Teaching now is more dynamic, challenging and demanding than ever before. Teachers are expected to continuously innovate, adapt, and develop their teaching practices to equip all students with the skills and knowledge they will need to succeed in life and work. Classrooms are increasingly diverse and effective teaching demands that teachers individualise the learning experience to accommodate the needs of all. At the same time, teachers are expected to collaborate with parents and communities to support the academic, social and emotional development of students. Moreover, technological changes and the increased availability of digital resources are opening new avenues for both teaching and learning.

Anyone flying into Abu Dhabi or Dubai is amazed at how the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been able to transform its natural resources into spectacular buildings and a bustling economy. But more recently, the country is discovering that far greater wealth than all the oil and gas together lies hidden among its people. If the country would live up to its ambition to be among the world’s 20 leading school systems, as measured by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), that could add over USD 5.6 trillion to the economy over the lifetime of today’s primary school students, or the equivalent of nine times the size of the UAE’s economy (OECD, 2015). That is because people with a solid foundation of knowledge, with creative, problem-solving and collaborative skills, and with character qualities such as mindfulness, curiosity, courage and resilience, make much greater contributions to economic and social progress.

It is no exaggeration to use the word “revolution” when talking about how our lives have changed over the past few decades – and so has the set of skills we need to participate fully in and benefit from our globalised, hyper-connected, and increasingly knowledgebased economies and societies. Because our environments are faster-paced and more unpredictable than ever before, there is increasing pressure for governments to provide the right skills to all citizens, through high-quality education systems, and to do so in effective and equitable ways.

Teachers and school systems need to ensure that all students are able to achieve their potential regardless of any existing personal or social disadvantages. This chapter focuses on issues of balancing equity and inclusiveness in education systems to optimise learning for all students. First, the chapter explores the ways school systems can respond to students with special needs and includes strategies that teachers can adopt to make learning more meaningful for all. Second, the chapter makes a case for ensuring equity in education and presents methods and practices that help achieve integration of disadvantaged students in classrooms and schools.

Collaboration between parents, teachers and schools is critical for effective learning and for ensuring the social and emotional well-being of students. This chapter briefly explores ways to increase parent participation while providing insights into improving communication between teachers and parents, to ensure their co-operation in student development. The chapter then examines how bullying can be an impediment to the cognitive and social development of students, and identifies ways in which schools, teachers and parents can work together to address it.

Today’s teachers need to ensure that their students master a wide variety of knowledge and skills to be prepared for tomorrow’s challenges in work and life. This chapter first explores issues around quality teaching and its impact on student learning. The chapter then focuses on recent debates over the competencies and knowledge that teachers need to teach to equip students for success in the 21st century. Lastly, the chapter examines the benefits and challenges of students being actively involved in their learning.

The classroom experience is rapidly changing through the integration of information and communication technology, internet connectivity and technology-based pedagogies. This chapter first explores how teachers can use technology to provide quality instruction, and provides a few insights on how teachers can better integrate technology and innovation to facilitate learning for all. The chapter then examines how teachers can engage with social media to support learning and help bolster students’ ability to navigate through digital spaces. Lastly, the chapter focuses on using elements of games as a means of increasing student engagement, and identifies benefits and challenges of making games a part of the classroom experience.

Innovation in teaching and learning is essential to respond to the needs of 21st century learners. Teachers can be drivers of innovation in classrooms if they are supported by education systems. This chapter explores issues around adopting pedagogical approaches that are effective in meeting the needs of today’s diverse learners. It includes an explanation of alternative education methods that are prevalent in school systems today. The chapter then examines the role of feedback in supporting teachers, and helping them innovate and develop as educators.