operates as a replicable ecosystem model, organizing communities around five core functions:
1. Convene cross-sector stakeholders
2. Coordinate shared priorities
3. Catalyze innovation through small-scale funding
4. Communicate and amplify learning
5. Celebrate learning through public engagement
In Pittsburgh, this approach has:
-Engaged 800+ organizations across sectors
-Supported 3,500+ educators to design and test new approaches
-Helped transform 400+ learning spaces across schools, museums, libraries, and community settings
-Driven over $100M in investment into learning innovation
These coordinated efforts shift how adults collaborate, how organizations partner, and how systems evolve to support learners.
Remake Learning has evolved into a globally influential model for learning ecosystem development, with clear evidence of spread:
-40+ learning ecosystems worldwide have been inspired by Remake Learning, spanning the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and South America
-Core components including learning festivals, catalytic grants, and cross-sector convening have been adopted and adapted in diverse regions
-Remake Learning Days now engages 150,000+ families annually across expanding geographies, with festivals held across the United States and internationally, including in the United Kingdom, Uruguay, and more
-The model has also been shared through international convenings and global platforms, helping accelerate adoption and adaptation across contexts. Global recognition, including the WISE Award and the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award, has further elevated the model as a reference point for regions exploring ecosystem-based approaches
Importantly, Remake Learning scales through modular adoption:
-Some regions adopt public engagement strategies (learning festivals)
-Others adopt innovation funding approaches
-Some build full ecosystem models
This flexibility allows communities to adapt the model to their own context while maintaining core principles.
To adopt this model, communities typically:
1. Map existing learning assets across sectors
2. Establish a neutral backbone organization or steward
3. Convene stakeholders to build trust and shared priorities
4. Launch small-scale funding to catalyze innovation
5. Create public engagement opportunities to activate community participation
Remake Learning shares playbooks, convenings, and partnerships to support regions in adapting this approach.
